Have you read the book? What did you think? Hoe did it help you personally, professionally and with your pool game?
Looks interesting, I'll try to pick up a copy? I assume Amazon carries it?
Ronnie O'Sullivan -
Running
I think Steve Peters has helped me play decently even when I’m not on top of my game. I am definitely more disciplined than I was, thanks to Steve. He’s taught me that giving up is just my emotional chimp sabotaging me, which it will do in certain situations. So I don’t listen to the chimp’s voice in the match. I will do afterwards but not when I’m playing, so I’m giving it 100 per cent in the game. So many times I’ve lost matches because in my mind I’ve given up.
My work with Steve had made me less emotional about the game, in a good way – more, this is your job, now do it. You don’t need to enjoy it, I told myself – after all, who always enjoys their job? Whereas before I was: ‘I need to be buzzing, I need to find that perfection.’ I told myself I had nothing to prove – I’d won four titles, so I was content in that way, and nobody had retained the World Championship title since Stephen Hendry in 1996 (incredibly, the fifth of five consecutive wins), so there wasn’t pressure on me to do that. My head was in a good place.
I went through everything Steve Peters had taught me, and told myself to get a grip – every day’s different, every player’s different, forget the catastrophic thinking, let’s get the facts, let’s get the truth. With Steve I was trying to reverse the belief system that I had grown up with, one that was based on fear and negatives – you’ve got to win, don’t make me look bad, don’t show yourself up.
Hazel Irvine said I’d made it look easy, but what had it actually been like behind the scenes and to whom did I owe a debt of gratitude? I said I didn’t think I’d have won back-to-back titles without the help of Steve Peters because; ‘Everyone knows me. I’m up and down like a whore’s drawers.’ Hazel didn’t know what to say. I’m not even sure she knew what I’d said – she just sensed it wasn’t something for prime time telly. The audience burst out laughing. ‘I think we’ll forgive the industrial language,’ she said.
‘D’you want to rephrase that or just plough on?’
‘It’s a bit late, it’s live, Hazel!’ I said.
