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.