Samiel Can fake it with the best of them.:thumbup:
Confidence in Pool
- Thread starter Zphix
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Samiel Can fake it with the best of them.:thumbup:
This entire thread is going to be full of miscommunication, because what we're talking about is not clear or specific enough, and there is too much generalization and mixing of words going on.
You talk about confidence in the ability to pick up the game and become proficient at it. There's also the confidence issues with people who have already proven they had what it takes to become proficient at it.
Think about really good players that haven't made it further, or can't perform when it really matters, simply because of confidence. Clearly they had what it takes to develop the necessary skills, which is the confidence you were talking about. But then they lack confidence in their proven abilities, even though there is no reason for this lack of confidence.
You talk about confidence in the ability to pick up the game and become proficient at it. There's also the confidence issues with people who have already proven they had what it takes to become proficient at it.
Think about really good players that haven't made it further, or can't perform when it really matters, simply because of confidence. Clearly they had what it takes to develop the necessary skills, which is the confidence you were talking about. But then they lack confidence in their proven abilities, even though there is no reason for this lack of confidence.
Confidence
I don't think I would ever say that confidence cant be learned. I think confidence comes from the discovery that....I can do this...and your game grows from there.
Innate Confidence might have more to do with people who don't care how the world views them but true confidence comes from knowledge.
When you know how you do what you do, that is all it takes.
I don't think I would ever say that confidence cant be learned. I think confidence comes from the discovery that....I can do this...and your game grows from there.
Innate Confidence might have more to do with people who don't care how the world views them but true confidence comes from knowledge.
When you know how you do what you do, that is all it takes.
You should come to some of the places I play. Bangers who barely know how to spin the cue ball think they're God's gift to the pool world.
Anyway, there really is a lot of research on self-esteem, and what's known about it is that it feels good, and that's about all it does for you. It doesn't make you better. If you apply that to pool, and I think you can, feeling good about your abilities is going to make you happier, but it isn't going to make you play better.
I think what you speak of here is what Fran, Colonel, & I are talking about.
That kind of confidence is a deep rooted aspect of one's being & does not wane as with the other individual in your example.
It's sort of like the saying by John Wanye, 'Courage is being scared to death & getting in the saddle anyway.'
There are those that will boast, etc. & then there is that silent individual that just doesn't say much. Beware of that silent individual if he is an opponent & don't think that you can't rely on them as a team mate just because they do not boast about themselves.
Confidence, true confidence, comes from a peaceful calm & a peaceful calm comes from confidence.
That confidence is one knowing that they are going to be able to do what it takes, whatever that is. They KNOW that they are capable.
Confidence, of & it by itself, does not mean total success. It just means that one does not think or feel themselves lacking & one does not expect failure in any way.
That does not mean that another can not beat a confident individual.
That's why we have competitions... to determine the better player at this time & place...today. Sometimes the result of a competition does not really tell us the truth in that regard depending on the circumstances of how things played out.
Like I said in my first post I'm just putting out some food for thought.
Best 2 You & ALL.
PS What I consider of myself to be a bit of a lack of confidence is not really that... it's just an uncertainty... & successful play reinforces that lack of 'certainty'. In sports, If one is moving well, confidence grows, if one has something wrong & for some reason not moving well, then worry creeps in as to whether one will be able to perform sufficiently when called upon. Like someone said earlier, it's a state of mind that needs reinforcing through acknowledged good performance.
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Agreed. I'm responsible for the miscommunication here so let me try to clear it up.
1) I'm asking where confidence in pool comes from because if there are common elements that comprise "confidence" then I think you can maintain that confidence without having to be at the table practicing. This isn't about how to build confidence from scratch, but instead how to maintain that confidence once you have it.
2) I'll further mention that these players have the genuine confidence it takes to win big tournaments (state, some national) when they are playing and have that "confidence."
3) Based on point 1, what happens to those elements that comprise confidence when they're not shooting. I don't believe that confidence is as simple as having it or not having it, there are pieces that come together to make the picture clear. I'm looking to define as many of those pieces as possible.
It might even help to take the ambiguity out of it referencing mysterious players, let's use Darren Appleton as the example here. He's clearly confident in his abilities as a pool player - how does his confidence change if he decides to take a break from pool for an extended period of time?
Does this help any or did I make matters worse?
I also think it's incorrect to say that some people are simply born with confidence - the psychology of the brain simply does not work that way. Barring a mental disorder, or biological mutation, or physiological condition there's nothing stopping any two people from having the same levels of confidence in theory.
Before I post anything else I'm going to do more research and take a look at some of my neuroscience books. I'll more than likely be absent from the forums for a few days so keep up the discussion and try to stay on point.
Enjoy yourselves everybody!
-Richard
Before I post anything else I'm going to do more research and take a look at some of my neuroscience books. I'll more than likely be absent from the forums for a few days so keep up the discussion and try to stay on point.
Enjoy yourselves everybody!
-Richard
Feeling bad about your abilities will surely make you play worse.
Bangers that act cocky are not demonstrating confidence. The best players in the world are extremely confident, but their outward behavior rarely reflects that. Confidence is much deeper than surface level.
