How long does POOR play keep you down?

[fastone371]

I haven't been playing at all, which includes hitting balls at home, but I had a free day so I went and played a bar table tourney. It was on Diamonds and I played poorly. Squeaked out a few matches but even those involved more luck than skill.

I'm almost a week removed from this and I can't shake it. I've loved pool for a long time, but maybe I'm nearing the end. I really don't know. I hate playing like crap so much but competing so rarely makes it more frustrating than enjoyable. I used to be able to do it because I had the drive to practice so much more than I do now. So I could show up pretty much ready to go in the past.

I have taken up some new hobbies in the past couple of years so maybe I'll move on. What's sad is if I'm not playing, I lose almost all interest in the game. I think a lot of my interest in professional pool revolves around being able to maybe not compete on a level playing field, but at least compare my game with what the big boys are doing. As the chasm grows, my interest wanes.

Anyway -- how long does poor play keep you down? How do you snap out of it?

How about posting some pics of your cues and some prices if you were to sell them, I will help you decide what to do.

 

[Black-Balled]

How posting some pics of your cues and some prices if you were to sell them, I will help you decide what to do.

 

[BasementDweller]

Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I don't know how you guys do it though. Losing to people you know you can beat is tough on the ego. I recognize I need to adjust my expectations but I'm not sure I'm going to do that. Upon reflection, I realize my free time -- not that I have much of it, has been spent screwing around with the guitar instead of hitting balls. I never thought in a million years things would turn out this way for me but here I am.

Guess variety is the spice of life after all.

 

[GoldCrown]

Thanks for all the advice in this thread. I don't know how you guys do it though. Losing to people you know you can beat is tough on the ego. I recognize I need to adjust my expectations but I'm not sure I'm going to do that. Upon reflection, I realize my free time -- not that I have much of it, has been spent screwing around with the guitar instead of hitting balls. I never thought in a million years things would turn out this way for me but here I am.

Guess variety is the spice of life after all.

Be happy for what you have... I'd love to play an instrument but have zero talent. As for hitting balls... I hit 2 good balls today.. I stepped on a rake. That's about it. At my age I'm happy I'm walking and can take a good crap on my own.

How long does POOR play keep you down.... like smoking I quit a 100x's​

 

[evergruven]

where there is pleasure, there is pain
especially with significant investment of time, energy, etc.
things, and the rush we get from them, all run out at some point
maybe we can re-up, but nothing really changes..the same thing will happen again
we'll feel up..then we'll feel down again

we of course don't need pool to be happy
but if finding more joy on the table is the goal, maybe there are things we can do
I think finding more joy in general, is the best thing
and let that affect our (pool) experience
we all want to be happy..what does that look like for you?

you said you haven't been playing much, and have other things going on
it's challenging for us to stay in stroke, when we're not stroking
and if your energy right now doesn't match your personal goals and expectations
it's understandable. but that might also be a source of disappointment
you could try and manage your expectations more realistically
so that before/during/after you play, you worry less, and enjoy more

it also sounds like in terms of energy and general investment
some part of your mind is pitting pool vs. other stuff
if that's true, that could be another source of sorrow
you've obviously put a lot into pool, so losing that, even by choice, could be sad

anyway, I think it's good that you're stopping to think about these things
a little meditation can help clear the mind..clearing those balls tho?
enjoy!

 

[SBC]

How posting some pics of your cues and some prices if you were to sell them, I will help you decide what to do.

I'm thinking 2k for my 3x6 Whitten predator SE 11 with a revo and 314-2 and custom Mike Gulayassy break cue.

Hell I will sell my 9 foot Diamond with Littman light for 7500.

Done and get 9500.