Get back that killer instinct???

great post Jaden

Great post, and all of you guys are 100% right on. It is a lot easier to race down the road to pool greatness when you think it is all important and will reward you with fortune and glory. Once you made the (correct) decision to play as a hobby, however seriously, it can be hard to play with the same fire consistently.

I have several ways that I minimize this problem, but the best is a good road partner. I travel with a good friend to regional tournaments and brief road trips. The secret is that we go halves on everything. If I play a solo tournament I sometimes get lazy and bust out because I dog a shot (usually in local play only). When I have a buddy sweating my match and counting on me, though, I find that I try much harder. I don't want to let him down or be the one on the taking end of the split. This, along with someone to share the experience with and go down this road together, has helped me greatly reduce the negative effects of intermittent desire.

Playing guys from out of town works for me too....j/k, be in touch man.
 
Sounds like a shift in motivation and priorities, when you were younger all you wanted to do was beat the person you have never beat, win the tournament you never won or try to make a name for yourself. Now that you have some years under your belt along with some notable accomplishments, you aren't driven to win or even stay in the pool room as long as you used to.

Before it was like the end of the world if you got put out of a tournament but now you have other interests (fishing, family, cars) that are there the instant you leave the pool room or might even entice you to lose early even though it may be very subconscious. I think everyone who has played for years has gone through this at least once if not many times only to find a new "hook" to keep them playing, maybe it's a new aiming system, bigger tournament in town, new player on the rise....etc. etc. you get what I am saying.

Just recently I went through the same thing, I had no drive because I was working six days a week and knew that I wasn't going to be able to play anything of decent size anytime soon. Then I remembered the words of Rodney Morris, where he said that he felt comfortable playing the US Open finals because when he practiced he played like it WAS the US Open finals. Recently I was very nervous playing on the live stream at Strokers even though I was playing well and focused, so now my practice focus is to pretend like what I am dong is being broadcasted.

We all know how we pick apart someone's game when watching a video or something of that nature, so I want to make sure I take my time and make good decisions and not hit a ball before I am ready. Seems to be working, I take my time and map things out plus I don't take low percentage shots, all of this while playing the ghost by myself. Maybe this could work for you?
 
Jaden said:
I've been thinking about some things recently and I've come to the conclusion that I lost my killer instinct, my desire to win against all comers...

I mean 12 or thirteen years ago I wasn't as good as I am now, but I would win the majority of matchups money or tournament that I played in.

I did have better eyesight and I was fearless, but I know so much more about the game now and am capable of doing things consistently that I would have not been able to then.

It has become really frustrating to know how I am capable of playing but to not be able to do it when it matters, especially when I look back at those times and see that I wasn't as good as I am now but would consistently play how I needed to when I needed to.

Driving on the freeway, I had a realization. Back in those days, I was an asshole. I didn't care about other people, I would cut people off, I would start fights over nonsensical things, I just had a certain idea in my head about what was right and that's what I did.

I didn't want to lose for anything. I wanted to win against anyone I played. Now, I don't feel comfortable cutting people off on the freeway any more. Even when someone needs their ass kicked I find myself thinking about my family and my clearance and just not doing it, (not that that's a bad thing), but I have just lost my killer instinct. I've just wanted to have respect for my playing ability and I've now realized that that has to change...

I need to get my killer instinct back and as my Daddy always says" If you can beat em 10-0, beat em 10-0".

So that's what I'm going to start working on getting back, that killer instinct and selfishness that I used to have.

we'll see how that works and if I'm even able to...

Jaden
Click to expand...


I just read the title of this thread and am posting this:

I dont care much about killing people anymore, I'm more into perfect play and letting that do the killing for me, for now. As the killer instinct is there but it can be a distraction, so for a while longer I'm going to rely on how I play-then when I'm happy with that then I will become a killer again.