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I do think it's a personality trait that develops in childhood. The more confident you are, the more you will perform to your potential at whatever level you're at.
For example: A confident beginner doesn't beat himself up over missed shots. The game is a puzzle to be figured out to him. An insecure beginner, however, does beat himself up over missed shots and it becomes detrimental to his game.
When someone comes to me for help with their game, I usually know within 5 minutes of watching them shoot whether or not it's going to be an uphill battle, or if they are confident enough to be able to face their demons objectively.
Babe Ruth was in the worse hitting slump of his career & he had just struck out for the umpteenth time in a row & was walking back to the dugout with the biggest smile on his face. When a teammate saw it he asked, "Babe... you just struck out for the umpteenth time in row...why are smiling like that? Babe replied, 'Because that's just one more swing closer to my next Home Run.'.
When I miss one of those shots that I simply should not miss, all I do is sort of laugh & forget about it. It's over. It won't happen again anytime soon & it doesn't.
Like I said before, if time off causes one's game to fall off, perhaps they need to get with Gene.
But if not, their game should simply come back with some time on the table.
If one expects perfection, one will constantly be disappointed & perhaps waste energy unnecessarily.
We can not stay awake & functioning optimally all of the time. We need sleep. Perhaps we 'need' a hiccup every once in a while to make us appreciate the rest of the time when there are no hiccups.
Best 2 You & ALL.
That long of a post and still did not respond to the difference between your original post, which is saying confidence is required to become proficient at pool, in contrast to the confidence required to perform to the best of your abilities when it matters, after already becoming proficient at pool.
Furthermore, you start the post agreeing with Fran, that it's a personality trait, so it has nothing to do with proficiency at pool, then end the post saying confidence grows as you reinforce the lack of certainty, which is to say it's not a personality trait.
Furthermore, you start the post agreeing with Fran, that it's a personality trait, so it has nothing to do with proficiency at pool, then end the post saying confidence grows as you reinforce the lack of certainty, which is to say it's not a personality trait.
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My first sentence said that the difference in types of confidence is what Fran Crimi, Colonel, & I were talking about.
One can be gained through successes in practice & competition.
The other is more of an innate personality trait.
Read my story about Babe Ruth, He had an innate confidence regarding his ability to hit the baseball & even maintain his confidence throughout his failures & even found them to be encouraging.
Some can understand certain things like that while others can not. We're all different & built differently, no matter how much we are alike.
Best Wishes to You & ALL.
One can be gained through successes in practice & competition.
The other is more of an innate personality trait.
Read my story about Babe Ruth, He had an innate confidence regarding his ability to hit the baseball & even maintain his confidence throughout his failures & even found them to be encouraging.
Some can understand certain things like that while others can not. We're all different & built differently, no matter how much we are alike.
Best Wishes to You & ALL.
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I understand what you're saying, but the terminology used, such as using the label "confidence" to describe someone's insecurities, may not necessarily be accurate.
Insecurity and anxiety can affect someone's confidence, but if their trust and belief in their pool abilities (confidence) can change based on the reinforcement of those abilities, then confidence is more than a personality trait.
Insecurity and anxiety can affect someone's confidence, but if their trust and belief in their pool abilities (confidence) can change based on the reinforcement of those abilities, then confidence is more than a personality trait.
Fran said confidence is a personality trait, and never said there were different types of confidence.
Based on his performance at the time Babe Ruth should have had zero confidence & should have been worrying about his career & his livelyhood.
Instead he was confident that the slump would end & he would again be hitting Home Runs & that the last swing & miss was just one swing closer to his NEXT Home Run.
Best Wishes to You & ALL.
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Are you sure about that? :wink:
There's something called defensive pessimism, and many people thrive on it. Again, there's a lot of research on this and I think the results are pretty clear: Confidence and self-esteem feel good, but don't make you perform better.
Oh they're confident alright. Virtually all young Americans, especially males, are extremely confident in just about everything they do. There is no confidence or self-esteem problem, there's a narcissism problem.
Here's something else that's known about confidence: The least skilled people have a ton of it, because they're too stupid to know that they're not any good. The most highly skilled people tend to be less confident than they should be, because they understand the complexities of what they're doing. See here.
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No, his confidence was based on the countless times in the past he's proven he can hit the ball. A little slump doesn't erase all of the past success. So his confidence is still based on prior results.
Is it something like that 'fear' that sort of motivates me?
Fear of failure, fear of letting one's teammates down.
Best 2 You & ALL.
Have you played any physical team sport?
Do you know why Pistol Pete Maravich wore those same worn out grey socks over his other socks?
Best 2 you & All.
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I believe this entire post reinforces the fact that everyone in this thread has a different definition of the words being used here.
If someone has the ability to play lights out, but isn't able to do so under pressure, confidence has nothing to do with it?
If confidence is trust and belief you can achieve positive results, how can you say that the absence of such trust and belief won't negatively affect your ability to achieve positive results?
If someone has the ability to play lights out, but isn't able to do so under pressure, confidence has nothing to do with it?
If confidence is trust and belief you can achieve positive results, how can you say that the absence of such trust and belief won't negatively affect your ability to achieve positive results?