Help With Mental Game

9balllvr

9balllvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi all! I am not one to ask for help, but I hit my breaking point today so I thought I would throw out a thread and see if anyone has any good suggestions.

We have all heard this before....I practice great and can get into a zone....can even warm up before major matches in tournys and not miss a ball....and then the match begins.....and my game has recently failed me several times when the opportunity for a win was there (perform well in tournaments, just can't get over that winning hurdle).....I need to build my mental game. What can I do?

If you have suggestions for books or just pool wisdom, I am all ears/eyes....btw, seasoning is in the works...I have engrossed myself in events to build that part of my game.......

Thanks in advance.

9balllvr
 
a quick guess

I have a suspicion that at clutch time you are busy telling yourself what not to do. If this is the case, focus on telling yourself what you will do and reminding yourself that you have done it many times in the past rather than negative thoughts. Of course this is before shot selection and getting down over the cue ball. Forget everything then and just shoot.

There are tons of books to read but I don't know of any of them that have a magic bullet that will help you.

Hu
 
I highly recommend the book "Pleasures of Small Motions".

It may or may not help you, but its a great read, and i feel that it has helped me see the game in a whole new light.
 
9balllvr said:
Hi all! I am not one to ask for help, but I hit my breaking point today so I thought I would throw out a thread and see if anyone has any good suggestions.

We have all heard this before....I practice great and can get into a zone....can even warm up before major matches in tournys and not miss a ball....and then the match begins.....and my game has recently failed me several times when the opportunity for a win was there (perform well in tournaments, just can't get over that winning hurdle).....I need to build my mental game. What can I do?

If you have suggestions for books or just pool wisdom, I am all ears/eyes....btw, seasoning is in the works...I have engrossed myself in events to build that part of my game.......

Thanks in advance.

9balllvr
Click to expand...


I know you wanted to win bad but third is a respectable showing. I would recommend take the events you play very seriously but if you don't do as well as you hoped, remember there are more events coming and starting preparing for the next one and focus on what you did well in the last event. You are working on your mental game even if you don't think you are. Evertime you play you are learning.
 
9balllvr said:
Hi all! I am not one to ask for help, but I hit my breaking point today so I thought I would throw out a thread and see if anyone has any good suggestions.

We have all heard this before....I practice great and can get into a zone....can even warm up before major matches in tournys and not miss a ball....and then the match begins.....and my game has recently failed me several times when the opportunity for a win was there (perform well in tournaments, just can't get over that winning hurdle).....I need to build my mental game. What can I do?

If you have suggestions for books or just pool wisdom, I am all ears/eyes....btw, seasoning is in the works...I have engrossed myself in events to build that part of my game.......

Thanks in advance.

9balllvr
Click to expand...

For a better understanding on how the mental processes of the human work in relation to pool I would recommend the book, "Pleasures of Small Motions by Bob Fancher, Ph.D."

Although it will not give you a cure all "silver bullet" (as in instant results) what really does? With all things in pool it's what you do with the information and how you apply it that gives you results.

As a psychotherapist Bob breaks down how the mind really works in all of pools situations. This is not a simple read. It is more in depth than anything you will read on the bookshelves to date. George Fels even said, "Nothing better- nor even remotely close- has ever been done on pools mental game."

I will say that the time to practice the mental aspects of the game occur mostly during competition. You can put some of this book to use during practice but the real adjustments are made in the arena. Take good mental notes or write them down. Then with the information provided by the book you can find your fix for the problem. But again that adjustment must be made in the arena of competition.

It's trial and error. No silver bullet. But you will find improvement because only you or an expensive sports psycologist could understand the problems.
In the end it's only you that can make the change mentally...try it.
 
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Hey you!

You just have to maintain the confidence within yourself! Keep yourself within the moment and be positive!

And all the above advice helps too, but you have to believe in yourself first.

Barbara
 
Thanks to all - I appreciate the advise thus far and will take it in for thought. Ironically, I purchased Pleasures of Small Motions months ago and haven't had a chance to get into it....so, given the responses above, it will now be opened up.

Thanks again.
 