I never tried this before, I awalys tried to kill everyone and my speed was stalled out, now i'm playing good and I like the pase that i'm improving as i'm totally dedicated to quality play. so for a while longer i'm going to "just play strong" later on when that stalls out , i'm going to kill people.**


**Note to law enforcment-I mean beat people at pool a game of skill, not take their life.



(Sucks you have to put a disclosure under your posts, but thats the world we live in)
 
I talked with Mika Immonen one time and asked him what was his secret to playing so well...His answer, "I'm hungry". It hard to be "hungry" when you don't have a vision or goals to inspire you to play well.

Also I'll bet at 35 years old you may be pretty comforable with the way life is treating you...I'm guessing your satisfied with your job and personal relationships and life for you as a whole is good for you right now.

Complacency breeds content...Isn't that what they say? Give yourself a reason to win and the hunger will come...only then will you find the "Killer".
 
ChiMike is right "Fatdogs dont hunt" that applies to life, to most people. some get greedier or hungerier as they achieve success in what ever they are persuing. I know I do. A Rolls Royce is nice, 2 is better. That way of living can take a toll on your health, family(or lack of in my case). It could be said its what your prioritys are, well mine are making $$$, and winning-costs be damned. But I have also found that having balance and a clear mind help those goasl happen, When I was in the gym I learned to focus like never before, I took that focus to the pool table and play better now. I'm rambling a bit but my assertions are valid, I'm just being brief. Either your a killer or your not one, I am-but as I said I put that aside(not easy to do) to focus on fundementals. Balance is the key to success. Just wanting to win isnt enough, nor is playing great and not knowing how to win either.
 
Tin Man said:
Great post, and all of you guys are 100% right on. It is a lot easier to race down the road to pool greatness when you think it is all important and will reward you with fortune and glory. Once you made the (correct) decision to play as a hobby, however seriously, it can be hard to play with the same fire consistently.

I have several ways that I minimize this problem, but the best is a good road partner. I travel with a good friend to regional tournaments and brief road trips. The secret is that we go halves on everything. If I play a solo tournament I sometimes get lazy and bust out because I dog a shot (usually in local play only). When I have a buddy sweating my match and counting on me, though, I find that I try much harder. I don't want to let him down or be the one on the taking end of the split. This, along with someone to share the experience with and go down this road together, has helped me greatly reduce the negative effects of intermittent desire.

Playing guys from out of town works for me too....j/k, be in touch man.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but see, I don't even have the desire to join tournaments anymore. I used to be in the pool room literally 7 nights a week. I'd venture a guess that over a 15 year span I didn't miss more than a total of 2 weeks time at the pool hall. Now, I go on weekends *IF* I feel like it. Don't get me wrong, I still love playing pool and I'm always trying to the best of my ability, but I've missed a lot of practice and tournament time these past 9 years and I just don't have it anymore.
MULLY
 
Jaden said:
I've been thinking about some things recently and I've come to the conclusion that I lost my killer instinct, my desire to win against all comers...

I mean 12 or thirteen years ago I wasn't as good as I am now, but I would win the majority of matchups money or tournament that I played in.

I did have better eyesight and I was fearless, but I know so much more about the game now and am capable of doing things consistently that I would have not been able to then.

It has become really frustrating to know how I am capable of playing but to not be able to do it when it matters, especially when I look back at those times and see that I wasn't as good as I am now but would consistently play how I needed to when I needed to.

Driving on the freeway, I had a realization. Back in those days, I was an asshole. I didn't care about other people, I would cut people off, I would start fights over nonsensical things, I just had a certain idea in my head about what was right and that's what I did.

I didn't want to lose for anything. I wanted to win against anyone I played. Now, I don't feel comfortable cutting people off on the freeway any more. Even when someone needs their ass kicked I find myself thinking about my family and my clearance and just not doing it, (not that that's a bad thing), but I have just lost my killer instinct. I've just wanted to have respect for my playing ability and I've now realized that that has to change...

I need to get my killer instinct back and as my Daddy always says" If you can beat em 10-0, beat em 10-0".

So that's what I'm going to start working on getting back, that killer instinct and selfishness that I used to have.

we'll see how that works and if I'm even able to...

Jaden
Click to expand...

I believe I understand very well shere you are coming from. I went through this myself some years back and finally partially figured out what to do .

