Saw this in a newsletter I get. Who comes to your mind when you read this. Direct quote from Billiardtips-e-press, Issue #025--Shape Self, Not Cue Ball.
It’s All About Your Attitude
I saw this as a post on one of the billiards forums recently and I hope you don’t find yourself in this italicized self-portrait:
i always complain about bad rolls, tough spreads, etc, etc. i have noticed a trend regarding this dilemma, i think.
Don’t get in a position of judging yourself or your performance. It is what it is and no amount of complaining even to yourself will be beneficial. Success doesn’t come to an insecure player. Non-attachment will give you the freedom to perform.
seems like what usually happens is that on nights where i just am going to rack and break, if the balls start out rolling bad, with tough spreads, i usually start to get ticked off, get mad, give up, and at times say out loud "Well Here We Go Again! Another Night Of This Crap", and it usually just steamrolls after this.
Relinquish your attachment to the known. Step out in faith and you will embrace the world of possibility. –The Monk
You need to be open to the lessons this game is trying to teach you and the first you need to master is self-control so you can get out of the judgment mode and into one of concentrating on the shot in front of you.
then, when i do have a decent chance to run out, and i mess up, the problem just intensifies. and if i mess up another chance to run out, perhaps at that point in time i should either just quit playing racks and start to practice, or leave and come back an hour later, or just not play anymore that night.
When you walk into a poolroom and pick up your cue. Be sure you know what you are doing. You have become a warrior on a green cloth field of battle. You will find you have many weapons in this war, but the most important is the one centered around human emotions. If you are to succeed, you must get these emotions under control.
last night was an example of this. i ran a few racks, but for the most part the balls just didnt roll good the whole night long, i just always seemed to have tough chances after the break. plus i just felt out of sync because of the poor beginning and as a result messed up several chances to run out.
Leave the baggage of prior performance in the past. There is only one shot you have any control over. You can’t change the past shot, don’ even give it entrance into your thoughts. Neither can you change the outcome of the game from where you are. That is in the future. You must learn to concentrate on the shot in front of you. This one you change with your performance at this instant.
it frustrates me when the balls just don’t roll good after the break, but it is even worse when i see chances to run out and just cant get the job done. i sometimes say to myself "Earl Would Have Got Out There, No Doubt About It"
You must get the excuses out of your mind. Don’t verbalize them; don’t even give them space in your inner game. This is not the place to plug in thoughts of your own hero; instead, your thought must go to the shot in front of you. It’s the only one you’ve got.
It’s All About Your Attitude
I saw this as a post on one of the billiards forums recently and I hope you don’t find yourself in this italicized self-portrait:
i always complain about bad rolls, tough spreads, etc, etc. i have noticed a trend regarding this dilemma, i think.
Don’t get in a position of judging yourself or your performance. It is what it is and no amount of complaining even to yourself will be beneficial. Success doesn’t come to an insecure player. Non-attachment will give you the freedom to perform.
seems like what usually happens is that on nights where i just am going to rack and break, if the balls start out rolling bad, with tough spreads, i usually start to get ticked off, get mad, give up, and at times say out loud "Well Here We Go Again! Another Night Of This Crap", and it usually just steamrolls after this.
Relinquish your attachment to the known. Step out in faith and you will embrace the world of possibility. –The Monk
You need to be open to the lessons this game is trying to teach you and the first you need to master is self-control so you can get out of the judgment mode and into one of concentrating on the shot in front of you.
then, when i do have a decent chance to run out, and i mess up, the problem just intensifies. and if i mess up another chance to run out, perhaps at that point in time i should either just quit playing racks and start to practice, or leave and come back an hour later, or just not play anymore that night.
When you walk into a poolroom and pick up your cue. Be sure you know what you are doing. You have become a warrior on a green cloth field of battle. You will find you have many weapons in this war, but the most important is the one centered around human emotions. If you are to succeed, you must get these emotions under control.
last night was an example of this. i ran a few racks, but for the most part the balls just didnt roll good the whole night long, i just always seemed to have tough chances after the break. plus i just felt out of sync because of the poor beginning and as a result messed up several chances to run out.
Leave the baggage of prior performance in the past. There is only one shot you have any control over. You can’t change the past shot, don’ even give it entrance into your thoughts. Neither can you change the outcome of the game from where you are. That is in the future. You must learn to concentrate on the shot in front of you. This one you change with your performance at this instant.
it frustrates me when the balls just don’t roll good after the break, but it is even worse when i see chances to run out and just cant get the job done. i sometimes say to myself "Earl Would Have Got Out There, No Doubt About It"
You must get the excuses out of your mind. Don’t verbalize them; don’t even give them space in your inner game. This is not the place to plug in thoughts of your own hero; instead, your thought must go to the shot in front of you. It’s the only one you’ve got.
