Good Enough

lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think a major problem why it can be so hard to advance at this game, is that it is very easy to accept "good enough."

How many times have you hit a shot a little off and it still goes and you go on your merry way without further introspection? Or how about the situation where you don't get exactly the position you want -- but still have "good enough" position for the next shot. We just don't stop and take the time to analyze why what we wanted to happen, didn't happen. We fall into the trap of just accepting that the cue ball went a little right or left, or maybe back a bit, when what you wanted was to kill it cold.

We accept good enough rather than to take note and tackle the cause. I mean, nobody's perfect, right?

But let's face it: there's a reason the object ball goes off to the right or the left (and still goes), when you wanted it to track perfectly straight. And there's a reason that the cue ball comes back to the right or the left, when you wanted it to track straight back. But we settle for good enough and go on without pausing to reflect and dissect the nuances.

But at this game, it's the nuances that kill you. And those slight deviations in the object ball or cue ball path are what eventually come back to haunt us by manifesting themselves on the bigger shots. Sooner or later, without realizing it, those small "acceptable" flaws come back to bite us, in a big, unacceptable kinda way.

Lou Figueroa
 
Last edited:
Lou...The number one reason for the errors you pointed out, is not striking the CB accurately. Stroke flaws account for the majority of errors in pool. That's why good instructors focus so much on examination and correction of those errors...first.:grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
excellent point....

Scott Lee said:
Lou...The number one reason for the errors you pointed out, is not striking the CB accurately. Stroke flaws account for the majority of errors in pool. That's why good instructors focus so much on examination and correction of those errors...first.:grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...


some people having better spatial relational ability(the ability to recognise objects in 3 dimensions) not withstanding, most people are capable of knowing where to aim without using aiming systems, they are capable of adjusting for spin and throw etc... (for the most part) automatically as well.

The problem almost ALWAYS lies in the stroke and the inconsistency there of.

The point where aiming systems etc... come into play are in the practice room where you try to figure out what is wrong with your stroke.

If you can isolate the problems, then you can more readily figure out what is causing the problem.

The best way though is to have a good instructor watch you shoot or do video analysis of your shooting so that he/she can see what is inconsistent about your stroke and give you some advice on what would best help your stroke.

Jaden
 
Great post, Lou.

Countless players that reach a high level get a little too satisfied and stop searching for the fine tuning they need to go from being a strong amateur to being a top flight player.

I see it as a three-pronged problem, consisting of players a) being too satsified with their execution, b) being too satsified with their conceptualization, and c) being too satisfied with their mental game.

You'll find many a strong player that knows their execution needs improvements, but many of them understand just how hard they would have to work to polish it up and can't be bothered. A few will take the steps they need to take to polish up weaknesses in their stroke fundamentals.

I think it's in the area of shot conceptualization where strong players not only get too satisfied but also are delusional about how much better their shot conceptualization could be. Shockingly few strong players believe that they can make big strides in their game by making better choices at the table, and many of those that do simply can't be bothered. The only way to master shot conceptualization is to study the pro game, and study it more, and study it more, and study it more .....

And, finally, I feel few strong players feel they need to tidy up their mental games, figuring that just because they play well, it means they have a good mental game. Many of them are dead wrong. The few that know they need to get mentally stronger either don't bother with it or don't know how to get started. This important part of the game is gradually earning more attention and this needs to remain the case to get players with weak mental games over the hump.

Few solid players have both the will-power and discipline to tidy up their conceptualization, execution, and mental game. That's why most of them will always be good, but never great.
 
My first thought was that some of us have to live with "good enough". There is so much to learn in this game and many of us have a limited amount of time to devote to playing and practicing it. Between our jobs, wives, kids and mortgages, there is precious little time for ironing out the little flaws in our game. In the end, we pick and choose the routine that we feel will give us the biggest dividends from our small investment.

This is not a knock on the OP. Lou correctly states that laziness can hold back your game, no maybe about it.
 
Yep, I think you hit the nail on the head! ( or very close, but it is good enough for me!;) )



I think that the satisfaction that you describe is EXACTLY what separates the many really good players from the great ones. The great ones WERE the really good players who were not content to stay there, so they were motivated to keep improving even when they were as good or better than their opponents. Many people who get to a certain level feel very good and satisfied with it, and that is where they stay. While others will win and still be critical about their performance and continue to look for ways to improve.

