Giving credit and making excuses

[Pin]

If you really break even, it sounds like you're spotting your games about 'right'. Although you should change your username

You're always going to win some, lose some, and only one player in the world can ever really be 'the best'.
It would be nice to have an edge in betting on your game, and make money overall. But it depends more on negotiating the spot than ability, and on your opponents being willing to take the bad end of the bet.

Similarly, you're always going to miss some easy balls. If a shot is one you make 95% of the time, by definition you *will* miss it 5%, in the long-run.

Concern about your place in the pecking order can be helpful (a motivator) or harmful (a distraction). If you're not sure which, it's probably a bit of both, which means there might not be much to gain from changing your attitude.

 

[lastdimetaker]

If you really break even, it sounds like you're spotting your games about 'right'. Although you should change your username

You're always going to win some, lose some, and only one player in the world can ever really be 'the best'.
It would be nice to have an edge in betting on your game, and make money overall. But it depends more on negotiating the spot than ability, and on your opponents being willing to take the bad end of the bet.

Similarly, you're always going to miss some easy balls. If a shot is one you make 95% of the time, by definition you *will* miss it 5%, in the long-run.

Concern about your place in the pecking order can be helpful (a motivator) or harmful (a distraction). If you're not sure which, it's probably a bit of both, which means there might not be much to gain from changing your attitude.

My real name is givethemthemoneyback Tim ... lol

 

[boogieman]

Sorry another thought in my head I need to get out.
As a player, my desire to play or be in cheap action gets the best of me and I get in bad games against better players or my arch enemy Spot. I lose as much as I win, I find myself breaking even constantly. I reflect on my matches for a long time afterwards and I come up with excuses after excuses, if I would have did this or did that, if only I could go back.
This desire to go back is why I need excuses, without my excuses I don't know if I would have the courage to get back in the box. My excuses are not silly they are reasons I allow myself to believe in that promotes action. When I make these excuses I discovered I give myself credit for doing things that I proven already that I can not do.
For example my #1 excuse is I have a horrible break if only I broke better. Now my ego takes over and I start imaging getting back in the box, but this time I give myself credit for breaking better.
This is where I truly try to use my intelligence to my advantage. I will work prior to playing this opponent on my break or at least go into the rematch knowing I need to concentrate on my break.
There are players that have beaten me even when I played my best leaving me with no excuses to cling to no desire for rematch. Where did my credit go?
I don't like feeling like a coward frozen by fear.
I have 2 players that I avoid that I should be aggressively trying to get back in the box with. It's just bad business to try to hold a spot in the pecking order instead of trying to advance.
My thoughts on making excuses and giving credit are not focused on just me. I find myself doing this with other players in conversations, I maybe projecting or practicing lol
My thoughts only go so deep, I feel like I need to consider my opponent and do a role reversal.
It hits the nerve with me where I confront the question. Did I win or did my opponent lose? Did my opponent win or did I lose?
I hate when people tell me no excuses, I say excuses are powerful motivators used properly. Credit however needs to be backed up with collateral.
I'm lost in thought thinking of my opponent and the benefits of looking at the match from his perspective. If I could do this what would I see, what excuses would I have as my opponent to get back in the box with me.
Maybe I could use this .
My head hurts I'm lost in thought hope you guys see where I was going and give me your thoughts to help me get deeper.
Edit I wanted to give an example of giving credit, I miss a ball and say I could have made that ball a million times without ever having to actually shoot it a million times. Lol
My number one excuse in life is my job... probably my only collateral too... ouch

I'd imagine if you frame them right, they could be used to help your game.

I seriously try to get rid of any excuses. My shaft is clean, my tip is in tip top shape, chalk each time, pay attention to form and sit rock still until the balls stop moving. I've found by being an observer, rather than the one to blame/praise for an outcome, is also quite powerful. It lets me understand what went wrong or right and keeps me from doing mental gymnastics during play. If you have no excuses there's no chance you can use them to squirm out of what you did at the table.

Sometimes we get a chuckle out of pros picking lint off the table, but they are simply eliminating any excuses.