I had improved to some degree and was playing pretty well when one day while playing a guy in Table Stakes in Denver and giving up pretty good weight, I found myself down a few games when my good frieind Danny Medina walked in. He looked at the table and the score, inquired about the game and thentook a seat on the rail.

Just a bit later, I dogged an easy out wehn Danny looked me right in the eye and asks, "what the hell are you doing? Where's your pride? You can't let this guy beat you!"

It hit home and fired me right up. A short time later it was over and I had won. I guess I just needed a little inspiration.

Later that night, Danny and I went to see the Rocky 3 movie and something said hit home with me. When Rocky wants to fight Clubber and Mickey wants no part of it and they argue.

Finally Mickey points out that he lost the look since he had won the title. Rocky tries to dismiss that when Mickey says, "Kid, you went and got civilized. You ain't the mongrul you once was." Well, it hit home.

I decided then that I needed new motivation and inspiration. Desire and adrenaline were no longer cutting it for me. I was taking too much for granted.

So began my quest to play perfectly and not worry so much about results. Like the old saying, 'Manage activities, and results will come. Don't ever get caught managing results".

My new focus was on how I played the game vs the outcome. I forced myself to focus and concentrate on the game. What I learned over the next 6 months was astonishing and I got great results frome it.

Maybe just think about it a bit
 
My $.02

If you haven't done so already, I highly suggest reading "Pleasures of Small Motions". It talks about some of the things being addressed here. It might be an eye opener.

Good luck.
 
Coach Wooden's pyramid of success

Fatboy said:
I dont care much about killing people anymore, I'm more into perfect play and letting that do the killing for me...
Click to expand...

"Success is piece of mind which is a result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable."

John Wooden (THE man!)

Coach deliberately avoided the use of the word "winning". I think that is what Fatboy, Ironman and others are saying in great part. Don't be so focused on the W or the L, focus on what YOU do.

Sound advice! Now, let's all get back to drills, exercise, regular sleep, no sex before matches, no cheeseburgers, and lay off the booze and drugs. Ahhh fuggin A, no wonder I suck... ;)
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
"Success is piece of mind which is a result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable."

John Wooden (THE man!)

Coach deliberately avoided the use of the word "winning". I think that is what Fatboy, Ironman and others are saying in great part. Don't be so focused on the W or the L, focus on what YOU do.

Sound advice! Now, let's all get back to drills, exercise, regular sleep, no sex before matches, no cheeseburgers, and lay off the booze and drugs. Ahhh fuggin A, no wonder I suck... ;)
Click to expand...

Good grief!!!Regular sleep, no sex, lay off the booze and drugs,,,,? I can handle that, but no CHEESEBURGERS? No need to be ridiculous here.
 
Things

change over time, whether you want them to or not. It's alot like playing baseball, you have good seasons and bad seasons. In Pool, it can depend on what else you have going on in your life at the time too.

I had a good period in my teens, middle 20's, when I was in early 30's, around 40-43, 48-50, and last good period was when I was 55 (won 3 good tournaments that year including the Ks. State BCA 8 ball Championship).

I am 61 now (Birthday was yesterday, and no one on here wished me a Happy Birthday .... I am so depressed, I am going to Red Lobster tonight to eat Lobster and Shrimp .... LOL)

Every tournament I play, I hear young guys going on that I am over-the-hill, but I still keep on beating them, I don't know who they are trying to convince.

Staying hungry for the win is hard to do on a long term basis.
 
Hey Tinman....

Tin Man said:
Great post, and all of you guys are 100% right on. It is a lot easier to race down the road to pool greatness when you think it is all important and will reward you with fortune and glory. Once you made the (correct) decision to play as a hobby, however seriously, it can be hard to play with the same fire consistently.

I have several ways that I minimize this problem, but the best is a good road partner. I travel with a good friend to regional tournaments and brief road trips. The secret is that we go halves on everything. If I play a solo tournament I sometimes get lazy and bust out because I dog a shot (usually in local play only). When I have a buddy sweating my match and counting on me, though, I find that I try much harder. I don't want to let him down or be the one on the taking end of the split. This, along with someone to share the experience with and go down this road together, has helped me greatly reduce the negative effects of intermittent desire.

