Compete without fear

[boogieman]

There should be a frustrated emoticon! There were several years where I would make a great shot, all the feel good chemicals would dump, and I would miss a duck!

One of my worse ones happened in a race to 5. He was/is a good player. He would handily beat me most days. I'm up 4-0, and one single solitary thought went through my mind, "I should have this one, all I have to do is play smart."

The final score was him, 5-4.

At least it taught me something about those feel good chemicals and letting your foot off a guys neck. Don't try to coast across the finish line!

 

[gregcantrall]

thought went through my mind, "I should have this one, all I have to do is play smart."

My favorite story is the flip side. I was trailing 6-2 going to 7 in the point match of the big event. My thought was reflection of Tin Cup wisdom. As I racked the balls the last time, my thought was "Don't worry about looking helpless, you've already done that. How about if I don't just hand it to him like the I have been doing. Maybe just mabe........" Then I quit "Thinking" and won it 7-6.

 

[mareh]

Self confidence? Fear? Knowing? Guessing? TdF?

 

[SSP]

I have been playing pool now for about 3 years now and I am a 500 Fargo level. In the three years I have been playing it is rare for me to be in competition without some sort of fear or stress over missing a shot or losing. It's the same apprehension and fear that all players suffer, and it can ruin your game. Although, there have been times when for whatever reason I have competed devoid of any apprehension or fear, where my skill set came out fully unimpeded, and I have excelled in my game in those moments. I have run tables and made amazing shots when fear is gone, but it is so difficult to get to that point. I am not sure how to get to that point of being without fear of losing or missing, but when I do I am a very good player. Any tips on how to get to that point? Have you had times when you have played when you didn't have any fear? Are there techniques I can use to help me reach this goal?

We as players add fear or stress, the only thing you control is the motion of your cue, do all your thinking before getting down on the shot, if it feels wrong stand back up, don't try to re-aim while down on the table, the better you adhere to YOUR pre-shot routine the more confidence you will have, if you are not a pro making a living in pool remember, you will probably be okay tomorrow if you miss the shot that is causing you angst.......

 

[Mensabum]

A great player, who was a strong gambler and A player once told me, "Matt, I don't care if I miss a shot. I just make sure that I'm never careless. I put 100% effort into each shot. I have a complete plan before I even get down on the cue ball. I know how the shot will be made, and where the cue ball will travel. Nothing is up in the air. Then I execute my pre-shot routine, stance, quality stroke, and execution of shot. If I miss, then I will know why I missed, and my brain will automatically adjust for the next time. Strong mindset if you ask me.

Edited to add.....you need to play and compete as often as possible. Stay in battle and under pressure. Everyone's great in the gym. Get comfortable under heat. Learn to enjoy it.

That same player I described above gave me great advice many decades ago. There was a player I was supposed to beat, but he had me out of my comfort zone. And he was heisting me every time. I was just dogging it from fear and nerves. This room was brutal too because a lot of people were always watching, it was loud, and tough to fade. Well, my mentor pulled me aside and said, "Matt, you have to play him on site, every time you see him. Don't give up." He said more, but that is the reader's digest version. Well, I followed his advice, and it wasn't long until I beat this guy easily. Later, I played in that zone so often I would only get nervous if it were too quiet.

It is a tough room.

 

[Mensabum]

I feel that fear is your friend…..it’s panic that is your enemy.

Get out of your head. Apprehension. Expectation. Learn to ignore those thoughts that creep into your head like, "These guys are players. I'm gonna look like a fool", or "if I miss?"
When that thot comes in, guess what. No longer an if. It's a certainty. Let your subconscious mind do what it knows how to do and clear all the other debris clogging those channels away. Kinda like an alpha state.
Similar to meditation without closing your eyes. Many ways to get there. Find one that works for you.

 

[Mensabum]

I have just read this one article. It is short and should give a good understanding of eustress if it is fairly accurate. Odd that I don't remember the word or haven't ran across it in much reading about the mental game. Managing eustress is the game changer especially when playing long brutal matches or gambling sessions.

Managing even good stress is a must. High levels of stress can burn huge amounts of energy. Once I had to run twelve perfect laps on a 3/8 mile track, ten faster cars behind me. I ran the perfect race, climbed through the window of my car and both knees buckled when my feet hit the ground. It took a couple minutes before I could support myself and walk away from the car! I don't have a great understanding of what was going on in my body, a huge adrenaline dump while I was racing or was adrenaline continuing to dump and that was making me weak?

