Dealing with Pressure Once and for All!

[CJ Wiley]

Somewat interesting position, to visualize being a loser.

It's a dilemma, as there are many citations indicating visualization of positive outcome is a key element in determining performance by high-end sportsmen.

It's not VERY interesting, coz IMO, what you think isn't the primary factor as to what happens.

I've never imagined being a loser and certainly would not recommend that to anyone. You should read the post another time or two and it will make more and more sense. When you are able to do what I'm suggesting you'll never be a loser, although you won't win em all!

The Game is the Teacher

 

[Black-Balled]

I've never imagined being a loser and certainly would not recommend that to anyone. You should read the post another time or two and it will make more and more sense. When you are able to do what I'm suggesting you'll never be a loser, although you won't win em all!

The Game is the Teacher

I hear you.. sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail.
But you always accept the win.

 

[CJ Wiley]

I probably ref'd a hundred matches that Sigel played in and I never had a problem with him in any of them. His "talking" was always self deprecating, often humorous and he never tried to shark his opponent that I saw or remember. He never talked while his opponent was at the table, other than possibly to compliment him on a good shot.

His "good strategy" was to not miss a ball for the entire match and run out at every opportunity. It is no accident that he won so many tournaments against stacked fields of the best players of his era. Mike had to go through a murderer's row of Earl, Efren, Parica, Hall, Varner, Davenport, Howard, Hopkins, Mizerak, Rempe, West and on and on to compile his HOF credentials. He had one streak where he won eleven times in a row when he reached the finals! He's about as good an example of a winner as I can think of.

I just saw a match posted today playing Sigel at the Bicycle Club, he led a charmed life at times too!

 

[Matt_24]

When I'm way down in a match my strategy was to give up - there's nothing to lose, so I just give it up to my total subconscious, or a part of me that loves "nothing to lose scenarios".

In this state of mind many times I came back and effectively snatched victory out of the jaws of certain defeat.
After learning this about myself I started doing it before my matches, I'd imagine in vivid detail that I'd already lost and process the emotions connected to losing.,....sounds negative at first doesn't it?

The opposite is actually true, when I accept that I already didn't win the upcoming match what happens to most of the self imposed pressure I feel in the actual match?

That's right, the pressure is drastically reduced because I've lowered my expectations substantially and could free wheel like I had nothing to lose.....because I didn't!

When I was the captain of the Mosconi Cup in 2012 Johnny Archer and I were up late one night talking about the next day's competition.
I took this opportunity to ask him "Johnny, you were the Player of the 90s, what do you believe the key to your success was?"

Johnny didn't hesitate "I made my expectations to win as low as possible!"

I smiled, because that's exactly what I did to win gambling matches against some of history's greatest players

This is my secret, "to truly win against the very best players, I must accept and be okay with losing first.....only then, after fear and anxiety vanish can I perform my absolute best!"

'The Game is the Teacher'

This is a great post! Thank you, C.J.

 

[measureman]

I once had to play Grady Mathews straight pool.
At that time Grady was a little better player then me especially in straight pool. 14.1 was my best game.
So I figured that I wasn't going to win and just played wide open and really didn't care because I thought what the hell you cant beat this guy.
Well guess what I won and played one of the best straight pool games ever.
Caught lightening in a bottle as the old saying goes.

 

[FunChamp]

When I'm way down in a match my strategy was to give up - there's nothing to lose, so I just give it up to my total subconscious, or a part of me that loves "nothing to lose scenarios".

In this state of mind many times I came back and effectively snatched victory out of the jaws of certain defeat.
After learning this about myself I started doing it before my matches, I'd imagine in vivid detail that I'd already lost and process the emotions connected to losing.,....sounds negative at first doesn't it?

The opposite is actually true, when I accept that I already didn't win the upcoming match what happens to most of the self imposed pressure I feel in the actual match?

That's right, the pressure is drastically reduced because I've lowered my expectations substantially and could free wheel like I had nothing to lose.....because I didn't!

When I was the captain of the Mosconi Cup in 2012 Johnny Archer and I were up late one night talking about the next day's competition.
I took this opportunity to ask him "Johnny, you were the Player of the 90s, what do you believe the key to your success was?"

Johnny didn't hesitate "I made my expectations to win as low as possible!"

I smiled, because that's exactly what I did to win gambling matches against some of history's greatest players

This is my secret, "to truly win against the very best players, I must accept and be okay with losing first.....only then, after fear and anxiety vanish can I perform my absolute best!"

'The Game is the Teacher'

I've been the result of low expectations my entire life.

 

[dquarasr]

I've been the result of low expectations my entire life.

I learned a long time ago: the secret to happiness is to lower your expectations.

 

[Island Drive]

And, don't expect life to be free.

 

[middleofnowhere]

When I'm way down in a match my strategy was to give up - there's nothing to lose, so I just give it up to my total subconscious, or a part of me that loves "nothing to lose scenarios".

In this state of mind many times I came back and effectively snatched victory out of the jaws of certain defeat.
After learning this about myself I started doing it before my matches, I'd imagine in vivid detail that I'd already lost and process the emotions connected to losing.,....sounds negative at first doesn't it?

The opposite is actually true, when I accept that I already didn't win the upcoming match what happens to most of the self imposed pressure I feel in the actual match?

That's right, the pressure is drastically reduced because I've lowered my expectations substantially and could free wheel like I had nothing to lose.....because I didn't!

