Stress And Pool...

[cheesemouse]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

 

[Nostroke]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

SJM recently posted an anecdote on this very subject. Maybe he will point it out as i do not remember in which thread it lies.

 

[JDB]

...can anybody relate to this?

I can... I have a job where I end up working anywhere from 10 - 18 hours a day and lately, quite a few weekends. Pool has been a great stress reliever for me for several years.

 

[BAZARUS]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

Playing pool can be a great stress reliver if you are not a serious player. If your goal is to become a adance or pro player forget about stress relive! Pool just became your job

 

[Ronoh]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I asked the same question, but only different, a while ago. Read through some of these to see if it helps.

I think it's on the same line as your question.

 

[im2fast4u2catch]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

see im kinda the oppisite i play pool competivly i love the game dont get me wrong. however after 12 hours of the daily grind i go to my pool oom and just wanna have a beer and just chill maybe hit some balls but i cant cuase people always want action. im not a fish but im a fair game. i guess some just dont understand what it is to just relax and not focus on the money. so i understand but on the flip side im not allowed to take in its glory. if that makes sense
mho
b

 

[Solartje]

well ive u see my sign. im a former snooker player, and what made me start playing pool?

stress + anger + small depression (after brakeup)

just EXPLODING the balls with masive power, hearing that magical sound when it hits the back of the pockets, takes away all my anger/hate i have inside. after potting some balls like that. i started playing normal games to lose my stress, and after doing a run out, i felt so happy my depression was gone. ive done this for 1 month, and now im adicted to pool.

now everyone around me (friends, family, new girlfriend) knows that if im feeling stressed, angry, or any negative feeling, ull find me 99% of the time in a poolclub potting balls or exploding balls

i didnt get anything near the + feeling pool gave me whyle playing snooker for 6 years. the game is just to much thinking, to much safety, and u cant explode balls

latest example: lost my job last week on the same day there was the biggest open championship of my country. i was VERY VERY VERY MAD. so i descided to go play (im no way near a B player i think. i usually pot around 10balls average in straight pool). i had to qualify vs a guy from finland, and well i did lose, but ive never played like this before or surely not for the whole lenght of one match. lost 47-52 or something like that. and that guy is top 16 in country, where as i am 190th place for the moment

some like to pay 1000$ for a schrink, some get into fights, beat up there woman or even worse. for myself: just give me a pool table and ill be ok

 

[drivermaker]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

NO...I can't relate to it. (I guess I don't have much or any stress)

 

[billyjungle]

stress & pool

The hours spent with cue in hand are golden to the majority of the readers here.









Billy

 

[jjinfla]

I sure can. It is pure pleasure to crawl into my own little world and push the balls around the table. Very relaxing. Not trying to impress anyone but myself. And the pure joy of having both balls go where you want them.

Of course people don't understand this. And think I am snubbing them because I do not want to play them for funsies. And they won't even play for a buck. Old people sure are cheap. Yet they will dump $100 into a slot machine or blackjack table.

 

[renard]

I have to a degree, but not as much as a friend of mine did. He is a union electrician stewart for the area. Talks went sour painting him into a corner so to speak. He is married with 3 girls and a pregnant wife. His families first baby boy dies during childbirth. All this a week before the VNEA state championship.

He was very depressed and could find no solice in anything. He cancelled going to "State." Our sixth team player then bows out to play with another team leaving us high and dry. He then recomits to shoot with us.

He played every match so loose. Averaging 2.8 (out of 3) match wins. Also averaged 1 runout per match!

 

[TATE]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

Pool is The Great Escape. Anything that requires a lot of concentration takes your mind off your problems. Stepping through the pool room door takes you into a different reality.

However, I will warn you that when your job gets really stressful, you will get worn down. It's hard to play pool when you're tired and stressed out from work, and the quality of your game goes down a couple of notches. Stress burns a lot of nutrients. Don't forget to take vitamins, eat healthy, and get exercise - you will deal with it better.

Chris

 

[sjm]

SJM recently posted an anecdote on this very subject. Maybe he will point it out as i do not remember in which thread it lies.

My best guess is that you are referring to this post:

I think doing physically draining work can work both ways. I am reminded of a great straight pooler named Tom Walter from New York. Tom, who managed a sixth place finsh one year in the World Open Straight Pool Champioships (1982?), and I used to play some pool together in his prime, and it always seemed to me that Tom seemed to enjoy a game of pool after work more than the next guy, and he seemed to find his highest level on worknights.