I have ran a table under considerable pressure, not a fraction of the pressure I felt running that race though.

Chopdoc, all I can do is offer you a very sincere thank you. You made me aware of a term that will let me narrow my search in an area I have had an interest in for almost my lifetime!

Hu

Eustress is the Good Type of Stress You Didn't Know You Needed

Eustress is the type of stress that comes from exciting events and positive challenges. It can be inspiring and help you develop resilience.

www.verywellmind.com

I just thot it was a female hormonal state.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I have no Fargo IMJO all rating and Handicapping system are flawed. Most are to keep better player out of local Bar Tournaments, as Bar Owner want the RECREATIONAL PLAYER Drinkers in their Bars. No the water drinking good players.


Back when started playing Pool if you want to be in tournament you paid your entry fee, played your best, and if you lost it showed you were not good enough to win. You either quit competing after a few losses, or practice to get better. Handicap was guy with one arm, no hand, or using cain, or crutches.


Pool is more mental then most people think, when competing pretend your are inside a CLEAR BALLOON, and cut out every thing outside the Balloon, inside the Balloon is you, your Cue, the table your playing opponent. Ignore the opponent, do nod small talk, he or she talks smack turn it off like you’re deaf. Distractions will “F” you up. Turn off all the BULLSH** going on around you. Visualize each shot, excite it like you visualized it, or planned it, slow down, why hurry “F” up, and do what you planned. Your chance to improve will get better. BTW I have no Fargo, been to Fargo once in my life to deliver a 18 Wheeler full of BEER.

 

[sciarco]

Never fear Bugsy's here

.

 

[ShootingArts]

I just thot it was a female hormonal state.

I genuinely laughed out loud. That was the first thing I flashed to also! A single vowel can make a lot of difference as the bustard said.(grin)

 

[straightline]

I have no Fargo IMJO all rating and Handicapping system are flawed. Most are to keep better player out of local Bar Tournaments, as Bar Owner want the RECREATIONAL PLAYER Drinkers in their Bars. No the water drinking good players.


Back when started playing Pool if you want to be in tournament you paid your entry fee, played your best, and if you lost it showed you were not good enough to win. You either quit competing after a few losses, or practice to get better. Handicap was guy with one arm, no hand, or using cain, or crutches.


Pool is more mental then most people think, when competing pretend your are inside a CLEAR BALLOON, and cut out every thing outside the Balloon, inside the Balloon is you, your Cue, the table your playing opponent. Ignore the opponent, do nod small talk, he or she talks smack turn it off like you’re deaf. Distractions will “F” you up. Turn off all the BULLSH** going on around you. Visualize each shot, excite it like you visualized it, or planned it, slow down, why hurry “F” up, and do what you planned. Your chance to improve will get better. BTW I have no Fargo, been to Fargo once in my life to deliver a 18 Wheeler full of BEER.

You can't handicap an unquantified entity. Aside from DD.EDU I have yet to see any criteria much less actual scaling.

 

[Matt_24]

It is a tough room.

What do you mean? What is a tough room?

 

[Mensabum]

I have just read this one article. It is short and should give a good understanding of eustress if it is fairly accurate. Odd that I don't remember the word or haven't ran across it in much reading about the mental game. Managing eustress is the game changer especially when playing long brutal matches or gambling sessions.

Managing even good stress is a must. High levels of stress can burn huge amounts of energy. Once I had to run twelve perfect laps on a 3/8 mile track, ten faster cars behind me. I ran the perfect race, climbed through the window of my car and both knees buckled when my feet hit the ground. It took a couple minutes before I could support myself and walk away from the car! I don't have a great understanding of what was going on in my body, a huge adrenaline dump while I was racing or was adrenaline continuing to dump and that was making me weak?

I have ran a table under considerable pressure, not a fraction of the pressure I felt running that race though.

Chopdoc, all I can do is offer you a very sincere thank you. You made me aware of a term that will let me narrow my search in an area I have had an interest in for almost my lifetime!

Hu

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-eustress-3145109[/UR

http://

I feel that fear is your friend…..it’s panic that is your enemy.

Once that Cortisol hits your system, you're screwed.

