What I?m about to type may seem crazy to you, but a few paragraphs that may help can?t hurt.
First, trying to "not think" is the exact opposite of what any pool book or expert that addresses the mental side of the game tells you to do. You can?t not think, and if you try to not think, you are going to blow a mental fuse.
The Pleasures of Small Motions is one good book that comes to mind and I suggest it.
Here is a question. It is not a rhetorical question, but rather a question that will categorize your personality for your own understanding.
What would you do if someone came up to you in the pool room and shoved you on both shoulders and said something like, get out of my f?ing way and then walked on by you? Be honest to yourself with your answer. Would you be inclined to attack the person like a mad pit bull or back up a few steps and ask whats wrong and try to reason with them? If the latter, then perhaps some of your kind passive personality is getting in the way of your
desire and need to win.
What I?m getting at is what I believe you need. I believe you need
?killer instinct.? You need to cultivate a driving desire to destroy, to win at all costs. You need your eye on the prize and enjoy winning at your opponents expense. You not want to merely enjoy it, you need it. You need to see the dejection in their face after the game. You need them to know who they just screwed with.
Hate the person, loath the person, try to grind his face into the table mentally. Don?t try to make them look like a fool on the table, MAKE them look like a fool.
After the game is over, you can retire Mr. Hyde, bring out your nicest Dr. Jekyll and thank the person kindly for a great game.
AFTER THE GAME.