This is why competition makse you better! If you play at a b level , and only play c players, you can play at 60% of your best game and still win just about all the time. You can get comfortable quite easy. You know you are not playing as well as you can, but you are still winning, so you do not feel a real desire to improve. You also tend to think that you could play better if you had to, but you haven't had to, so you just don't.

Then you match up with an a level player and get creamed. Now your weaknesses are really brought to light and are costing you games. You now have a motivation to improve.

It is an emotional response. Winning feels good, losing is associated with pain. You tend to desire to repeat actions that foster good feelings and stay away from actions that cause pain. If you play badly and still win your association is still a positive one. You may play the next match and play much better, but lose. Now you feel more motivated to examine what can be improved. Even though your performance was better, your emotional response is negative.

This is why champions come out of competeitive play. You do not hear of someone locking themselves in a basement with a pool table and coming out a champion player from isolated practice. They come from the pool rooms and tournaments. They have to test themselves against others.

You must be pushed out of your comfort zone in order to improve. Otherwise, you will not feel the need to change anything. This is how most people develop bad habits. They play and they are more or less happy with the results, so do not try to change it or examine it. Only when they hit a plataeu, do they want to make any changes.


Satisfaction or the lack thereof, has MUCH to do with what level you will achive in this game.





Jw
 
Last edited:
The more you play and the better you "know" the game the more you appreciate that half inch that seperates a B+ player from an A player, and an A player from a force to be reckoned with.
 
I think this is one of the problems with 9-ball and one of the strengths of straight pool. In 9-ball you play shape to an area. If you are within 5 or 6 inches, usually you are fine. If you are outside that area, you either come up with a backup shot or you play safe. In straight pool often you are playing shape to an inch or two. Sure if you miss you can play safe also, or play an alternate shot. But if you want to be a 100 ball runner or better, you have to be able to play precise position play. Not nearly as necessary in 9-ball.
 
When you practice a shot, you practice not until you can make the shot but until you can't miss the shot.
 
Scott Lee said:
Lou...The number one reason for the errors you pointed out, is not striking the CB accurately. Stroke flaws account for the majority of errors in pool. That's why good instructors focus so much on examination and correction of those errors...first.:grin:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...


Scott, please define what you categorize as "stroke flaws."

Lou Figueroa
 
Jaden said:
The problem almost ALWAYS lies in the stroke and the inconsistency there of.

Jaden
Click to expand...


Jaden, I'm not sure I agree with this. I do think that stroke issues can sometimes be part of the problem, but not the whole enchilada.

Lou Figueroa
 
Neil said:
Good post Lou. It goes back to what I've been saying lately about really paying attention to what you are doing.
Click to expand...


Neil, I totally agree. Paying attention is key and something I've written about for years.

Lou Figueroa
 
sjm said:
Great post, Lou.

Countless players that reach a high level get a little too satisfied and stop searching for the fine tuning they need to go from being a strong amateur to being a top flight player.

I see it as a three-pronged problem, consisting of players a) being too satsified with their execution, b) being too satsified with their conceptualization, and c) being too satisfied with their mental game.

You'll find many a strong player that knows their execution needs improvements, but many of them understand just how hard they would have to work to polish it up and can't be bothered. A few will take the steps they need to take to polish up weaknesses in their stroke fundamentals.

I think it's in the area of shot conceptualization where strong players not only get too satisfied but also are delusional about how much better their shot conceptualization could be. Shockingly few strong players believe that they can make big strides in their game by making better choices at the table, and many of those that do simply can't be bothered. The only way to master shot conceptualization is to study the pro game, and study it more, and study it more, and study it more .....

And, finally, I feel few strong players feel they need to tidy up their mental games, figuring that just because they play well, it means they have a good mental game. Many of them are dead wrong. The few that know they need to get mentally stronger either don't bother with it or don't know how to get started. This important part of the game is gradually earning more attention and this needs to remain the case to get players with weak mental games over the hump.

Few solid players have both the will-power and discipline to tidy up their conceptualization, execution, and mental game. That's why most of them will always be good, but never great.
Click to expand...


sjm, great post. I really like that you identified that this is really an issue for strong players vs the ingenues :-o

Lou Figueroa
 
8ballEinstein said:
My first thought was that some of us have to live with "good enough". There is so much to learn in this game and many of us have a limited amount of time to devote to playing and practicing it. Between our jobs, wives, kids and mortgages, there is precious little time for ironing out the little flaws in our game. In the end, we pick and choose the routine that we feel will give us the biggest dividends from our small investment.