 

[SeniorTom]

I think the fear comes from wanting not to lose, not playing up to our expectations or capabilities. We all want to win and do our best, but I think most of us focus on the results rather than the process. If you focus on having solid fundamentals, focus on concentration the fear will diminish over time
,

You know, I (op) was just thinking on this line. I was just playing in a fun tournament, and I missed a simple shot that was caused by poor psr and poor stroke. Worried about cue ball control, I took a quick jab at the cue ball and missed the shot. For some reason, I am struggling with good technique and focus on some shots. It's like I take some shots for granted and just swipe at the shot. When I make such mistakes, it affects my confidence and raises the fear factor.

 

[Mensabum]

As was stated here previously - try to
Learn to focus on stroke execution - if you say that you feel you have the stuff to perform - then the process that gets you there for each individual shot is your focus on performing each shot correctly —-never score/ venue/ opponent/ etc.

Solid PSR must be ingrained to the point it becomes habit. Hard to break a habit. That being said, there are winners and losers. Personality types determine this in most cases.
Alphas and betas.
If you're easily intimidated, you've got a lot of hard work ahead. Don't let other people affect your behavior or performance. Don't give them that power over you. Don't give your power away. An old mentor used to say "They can't get your goat if they don't know where it's tied." Nuff said.

 

[Mensabum]

Usually fear is just a lack of confidence in your own ability and how you talk to yourself before a shot. A long straight in shot on a 9 foot table used to scare me even though I would make it a hundred times a day in practice.
When it happens now I just smile and tell myself .. thanks for the challenge, now get ready to rack!

You're still overthinking it.

 

[Mensabum]

What do you mean? What is a tough room?

Pm me

 

[Mensabum]

While I have not thought of the fast and shallow, probably because it just happens. I do force the slow and deep by puffing out the cheeks while pursing the lips to restrict the exhale.

People take breathing for granted. Learn how to breathe in certain situations is a must for every competitor.

 

[Mensabum]

In surgery we say: The operation was a success but the patient died."

In medical academics I don't give credit for correct answers. I only give credit if the person understands the answer. I am not a professor, I don't give grades per se. But I have "failed" someone that answered all questions correctly but could not demonstrate understanding those answers.

Just as in pool pool, it has to be the complete game that matters. It is a whole entity, with all the parts working together. Just as you should not over-celebrate one small part of it that you do well, you can't let one small failure crush you either. All of the components work together synergistically. Mastering one thing will not master the game just as certainly as the weakest thing will break the game. At the same time, focus demands that when taking the shot, nothing else matters. The last shot is over, the next shot does not exist. There is no game. There is only the shot.

When the skill, aptitude, and knowledge all come together and you achieve mastery, it's like when Neo saw the Matrix. It's a different plane of existence, you see the world differently, and you command the ability to step into and out of that state of mind at will. Some seek that all their lives. Some find it and lose it. Some find it more naturally while others need to be more deliberate and need help. While there are certainly commonalities, each experience is different. No one method or approach works best for all at all times, and for each the best methods evolve over time as they grow and change. Adaptability is key. This is what keeps it interesting for me.

I could never do this professionally if there was a magic standard formula for performance success. I would die of boredom. When I look at someone else that advertises such a magic standard formula, or that some others say is the single best key to success, I automatically know that is wrong. There are those methods that help most, the people in the middle of the bell shaped curve. But even for them, a more dynamic and individual approach will produce better results that are more sustainable. So, my opinion is that when one adopts some individual method or approach with success, if they adopt that approach as their new religion and stay with it only, they have automatically stagnated themselves and limited their possibilities of performance. That includes my own services. There are maybe five doctors that can function at my level in the country. That's great. Yay. But I also know I am not "it". If someone limits themselves to what I offer, they are doomed.

The best definition of the zone and workings I've ever read. Just what the Dr. ordered.

 

[SeniorTom]

We have, at our pool hall, an individual that has a reputation of severe sharking. It p'd me off how how I let him beat me last time we played a match, with just the anticipation of him possibly sharking me affected my game. I have only about 2 years of Billiards competing under my belt, and I let him get to me. Everybody in the house tries to avoid him, but sometimes in League you just have to play him, even though you wish you didn't have to. It was my fault, as I should not let someone affect my mental game like I did that day, and I should have just focused on what I was doing. The guy just can't keep his mouth shut, and I have to realize this, and just not pay attention to it.