Clearing your head after distraction

weakfingers

weakfingers

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Does anybody have any tips on resettling yourself after a distraction? I was on the hill on the 9 ball in a 10 ball match, and dogged the shot because I couldn't clear my head of a big distraction. Using a measles cue ball, a girl walking by the table said: "Ooh, that's a pretty cue ball". Threw me off, I allowed myself to be distracted, and didn't calm myself for long enough. I took a few moments, got back up from the shot, and went through my pre-shot routine, but I guess I was just going through the motions?

Big problem because I lost the match even though I was on the hill. Would love your input and experience on how you get over this problem!
 
You did the right thing by restarting your PSR but it seems to me that you failed to recommit to the shot. Watch this one rack of 10 ball where I know time is not a factor and the pressure is immense. I run through my routine multiple times on multiple shots. I refused to shoot until I was committed with no doubt in my head. I told myself if I miss here tonight it will not be because I shot too quickly or uncommitted.

http://www.justin.tv/jamaicajoes/b/353547947

Hope this helps,

Ken
 
I've played in bars for a good 60+ years. A lot of them were biker bars, had live bands (loud rock mostly), and the run of the mill bucket of bloods. People bumping into you while down to shoot, guys rolling around the by the table, and much yelling. Nothing bothers me anymore.

I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but if you play some cheap games or sets in those kind of places you will get used to distractions fast. Johnnyt
 
I get like this often myself. Some silly stupid thing will distract me. Recently I watched the video where Alex Pagulayan missed a shot and someone asked if it skidded. I then saw a post somewhere where the commentary was that he missed it not because it skidded but because he moved his head during his stroke. This may sound silly but what I find is when I get distracted is that I reset my PSR and then focus on keeping my head still and it wipes out all other distractions. It may or may not help you but it seems to make me refocus on the shot.
 
1) Stop

2) Get her number.

3) PSR

4) Play


You girl got away and so did the match. Fix both. :thumbup:





.
 
Distraction

weakfingers said:
Does anybody have any tips on resettling yourself after a distraction? I was on the hill on the 9 ball in a 10 ball match, and dogged the shot because I couldn't clear my head of a big distraction. Using a measles cue ball, a girl walking by the table said: "Ooh, that's a pretty cue ball". Threw me off, I allowed myself to be distracted, and didn't calm myself for long enough. I took a few moments, got back up from the shot, and went through my pre-shot routine, but I guess I was just going through the motions?

Big problem because I lost the match even though I was on the hill. Would love your input and experience on how you get over this problem!
Click to expand...

I have the same problem, I think you got the first step realizing you need to reset. Once you have the conscious thought of needing to reset, you'll come up with your own routine of resetting.

A common reset is just getting up, taking a drink of water and starting your pre-shot routine over again. Let it go and "Start over".

If you're still thinking about it on your reset. Get up, talk or joke about it with your opponent. That especially helps me to let certain events go.

The worst thing you can do is not let it go and it festers as what this thread really is. Your distractions will compound and you'll become too susceptible to distractions and/or "sharking".

hope that helps, good luck.
 
weakfingers said:
I took a few moments, got back up from the shot, and went through my pre-shot routine, but I guess I was just going through the motions?
Click to expand...

I think you answered your own question correctly, as quoted above.

The way I'd phrase it is you got up off the shot and re-did MOST of your pre-shot routine, but you skipped a crucial step, that you may not have even consciously known was part of your pre-shot routine. That step is to focus on the shot and quiet all other thoughts. It should happen before you step into the shot and get into your stance. Without that step, you were literally just going through the motions of your pre-shot routine.

The quieting of other thoughts requires a lot of practice to train yourself to do it, and once you're in the match situation it often requires a lot of patience to allow the other thoughts to fade away while you're looking at that next shot. You want to go ahead and shoot before you talk yourself out of it, but that's not a productive impulse. Instead you need the patience not to shoot until you're in the right mental state.

And always remember you can't force yourself not to think about something. Silently telling yourself "don't think about pink elephants" will only guarantee that you'll think about pink elephants. The words "pink elephants" are right there in your self-talk! Thinking "don't be distracted" is tantamount to telling yourself to be distracted. Thinking "don't dog this shot" is pretty much pocket billiards suicide.

Instead you have to replace the distraction with another more focused thought. You have to visualize the shot or concentrate on the OB's contact point or focus on a positive mantra ("center of the pocket", for instance), or something that will crowd out the unproductive thoughts.

