Changing the way you think

[duckie]

I've been on this plateu for awhile. At some point, it does become all mental.
I'm at that point.

I realized that when I'm on, things just flow, I just see what needs to be done and do it.

The light bulb went on. Instead of thinking of how to do a shot, I try to think of what I want to do. As a example, one ball in the corner and put the cue ball here. It just happens. There is no thinking that I needed to hit the one ball here with this much stroke and english.

So, now when things start going bad, I realize I'm on the "how to" mode instead of the "what to do" mode. It has helped me regain focus quicker during a match.

Anyway, FWIW

 

[scratchs]

I liked how you phased your statement..with me I know I am in trouble when I start thinking " what do I want to do here? "..I usually know what needs to be done..lol
Once in a while I will listen an win..

 

[Andrew Manning]

I've been on this plateu for awhile. At some point, it does become all mental.
I'm at that point.

I realized that when I'm on, things just flow, I just see what needs to be done and do it.

The light bulb went on. Instead of thinking of how to do a shot, I try to think of what I want to do. As a example, one ball in the corner and put the cue ball here. It just happens. There is no thinking that I needed to hit the one ball here with this much stroke and english.

So, now when things start going bad, I realize I'm on the "how to" mode instead of the "what to do" mode. It has helped me regain focus quicker during a match.

Anyway, FWIW

Sounds like a useful mental technique. I like how it puts the emphasis on controlling the ball rather than controlling the arm and cue stick.

I find sometimes I get in a CB control slump and find myself shooting half-baked positional shots, like just thinking "low-right to get back up table", rather than thinking "low-right spin, and I want to come back across just above the side pocket, coming off the second rail along this line here to ensure the proper angle like so". Visualizing the desired outcome in full detail, like in the second example, is a must for me to play my best. The focus needs to be on seeing exactly what path I'm going to make the CB take, rather than just on what I'm going to do with the tip and stroke ("low-right, medium-firm").

-Andrew

 

[Robroy]

I always found simple phrases helped me stay on track too.
For instance...when my stroke was off I would say to myself "make it dance" the stroke smoothed out.
Sometimes I would come up short on my stroke my saying "extend your stroke"
I liked what you said it is simple and gets you right back on course.
When you think to much....stick a fork in yourself....your done.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I think a lot of people are so goal-oriented when it comes to pool, they forget the task at hand and they forget to keep their goals realistic. You have to remember there are things you control and things you don't control. Your job is to try and manage as much of what's in your control as possible. For starters, you can't control winning.

You only get to control about 50% of the game (sometimes more, sometimes less) so winning may not be within your realm of control so get it out of your mind. Focus on playing pool and accepting whatever the results are. If on ever shot, all you're thinking about is the end result, you're not going to leave enough of your immediate attention to pocketing.

POCKET POCKET POCKET - This is something you actually have a ton of control over and something that commonly gets overlooked. The more attention to put into just making the ball, the better you'll be. Of course, this doesn't mean to dismiss position-play but let's remember what the task is. You have to pocket the ball AND THEN get position.

Position play is also within the realm of control but only to a certain extent. You must work within the parameters of the angle needed to pocket the ball. A common error among intermediate players is to already approach the table with a position route in mind before even looking at the angle necessary to pocket the ball. "I'm gonna hit this ball with high-right and go three rails!" Their brain then processes exactly what is needed to achieve the position route without factoring in the pocketing angle. You have to look at that object ball FIRST, determine what you need to do to pocket the ball and work from there.

I mean, these are only suggestions. Perhaps your problems lie elsewhere. The point I'm trying to make is, work with what you got and dimiss the rest. So many people (especially here) focus so heavily on things they can only influence, they forget to really take the bull by the horns on things they control.