Playing guys from out of town works for me too....j/k, be in touch man.
Click to expand...

I tried contacting you a little while ago about getting one of those jump cues....

Yeah that time we played is exactly what I'm talking about. The first two or three games I can play perfect and then it's like I feel I have to make it fair or something....

It was the same way the last time I played Victor Castro. I ran out the first two games and then started missing easy shots, and ended up losing like 5-7 or something. Same thing again playing Johannes Kohannenberg (sp?). ended up losing hill-hill in a race to nine. (He wanted some practice for a matchup later that night for $500 with some guy)

I want to be able to just not feel sorry for the other player and just play to my ability and it seems like I have difficulty not empathizing with the person losing.

I WILL overcome it but it gets frustrating.

Jaden
 
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????????????

This is the way I figure killer instinct. Some people like to punish themselves (they never win). Some like to punish others they seldom lose. When they do they are unbearable to be around ( these are your killers ).
This is just imho. I call this Benny logic....................
Pinocchio
 
Jaden said:
I've been thinking about some things recently and I've come to the conclusion that I lost my killer instinct, my desire to win against all comers...

I mean 12 or thirteen years ago I wasn't as good as I am now, but I would win the majority of matchups money or tournament that I played in.

I did have better eyesight and I was fearless, but I know so much more about the game now and am capable of doing things consistently that I would have not been able to then.

It has become really frustrating to know how I am capable of playing but to not be able to do it when it matters, especially when I look back at those times and see that I wasn't as good as I am now but would consistently play how I needed to when I needed to.

Driving on the freeway, I had a realization. Back in those days, I was an asshole. I didn't care about other people, I would cut people off, I would start fights over nonsensical things, I just had a certain idea in my head about what was right and that's what I did.

I didn't want to lose for anything. I wanted to win against anyone I played. Now, I don't feel comfortable cutting people off on the freeway any more. Even when someone needs their ass kicked I find myself thinking about my family and my clearance and just not doing it, (not that that's a bad thing), but I have just lost my killer instinct. I've just wanted to have respect for my playing ability and I've now realized that that has to change...

I need to get my killer instinct back and as my Daddy always says" If you can beat em 10-0, beat em 10-0".

So that's what I'm going to start working on getting back, that killer instinct and selfishness that I used to have.

we'll see how that works and if I'm even able to...

Jaden
Click to expand...


Ditto. I just quit pool again for the 500th time because I couldn't close a guy out last week.

He called me to play and then let me sit there and wait two hours before he shows up to play and he's a little drunk. I say we don't have to play and he says no let's play. The first set I wax him but I am feeling really sorry for him and start softballing the racks, not even trying. Then the second set he starts to play better and I can't muster up the game to beat his better game. he wins two sets and ends up one set winner and leaves. I sat there totally pissed of that not only did I blow the thousand I should have won but I gave him a free 500 (rmb thankfully). But I was more pissed off at myself for not having the killer instinct and putting him away from the start and keeping the pressure on.

It's true - I know so much more about the game now I find myself pitying the people I am playing and want to instruct them rather than destroy them when I am playing them for money or in a tournament.

A month ago a friend and I were playing against some folks and he actually stopped me from telling my opponent what he did wrong after I won a set. He still has the killer instinct.

Jaden, I wouldn't go all the way back to being an asshole but you do need to develop a "hate your opponent" mindset while playing for anything significant. I do as well.
 
Fatboy said:
ChiMike is right "Fatdogs dont hunt" that applies to life, to most people. some get greedier or hungerier as they achieve success in what ever they are persuing. I know I do. A Rolls Royce is nice, 2 is better. That way of living can take a toll on your health, family(or lack of in my case). It could be said its what your prioritys are, well mine are making $$$, and winning-costs be damned. But I have also found that having balance and a clear mind help those goasl happen, When I was in the gym I learned to focus like never before, I took that focus to the pool table and play better now. I'm rambling a bit but my assertions are valid, I'm just being brief. Either your a killer or your not one, I am-but as I said I put that aside(not easy to do) to focus on fundementals. Balance is the key to success. Just wanting to win isnt enough, nor is playing great and not knowing how to win either.
Click to expand...
Well said and i'll be damned Fatboy, your spelling is improving by leaps and bounds!
 
ironman said:
I believe I understand very well shere you are coming from. I went through this myself some years back and finally partially figured out what to do .

