Intimidation, Pressure, And a combination

[Bella Don't Cry]

If the thought of losing is having a negative effect, I'd suggest you face it BEFORE you start your match. Visualize what the worse case scenario is and how it will effect your life a year from now.....how about 5 years from now? Will it even matter in a month?

When you put "winning/losing" in that perspective the feelings and emotions will lesson - I believe it's ok to accept that you may lose.....this will automatically lower your expectations and alleviate pressure. In this new "frame of mind" you can relax, and even free wheel to victory against opponents that may even be better than you.'The Game is the Teacher'

Reverse psychology...
Good words CJ :thumbup:

 

[(((Satori)))]

Dealing with the pressure of playing a better player is different than the pressure of playing an opponent of equal skill or someone you outmatch.

Here are some tips for when you are the one with a little less skill.

1) Remind yourself that he is the one expected to win so all of the pressure is on him. You have nothing to lose. You are free to play your game and enjoy the challenge of putting even more pressure on him.

2) Don't build him up to be more than he is. He isn't perfect. He has lost before and he will lose again so why not against you? If you build him up to the point that you expect perfection from yourself you will start to try too hard and that is never good. Just relax and have fun.

3) Before the match picture yourself getting out of the gate strong. Great, intimidating players are used to the luxury of playing players who are tight and they are used to getting a lead quick. When you get out relaxed and loose and hang with him in the beginning this puts pressure on him while it builds your confidence that this is your day.

4) If intimidation is still a factor then make minimal eye contact with him. This will help with your emotional state. You don't want to let him know you are trying to avoid eye contact though it is more of a I could care less if you are even here attitude that you want to put off. This is a look that says you have no fear. This attitude can also be a bit unsettling for him because he is used to being the big dog who gets respect. Take pleasure in making him feel uncomfortable if it has an affect on him. This is war and you're in it to win it. Take the attitude that if anyone is going to be scared in this match it is not going to be you.

If anyone watched the Michelle Waterson videos and thought I was bringing physical toughness into the conversation you missed my point entirely.

It was her mental strategies that I was impressed with. The way that she was able to find confidence when she was such a big underdog. The way that she approached the competition is very similar to the advice in my first post quoted above and she was able to make that day her day.

That was the point in posting her videos... The mental toughness, not the physical toughness. I wanted to clear that point up.

 

[Colonel]

A lot of interesting responses here. I've got a different perspective on the issue.

I believe that once you've developed the physical skills & properties to play this game that its 90% mental from that point forward. I believe that intimidation, pressure, fear are not real tangible things but a creation of your mind as that's the only place they exist because its there that you fabricate them and feed them.

I believe that is no such thing as fear or pressure or intimidation, at least not for myself as I believe that since they are self created by your mind you can also choose to not create them. I stay within myself when I play, no matter the circumstance. I've had others compare me to a robot as I don't really acknowledge my opponent & only focus on what he's doing at the table enough to insure he hasn't committed a foul, other than that he's ignored. Focus on your breathing to flatline heart rate and adrenaline. Instead of giving your opponent attention focus on the table when he's at it making adjustments in your strategy for the table as it changes. Use positive visualization, "seeing" the ball go in the hole and the cue ball traveling the path you desire it to place you in line for your next shot. What you'll find is that if you just focus on your game & have confidence in your abilities then these things you struggle with will vanish. Being detached, playing within yourself & not acknowledging your opponent actually intimidates other players, that's my experience anyway.

Any energy you expend on something you can't control only lessens the amount of energy you can apply to what you can control.


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken

 

[chuck amos]

Win or loose

Performance anxiety effects me less when I am playing for myself, and my love of the game. My self worth was so tied into winning or loosing that every game I played could end in public humiliation! I Had to stop working so hard on winning, and learn to be a better looser. For me winning is like drugs to an addict "one is to many and a thousand is never enough" . As I have become more comfortable with loosing, I feel less pressure to win. Plus I remember a few things a friend / mentor told me "it's hard to shoot under feathers" and "it an't pu--y!"