Hi 9balllvr,

I would highly recommend "Point The Way" By the Monk. This book is all about the mental state of mind.
 
Suggestions ...

9balllvr said:
Hi all! I am not one to ask for help, but I hit my breaking point today so I thought I would throw out a thread and see if anyone has any good suggestions.

We have all heard this before....I practice great and can get into a zone....can even warm up before major matches in tournys and not miss a ball....and then the match begins.....and my game has recently failed me several times when the opportunity for a win was there (perform well in tournaments, just can't get over that winning hurdle).....I need to build my mental game. What can I do?

If you have suggestions for books or just pool wisdom, I am all ears/eyes....btw, seasoning is in the works...I have engrossed myself in events to build that part of my game.......

Thanks in advance.

9balllvr
Click to expand...

Play for money. You will either learn to get past it, or you will be broke all the time. You either have the 'grit' or you don't. Some players can never control
their emotions inside, and this is a drawback when you are under high pressure to perform. If you can control yourself, you can control what goes on around you. Wax on, Wax off ....Grasshopper ...

But reading 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu will help your mental game a lot too.
 
"The Inner Game of Tennis" is a great discussion about for overcoming the self doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from performing to his potential. The book uses tennis as a vehicle to describe mental processes that affect performance. It is just as applicable to pool as tennis.
 
Scottster said:
Hi 9balllvr,

I would highly recommend "Point The Way" By the Monk. This book is all about the mental state of mind.
Click to expand...

This is a good one also. It's not as cerebral but gets the point across so everyone understands.

P.S. What can I say? I like to read books and I can't help if I've got them all (or soon will.) Some people are the same way with buying cues. You only need one to play the game but....
 
breakup said:
"The Inner Game of Tennis" is a great discussion about for overcoming the self doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from performing to his potential. The book uses tennis as a vehicle to describe mental processes that affect performance. It is just as applicable to pool as tennis.
Click to expand...

I have not read this one though. I just might have to get it myself. I've heard about this book before....
 
There are three Major Checklists that one must have to stay Mentally focused. Each of these checklists addresses a different portion of your PRE-SHOT Routine.

!. STUDY: Make decisions.

2. STAND: Ball address. Alignment. Transition.

3. SHOOT: Bridge hand down. Sub-concious motor funtion of stroke.

Yogu Berra was once quoted as saying:

"You can't think and hit at the same time". Same goes for pool.

Put together your Check Lists....randyg
 
randyg said:
There are three Major Checklists that one must have to stay Mentally focused. Each of these checklists addresses a different portion of your PRE-SHOT Routine.

!. STUDY: Make decisions.

2. STAND: Ball address. Alignment. Transition.

3. SHOOT: Bridge hand down. Sub-concious motor funtion of stroke.

Yogu Berra was once quoted as saying:

"You can't think and hit at the same time". Same goes for pool.

Put together your Check Lists....randyg
Click to expand...

Your right about these Randy as they are the foundation we must all build upon. But sometimes other things come into play outside of these foundations in competition. Do you agree?
 
Hey guys! Not sure if you are having the same issue, but I am not getting the posts in my email as they come along....I have now had some time to breath and see that life isn't so bad after all :o - sometimes, it just isn't your day to win....but wanted to address something real quick....Randyg, you had a really great point, but if you have a pre-shot routine in place and the issue tends to be more of a tensing up affect while in more important matches or brief loss of focus, what then? short of breathing exercises, etc. something to keep your mind in focus between the time you are down on the shot and pull the trigger (because you already know where you want the ball to go and how to get there).....does that make sense? it is getting late.....
 
There is a complex relationship between cause and effect here. You can say that you get nervous, and you miss. You can also say that you miss, and then get nervous.

My checklist goes as follows, and it's been helping me of late. If I'm playing under my speed, usually it has to do with:

1. alignment

2. visualization

3. rhythm

4. focusing on results rather than process

Just one man's experience. Cheers!
 
I had that problem before, and it is nerve racking. I got tired of losing so I just practiced harder and I didnt dog as many balls
 
thanks guys :) it looks like it is back to the drawing board and will work on a few issues....the books will be very helpful as well.

take care and thanks again.

9balllvr
 
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