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The question players, who want to take their game to the next level, need to ask themselves is "what part of what I’m doing can give me an incremental advantage."
What do you think is the primary area, of finer distinctions, that most likely will lead to expertise in pool?
I've been reading this thread since it began and meant to add my $.02 earlier on, but then life happened, So now that I have the time...
I'm not sure about the finer distinctions part of it. When I have found improvement it has typically been something broader that led to incremental improvement over time as I became more practiced.
In another thread...
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=6554061#post6554061
... titled "Components Necessary to Become a Pro Level Pool Player?" I posted the following...
1) natural ability
2) desire
3) drive
4) mental toughness
While that topic was based around picking out young talent for further development, it seems to be relevant here. No, most of us are not going to join the pro ranks but why not emulate that which works for them, if it improves our game? I am proof that an old pool dog can learn new tricks.
I don't question my natural ability. My eyesight is not what it used to be but I can still see patterns and make shots well enough with or without my shooting glasses. Playing with feel is still a big part of my game.
My desire and drive are still very strong, but my mental toughness took a dive when I lost confidence in my stroke. Losing that and getting it back were both game changers.
If a player is lacking in any of those 4 areas I doubt that focusing on fundamentals or such is going to lead to big improvements. On one of our league teams our captain had to fire one of the team members that was a good shot with good fundamentals but not a good player. He would miss an easy shot and just shrug it off, concede the 8 ball and other boneheaded mistakes. It didn't help that he had a significant fondness for alcohol.
Although not part of the list above, focus is what I've been working on lately, as it has always been a challenge for someone like myself, being borderline ADD, where thoughts can start running in every direction like a pack of scared rabbits.
I try to stay in the here and now by practicing the right kind of self awareness when approaching, and being at the table. The thinking part of it should be done before addressing the shot but sometimes my restless mind butts in and I have to get up off the shot, make adjustments, or not, and start over. My goal is to have all my awareness in the moment, on the shot, in the zone (Zen?).
I know I am getting there when my opponent or someone else has to yell at me to get my attention. Otherwise I don't even notice they are talking to me.
I am also better now at focusing on the game as I walk back to my seat, especially if I did not seal the deal, analyzing what went wrong, and staying in the game while seated.
While maintaining focus contributes to my mental toughness, it also helps to be a stoic. I can't control what my opponent does or leaves me, or the jukebox playing gansta rap at full volume, or other such things but I can control what I do, so I don't sweat the former and focus on the latter.
If I miss a shot or blow my leave, getting upset is not going to solve the problem. As my elder buddy says, "there is no such thing as luck on a pool table; someone caused it to happen."