When I was the captain of the Mosconi Cup in 2012 Johnny Archer and I were up late one night talking about the next day's competition.
I took this opportunity to ask him "Johnny, you were the Player of the 90s, what do you believe the key to your success was?"

Johnny didn't hesitate "I made my expectations to win as low as possible!"

I smiled, because that's exactly what I did to win gambling matches against some of history's greatest players

This is my secret, "to truly win against the very best players, I must accept and be okay with losing first.....only then, after fear and anxiety vanish can I perform my absolute best!"

'The Game is the Teacher'

The real reality check is, what is the actual risk?
This is not race car driving of bull fighting. The risk is you might lose when you would rather win. You are not going to be killed if you lose.
Winning can only be so important to you, It can't be everything.

I once was playing (I think it was), Dick Lane and he got sick before our match. He was going to forfit and I asked the guy running the tournament if he could just reschedule it. He said fine. I lost to Dick but I was ok with that, I wanted to play the match.

 

[Fatboy]

And, don't expect life to be free.

Or easy

 

[ribdoner]

And, don't expect life to be free.

for untold millions it's living ea day to the fullest and understanding that how we participate will lead to the ultimate prize

 

[j2pac]

I remember a story that Lou Holtz told about playing golf with professional golfer Jimmy Demaret. Lou said, "I was playing just horribly, and began getting upset, throwing my clubs, cursing, etc." He (Holtz) said, that he was so mad that he really just kept going further off the rails. He said Demaret pulled him aside, and said "Lou, I've given thousands of lessons, and played golf with some of the best players in the world...and let me tell you, you're not good enough to get mad." Coach Holtz said, for a few minutes, I was absolutely stunned by what Demaret had said to me. He (Holtz) said shortly after that, I realized he was right, and actually began having fun playing golf. The point is, unless you're aspiring to be a top amateur, or professional level player, and you're willing, and able to put in the time, and sacrifice, necessary to achieve that level of skill...just enjoy yourself.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Many years ago I went to a YMCA in Glendale, CA. Above door to game room was sign it read.

WINNERS NEVER QUIT, QUITTERS NEVER WIN.

 

[FunChamp]

Many years ago I went to a YMCA in Glendale, CA. Above door to game room was sign it read.

WINNERS NEVER QUIT, QUITTERS NEVER WIN.

I never quit and I still lose.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I never quit and I still lose.

Bet Mike Tyson would whips your behind in fight.

 

[FunChamp]

Bet Mike Tyson would whips your behind in fight.

absolutely

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

absolutely

Point is if you not as good a person you playing, hope it is only for experience.

Only a fool would get in ring with Mike Tyson to try & win $1,000.00 to last 10 minutes. Unless you had death wish, or Glock 21 fully loaded, and two full spare magazines.

 

[Woodshaft]

I just set my expectations low and understand that the preferred result isn't always going to be the actual result.
Pressure is (mostly) created by the self, not by others.
I don't dwell about missing a shot or shape, it happens.
And, imo, once you learn how to accept ALL results in a logical manner, you will be able to reach your greatest potential.
Albin Ouschan is a prime example of this.
He learned to control his emotions and now plays at a consistently high level. He doesn't always win, but his emotional control gives him the greatest opportunity to succeed.

 

[straightline]

Theoretically...

Actually in as much as we're all habituated to some degree of stress, I do what the veterans do - ignore it. The big secret is to have <a game> in the first place and one that runs unaffected, and don't get fooled out of it.

 

[ShootingArts]

My experience is that the people acting upset after a loss are trying to convince themselves and others that they deserved better. They spend a lot of time attracting attention to their losses so I suspect they didn't deserve better.

If I think I have the equipment and ability I am always somewhere to win. Looking back, I can't remember being very excited about any win. I came there to win, I won, I am satisfied.

I played Johnny Archer once, back when dinosaurs walked the earth. Around 1990, give or take a year or two. I had homefield advantage usually hitting at least a few balls on the barbox we played on six nights a week. Johnny on the other hand had book on me from other road players and back then before the widespread internet and with no real TV coverage I had never heard of Johnny Archer. Didn't really matter other than I might have played him a little differently. Results couldn't have been better.

I lost the coin flip and was three games down when Johnny broke three times. The eight ball stopped in the jaws of the side pocket that it had been slow rolling into on his fourth break. I ran out that rack and a break and run or two. Sounds funny but I went on the stall just a little then to keep him at the table. Like I said, I had never heard of him in my little backwater! When the dust settled Johnny was still on the three from the breaks when he made the eight, I was around fifteen for a net dozen. Johnny had swung a stick most games but the next shot he played after the breaks scared hell out of me. An eight rail Z kick that came within a gnat's ass of falling. Hit perfect, the cue ball ran out of gas about the time it hit the fifteen still about a diamond out from the corner. The fifteen stopped in the jaws. Best shot I have ever seen on a pool table, even a short one. Add his consistency with the break and I didn't want him having control of the table. As it happened his third eight on the break was the last ball he pocketed in that session.

After the shot on the fifteen I made sure there was not only no reasonable shot but no unreasonable one either when I let him shoot! I tightened up belly to the ground best game after that ridiculous kick. We played less than two hours and during that time I never missed a shot. I didn't pocket ten or twelve balls but when a ball didn't fall the cue ball couldn't have been safer if it was locked up at Wells Fargo.

If I came to win I'm not considering losing until they shovel dirt over me! looking back over fifty years of various forms of competition, I have won a lot more that I shouldn't have than those that I should have won and didn't. I have forgotten some of the wins, never forget a few dumb cluck losses when I snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory at the last moment!

Hu