This is not a knock on the OP. Lou correctly states that laziness can hold back your game, no maybe about it.
Click to expand...


8ballEinstein, I completely agree. Sometimes you have to live within the time you can allot the game. But beyond laziness, I'm thinking that as a general mindset, even with limited time to devote to the game, you can still approach it with the thought of improving your execution, maybe just one shot at a time.

Lou Figueroa
 
poolpro said:
Yep, I think you hit the nail on the head! ( or very close, but it is good enough for me!;) )



I think that the satisfaction that you describe is EXACTLY what separates the many really good players from the great ones. The great ones WERE the really good players who were not content to stay there, so they were motivated to keep improving even when they were as good or better than their opponents. Many people who get to a certain level feel very good and satisfied with it, and that is where they stay. While others will win and still be critical about their performance and continue to look for ways to improve.

This is why competition makse you better! If you play at a b level , and only play c players, you can play at 60% of your best game and still win just about all the time. You can get comfortable quite easy. You know you are not playing as well as you can, but you are still winning, so you do not feel a real desire to improve. You also tend to think that you could play better if you had to, but you haven't had to, so you just don't.

Then you match up with an a level player and get creamed. Now your weaknesses are really brought to light and are costing you games. You now have a motivation to improve.

It is an emotional response. Winning feels good, losing is associated with pain. You tend to desire to repeat actions that foster good feelings and stay away from actions that cause pain. If you play badly and still win your association is still a positive one. You may play the next match and play much better, but lose. Now you feel more motivated to examine what can be improved. Even though your performance was better, your emotional response is negative.

This is why champions come out of competeitive play. You do not hear of someone locking themselves in a basement with a pool table and coming out a champion player from isolated practice. They come from the pool rooms and tournaments. They have to test themselves against others.

You must be pushed out of your comfort zone in order to improve. Otherwise, you will not feel the need to change anything. This is how most people develop bad habits. They play and they are more or less happy with the results, so do not try to change it or examine it. Only when they hit a plataeu, do they want to make any changes.


Satisfaction or the lack thereof, has MUCH to do with what level you will achive in this game.





Jw
Click to expand...


Jw, Good thoughts about competive play. Along those lines, here's something I wrote sometime ago, somewhere else, about a 1pocket match I got myself into:


I think, sometimes, we focus too much on the winning and losing of it.

Yesterday, I played a fellow who, I quickly discovered, was a better player
than I. Much better :-o After about the second game, I could tell I was
outclassed, but decided I'd keep playing. For some odd reason, it wasn't
about getting beat. After all, you can win or lose to players at, or near
your speed, or even under your speed. This was about playing someone who
could do things I could not and trying to figure out what those things were.
It was actually fascinating to watch what he could do in terms of creativity
and execution. At one point, I let my mind wander and he shot a shot that
cleanly moved three balls off my side, moved them towards his hole, and hid
the cue ball. I was pissed with myself for not paying closer attention.

It was a great lesson. And today, I plan on going to the pool hall and
working on doing what he did. In time, I think I'll be able to it. I don't
know if it'll be enough to beat him, but regardless, in the near future I
plan on going back for more.

So I guess my point is to recommend that, occasionally, you go out and play
someone out of your league and donate. But pay attention. If you let your
ego get out of the way, it can be a cheap, but very valuable lesson.

Lou Figueroa
 
swrooster said:
The more you play and the better you "know" the game the more you appreciate that half inch that seperates a B+ player from an A player, and an A player from a force to be reckoned with.
Click to expand...


swrooster, ain't it amazin' how it does become a matter of a 1/2 inch that way or the other?

Lou Figueroa
 
edatplaypool said:
I think this is one of the problems with 9-ball and one of the strengths of straight pool. In 9-ball you play shape to an area. If you are within 5 or 6 inches, usually you are fine. If you are outside that area, you either come up with a backup shot or you play safe. In straight pool often you are playing shape to an inch or two. Sure if you miss you can play safe also, or play an alternate shot. But if you want to be a 100 ball runner or better, you have to be able to play precise position play. Not nearly as necessary in 9-ball.
Click to expand...


edatplaypool, I agree, but I think swrooster is closer to the right measurement :-)

Lou Figueroa
 
Jack Madden said:
When you practice a shot, you practice not until you can make the shot but until you can't miss the shot.
Click to expand...


With position. Don't forget you'll need to get on the next shot too, Jack :-)

Lou Figueroa
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top