I asked him how he managed to play with so much joy and his rather shocking answer was "try climbing telephone poles all day." Unbeknownst to me, Tom was a lineman, a guy who did repair work on telephone lines and had to climb telephone poles to perform his duties. He said he found pool so soothing by comparison, that the joy of playing more than made up for the obvious physical fatigue.

For the record, I never have tried climbing a telephone pole, despite the fact that I always had great respect for Tom and his suggestions.

 

[chefjeff]

The hours spent with cue in hand are golden to the majority of the readers here.


Billy

I'm not so sure about that, Billyjungle.

I see some (most?) pool players thinking that hitting more shots will somehow make them happier as if the happiness comes from simply linking together more and more pleasurable shots, when it actually comes from integrating all shots (pleasurable or not) with a successful life, imho. This "more is better" attitude, prevelant in the US for sure, can actually damage long-term happiness as it distracts from the bigger picture of life. This then results in less successful pool, too, btw.

I think this is why cheesemouse is suddenly finding that pool shots are now making him happier, not just providing pleasure: He's integrating work and pool more successfully now.

My opinion, fwiw,

Jeff Livingston

 

[X Breaker]

I used to take pool very seriously. Now, since I am very busy during the day and in the evenings as well, I don't have any time for pool. When I do get out to play, I like to enjoy it as much as I could.
Although I have a company selling cues, I actually do not want to talk about business when I am at the pool hall. Being able to play pool has become a luxury unfortunately.
Richard

 

[Williebetmore]

This "more is better" attitude, prevelant in the US for sure, can actually damage long-term happiness as it distracts from the bigger picture of life.

CJ,
WHAT??????? Are you saying more ISN'T better? We totally disagree. What's wrong with you?

Signed,
Donald Trump
Bill Gates
Robert Downey Jr.
Caligula

 

[davidhop]

STRESS AND POOL...HELL, STRESS AND ANYTHING...

I've just had something happen that I don't understand at this time. I've started a new job that is big time red alert stress. And now when I get home from this new experience of work related stress and I pull the rack off a nineball rack it is a total pleasure to just be hitting the balls. I go into my 'pool world' and nothing can get me. I have always felt the stress or pressure of just playing this crazy game but now I'm experiencing this relief/pleasure to have and to hold this game. My stroke is loose and my attitude is carefree. I feel like it's not important and I'm getting out from nowhere...the stress of the new job sucks but the freedom of just enjoying the game is great. When I turn the light on over my home table and look at the beauty of that surface all my work related troubles just melt away and then...the pure pleasure of roll the the rock takeS over...can anybody relate to this?

For a while after switching jobs, I used to have some very severe headaches. I had a lot of pressure on me at work, and things weren't so great at home either. I ran my own pool room three days a week in the evenings, and I got to noticing that while I was playing, the headaches would go away, even with no medicine. I finally went to the doctor and guess what? That's right, stress related....Beats the crap out of taking three Ibuprofin per day, let me tell you.

 

[Gerry]

I look at it like meditation, when I start rolling balls around, everything melts away. I really don't have alot of stress, or let myself get upset or stressed out. You know, the same thing is true about surfing, even when the waves suk, just floating around, looking out to sea, you just totally mellow out...........Gerry

 

[BillyKoda]

I have the following taped to my cue case.

---------------------------
Enjoy The Game!!!!!!!!!!!

Play Against Yourself, Not The Other Guy

Relax and Have Fun

Take Your Time

Know What you Want to do and Execute
---------------------------

I put to much pressure on myself to make every shot and every position play. My game is much better when I put it into perspective and relax and have fun. Oh, I don’t play for money (tournaments excluded from that rule), that’s what my job is for.

BK

 

[lewdo26]

I have the following taped to my cue case.

---------------------------
Enjoy The Game!!!!!!!!!!!

Play Against Yourself, Not The Other Guy

Relax and Have Fun

Take Your Time

Know What you Want to do and Execute
---------------------------

I put to much pressure on myself to make every shot and every position play. My game is much better when I put it into perspective and relax and have fun. Oh, I don’t play for money (tournaments excluded from that rule), that’s what my job is for.

BK

And that's a nice way to view the game, although it doesn't always work. I'm also prone to putting too much pressure on myself, even though I play nothing big, ever.

Plus, I'll grow a tumor rather than get the frustration out, some way. I'm trying to learn how to release that frustration optimumly, without messing up my game while I'm at it.

BTW, very nice anecdote SJM, I really enjoyed reading it!