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
I think you answered your own question correctly, as quoted above.

Thinking "don't be distracted" is tantamount to telling yourself to be distracted. Thinking "don't dog this shot" is pretty much pocket billiards suicide.

Instead you have to replace the distraction with another more focused thought. You have to visualize the shot or concentrate on the OB's contact point or focus on a positive mantra ("center of the pocket", for instance), or something that will crowd out the unproductive thoughts.

-Andrew
Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew. This is the best advice I've gotten so far. It make so much sense and is really simple, but easy to overlook.

What I have to do next time is acknowledge the distraction, be patient and let the distracting thoughts fade, and then zero in and focus on my shot.

Thanks for all the helpful responses, it means a lot. Shoot the lights out!
 
suggestions

Funny someone gives you a suggestion , have a drink, smoke a joint, do a line:angel2:

You might remain healthy to just not play pool .
But if she made you miss the shot then you should of got her cell number.

In this case you should think .
That made my day, a great game of pool and some nice looking ladies to watch.

Do your best to pre condition yourself to expect distractions , and look forward to winning these distraction battles. Because they are going to happen, and you need to let this roll off.
What happens around you as you are shooting pool is just as important as
as focusing on the game.
If that is a weakness just be prepared for it .
MMike
 
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weakfingers said:
Does anybody have any tips on resettling yourself after a distraction? I was on the hill on the 9 ball in a 10 ball match, and dogged the shot because I couldn't clear my head of a big distraction. Using a measles cue ball, a girl walking by the table said: "Ooh, that's a pretty cue ball". Threw me off, I allowed myself to be distracted, and didn't calm myself for long enough. I took a few moments, got back up from the shot, and went through my pre-shot routine, but I guess I was just going through the motions?

Big problem because I lost the match even though I was on the hill. Would love your input and experience on how you get over this problem!
Click to expand...

Miz said it best on TV a few years back "Practice, practice, practice". Your mind grows stronger as your game does, for years i had "Noise" in my head, not so much anymore. I'm a late boomer, some guys like CJ are in a trance when they play-thats the ultimate goal.
 
weakfingers said:
Does anybody have any tips on resettling yourself after a distraction? I was on the hill on the 9 ball in a 10 ball match, and dogged the shot because I couldn't clear my head of a big distraction. Using a measles cue ball, a girl walking by the table said: "Ooh, that's a pretty cue ball". Threw me off, I allowed myself to be distracted, and didn't calm myself for long enough. I took a few moments, got back up from the shot, and went through my pre-shot routine, but I guess I was just going through the motions?

Big problem because I lost the match even though I was on the hill. Would love your input and experience on how you get over this problem!
Click to expand...

I have the same problem: I have also done 2 things to try to correct that.
1- raise my cuestick or
2- Take a step back from the table.
(obviously if you do #2 you do #1 )

This breaks your PSR and makes you reset.

Chopdoc said:
1) Stop

2) Get her number.

3) PSR

4) Play


You girl got away and so did the match. Fix both. :thumbup:





.
Click to expand...

Me tinks ya right Chopdoc
 
I like to totally reset. If I'm distracted, and I just stand up, take a step back, then do my PSR, I'm still screwed. I have to TURN AWAY and focus on something else, THEN I can return to my table with a clean slate. It is important that I STOP thinking about my shot for a few seconds.

After the distraction occurs, turn away from the table and focus on the pretty waitress, the local drunks, or a tough shot on another table. Think about what her boyfriend must be like (probably a jerk), what's wrong with their stroke, or why they missed their shot. Then, return to your match as if your opponent JUST NOW left you this shot.

-Blake
 
SloMoHolic said:
I like to totally reset. If I'm distracted, and I just stand up, take a step back, then do my PSR, I'm still screwed. I have to TURN AWAY and focus on something else, THEN I can return to my table with a clean slate. It is important that I STOP thinking about my shot for a few seconds.

After the distraction occurs, turn away from the table and focus on the pretty waitress, the local drunks, or a tough shot on another table. Think about what her boyfriend must be like (probably a jerk), what's wrong with their stroke, or why they missed their shot. Then, return to your match as if your opponent JUST NOW left you this shot.

-Blake
Click to expand...

I usually do the same, sometime even stepping completely away from the table, look around for a bit, then when I feel ready, step back to the table. Hell, I've even gone to the head if I can't get a clear head. Gotta give you mind a chance to clear out those distracting thoughts.
 
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