I had improved to some degree and was playing pretty well when one day while playing a guy in Table Stakes in Denver and giving up pretty good weight, I found myself down a few games when my good frieind Danny Medina walked in. He looked at the table and the score, inquired about the game and thentook a seat on the rail.

Just a bit later, I dogged an easy out wehn Danny looked me right in the eye and asks, "what the hell are you doing? Where's your pride? You can't let this guy beat you!"

It hit home and fired me right up. A short time later it was over and I had won. I guess I just needed a little inspiration.

Later that night, Danny and I went to see the Rocky 3 movie and something said hit home with me. When Rocky wants to fight Clubber and Mickey wants no part of it and they argue.

Finally Mickey points out that he lost the look since he had won the title. Rocky tries to dismiss that when Mickey says, "Kid, you went and got civilized. You ain't the mongrul you once was." Well, it hit home.

I decided then that I needed new motivation and inspiration. Desire and adrenaline were no longer cutting it for me. I was taking too much for granted.

So began my quest to play perfectly and not worry so much about results. Like the old saying, 'Manage activities, and results will come. Don't ever get caught managing results".

My new focus was on how I played the game vs the outcome. I forced myself to focus and concentrate on the game. What I learned over the next 6 months was astonishing and I got great results frome it.

Maybe just think about it a bit
Click to expand...
Good points! If anyone wants a little inspiration watch the Efren vs. Earl
Color of Money match. I've been watching it for the last few days and there's something to be said for creative imagery. These guys played absolutely great and as you watch it see yourself playing this way.
 
Thanks for the thread I think most of us can relate to this a little bit ... I was playing some last night but at the time setting with a freind a talking ... When my name gets called to play a match ...I look at my friend and tell him ..." I don't know what this M***** F***** did to me but he is fixing to pay for it right now ... I broke and ran out the rack when I returned to set down my friend was laughing so hard he could hardly talk... But he did manage to get a "What was that all about " .... lol... I told him I was working on my killer instinct and we both went to laughing ...
 
a combination of playing my best and beating anyone in front of me

A lot of reasons I don't play with the same aggression I once did now but I well remember what worked.

I was always playing myself. I played the other player in that I worked with his strengths and weaknesses that he revealed, but the benchmark to judge how well I played was always my best game, not just winning. Gambling obviously there is only one winner but the mindset in competition was the same for me, only one winner and then a loser's ranking from first loser on down. Even if I won a double elimination event from the losers bracket I was unhappy.

Gambling I was often guilty of leading somebody on but in competition the idea was to let everybody I played know they had not just got beaten, they had got owned. I didn't like the other player, I didn't hate them, they were just an obstacle in my way to be pushed aside as quickly and firmly as possible. Stomping somebody the first time or two you play them had long term benefits too. Every time you meet after that they will remember the whup'n you put on them until they are able to avenge it. Most people will play a little weaker against you knowing that you have beat them badly in the past.

Hu
 
this is an awsome thread. I think the killer instinct come from the lack of concentration. i just talked about this in the hanging the money ball thread. basically you start to slack off and then you lose. it keeps you away from your a game.

it can be either the guy you are playing is not that good so you know you dont need to bring your A game or you have lost the drive to better yourself as a poolplayer like when you are younger.

when your priority list rearranges itself and family and work take the place of pool and cleavage you realize that there are better things in life than pool. I hope to have a wife and kids someday but right now im stuck in the middle of family and cleavage, work and pool. that puts me in a place where i am often hanging out 6' away from a pool table for 3 hours and i take it for granted and not practice. when i was working 60 hours a week i couldnt wait to get some table time.

just count the good things you have in life and know that if you want to get better or play to your ability consistantly. you cant let someone or something take your game away.
 
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