Confidence VS. Comfort

justnum said:
Most players experience confidence and comfort while playing pool. In the beginning most players are comfortable just banging balls around to see the interaction between the cue stick and the cue ball. As the times change players begin to feel confident in what they are doing to produce standard results, like pocketing certain shots.

While playing in league or tournaments confidence and comfort have very noticeable effects. Some players are less comfortable playing different tables or with a different crowd. Other players may have all the confidence on the world, but lack the comfort to play their best game.

This discussion about comfort and confidence is about highlighting the effects of new conditions on players. Sometimes new conditions can make a player feel differently. Regaining usual levels of comfort and confidence might not happen, if players don't think about what is happening to them as their game is measured against an opponent. What is most common is a player thinks he is having a bad day or isn't focused and that is when the doubt begins to takeover. That is when comfort and confidence fade away, when it shouldn't. How to deal with that problem is unique to each person.

I bring up the topic because confidence and comfort are usually overlooked when comparing the differences between strong and stronger players.
Click to expand...



I would like to read more on this subject. Could you furnish me with your references....please.
randyg
 
The most confident and comfortable players I shoot with are also the best shooters. So my supposition is that confidence and comfort grows exponentially as potting ability goes up.

There is a book by Bob Fancher that goes into great but very readable detail on the psychology of billiards. Best book I've ever read on the subject. The book is entitled,
"Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards." It's available on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Small-Motions-Mastering-Billiards/dp/1585745391
 
justnum said:
Most players experience confidence and comfort while playing pool. In the beginning most players are comfortable just banging balls around to see the interaction between the cue stick and the cue ball. As the times change players begin to feel confident in what they are doing to produce standard results, like pocketing certain shots.

While playing in league or tournaments confidence and comfort have very noticeable effects. Some players are less comfortable playing different tables or with a different crowd. Other players may have all the confidence on the world, but lack the comfort to play their best game.

This discussion about comfort and confidence is about highlighting the effects of new conditions on players. Sometimes new conditions can make a player feel differently. Regaining usual levels of comfort and confidence might not happen, if players don't think about what is happening to them as their game is measured against an opponent. What is most common is a player thinks he is having a bad day or isn't focused and that is when the doubt begins to takeover. That is when comfort and confidence fade away, when it shouldn't. How to deal with that problem is unique to each person.

I bring up the topic because confidence and comfort are usually overlooked when comparing the differences between strong and stronger players.
Click to expand...

Tru dat. I have a few jeans and shoes raging from 100-200$ I bought the jeans about 4-5 years ago and they're pretty worn in. The jeans cut and make is what does it for me. Also, the material is second to none....it's kinda stretchy, so when you are in shooting position there isn't stress on the waistline or knee area. I wear booty-tight jeans so I can shark the boys.
 
5am said:
The most confident and comfortable players I shoot with are also the best shooters. So my supposition is that confidence and comfort grows exponentially as potting ability goes up.

There is a book by Bob Fancher that goes into great but very readable detail on the psychology of billiards. Best book I've ever read on the subject. The book is entitled,
"Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards." It's available on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Small-Motions-Mastering-Billiards/dp/1585745391
Click to expand...

I will respectfully disagree with this. I think good/great players are very confident, no doubt. But I don't think they are comfortable at the table very often at all. In fact, I think the more comfortable a player gets, the more he may misexecute. I see good players as being constantly worried, even though they may not look it. Yet the important difference here is, average/good players worry about too much, really good players worry about the stuff they should realiastically be worrying about. That's how I see it, better or wosre :)
 
Comfort is the most important thing for me. I make the most progress when there isn't anyone around because Its easier to work on the things you're suppose to be working on, if you're not worried about surrounding distractions. I would flip out if I have to play in front of a bunch of people.
 
I don't think that comfort is an issue when it comes to performance.

Certainly when you switch to relatively unfamiliar conditions, in my experience the comfort level invariably decreases. But the performance level does not necessarily decrease. It might go down, but it might go up. That depends mainly on focus, not comfort.

Confidence is another matter...
 
Siz said:
I don't think that comfort is an issue when it comes to performance.

Certainly when you switch to relatively unfamiliar conditions, in my experience the comfort level invariably decreases. But the performance level does not necessarily decrease. It might go down, but it might go up. That depends mainly on focus, not comfort.

Confidence is another matter...
Click to expand...

The Chinese is really into this reflexology with the feet thing. It dates back 100's of years. Something like that, whatever. But, if your feet is that sensitive to other parts of your body, how is it not important that you remain as comfortable as possible when you are playing a game that demands so much of the body?

Try playing in thin sandles with no grip. Then get some really good comfortable tennis shoes. Should notice a big difference.
 
justnum said:
There aren't many writers willing to illustrate a few ideas through a billiards lens. Just be happy, I put ideas out there for you to plagiarize. There is no need to be foolish with ejaculated responses.

If you have something worth discussing I am interested in hearing it. But save the one-liners for the actors. I am not here auditioning.
Click to expand...



Sometimes it's very hard to determine the intent of a post.

That's why I added the "please". I was serious.....randyg
 
Siz said:
I don't think that comfort is an issue when it comes to performance.

Certainly when you switch to relatively unfamiliar conditions, in my experience the comfort level invariably decreases. But the performance level does not necessarily decrease. It might go down, but it might go up. That depends mainly on focus, not comfort.

Confidence is another matter...
Click to expand...

I would come at it from another angle. Mainly, how you respond to your own sense of comfort is what dictates the level of your performance. If you react to discomfort by focusing more, you'll play better in new environments than someone who reacts by being distracted.
 
walrus_3d said:
I would come at it from another angle. Mainly, how you respond to your own sense of comfort is what dictates the level of your performance. If you react to discomfort by focusing more, you'll play better in new environments than someone who reacts by being distracted.
Click to expand...

Well said. That's exactly what I wanted to say.
 
This is a very vague topic. Mental comfort varies from person to person. But physical comfort, well I can't imagine any 100 ball runner that doesn't feel completely natural at the table. It's really hard to explain, but as natural as I thought I felt when my high run was in 50's doesn't compare to the way I play now. Thinking back now, it seems like every shot I was "struggling" but I didn't realize it.

As far as mental comfort, I'm not sure how to discuss it. Everyone gets nervous and you can be jumpy at all levels of the game. But I honestly can't believe there are top players out there who are scared they are going to miss on every shot, or even every hard shot.

This really is an experience thing. You need to win matches and tournaments to be comfortable in that kind of atmosphere and you need to pocket a shot 1,000,000 times to be completely confident you'll make it everytime.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top