The Final Barrier

[LoupSeul]

Recently I have been really focusing on sharpening my game, practicing almost 6 days a week. I feel like my learning curve has been a roller coaster where I near the top and am playing well but then I hit a wall and I need to do (x) in order to progress to the next level of play.
It's rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Never in my life have I found something that I so desperately wanted to be great at, that consumes my thoughts even during my work day etc.

The crazy thing (and the reason that I titled my post) is that through pool I think I have realized my greatest weakness. You always hear the old cliche that you have to conquer yourself before you can really begin to walk down the right path, but now I am beginning to understand the truth behind that statement. It's something that bleeds into my personal, and professional life. Any time I am doing really well I find a way to self sabotage be it unconsciously or consciously and "make it harder on myself"

I'm not sure if this makes any sense to any of you out there, but I feel like if this is something I can conquer in pool it will help me in life as well.

I would gladly welcome suggestions on how to overcome this obstacle.

Thanks for listening to the ramble, and hopefully for the suggestions!

cheers -

P

 

[justadub]

I anxiously await the answer.

The OP's description reminds me of what I'm going through.

He described it quite nicely....

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

I find a way to self sabotage be it unconsciously or consciously and "make it harder on myself"

I don't understand this part, you'd have to explain that better.

Are you afraid of success? I doubt it goes that deep.

I hit plateaus frequently. It would seem that I am making headway and I can say, wow, I am making some decent progress in my physical and mental game and can finally move forward.

The it all comes crashing down and I get a another shot of reality.

Sometimes it feels like I take 2 steps forward and 3 back.

You have nothing to prove to anyone else except yourself so keep plugging away and have fun.

Enjoy the high points in the game and don't sweat the small stuff to the point of not enjoying the game that we all love.

 

[LoupSeul]

I don't understand this part, you'd have to explain that better.

Are you afraid of success? I doubt it goes that deep.

It's not quite the fear of success, it's a mental inability to accept complacence in life (doing well etc.) the need for there to be turmoil or strife.

I really enjoy the game, I just thought I could use this as a life learning experience as well if that makes any sense

 

[C.Milian]

How do you know it is the final barrier?

 

[LoupSeul]

How do you know it is the final barrier?

For me it is the final significant mental barrier.
It's my greatest weakness.

 

[C.Milian]

For me it is the final significant mental barrier.
It's my greatest weakness.

what is this barrier?

 

[LoupSeul]

what is this barrier?

? Read above

 

[TATE]

Recently I have been really focusing on sharpening my game, practicing almost 6 days a week. I feel like my learning curve has been a roller coaster where I near the top and am playing well but then I hit a wall and I need to do (x) in order to progress to the next level of play.
It's rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Never in my life have I found something that I so desperately wanted to be great at, that consumes my thoughts even during my work day etc.

The crazy thing (and the reason that I titled my post) is that through pool I think I have realized my greatest weakness. You always hear the old cliche that you have to conquer yourself before you can really begin to walk down the right path, but now I am beginning to understand the truth behind that statement. It's something that bleeds into my personal, and professional life. Any time I am doing really well I find a way to self sabotage be it unconsciously or consciously and "make it harder on myself"

I'm not sure if this makes any sense to any of you out there, but I feel like if this is something I can conquer in pool it will help me in life as well.

I would gladly welcome suggestions on how to overcome this obstacle.

Thanks for listening to the ramble, and hopefully for the suggestions!

cheers -

P

At this stage, how good are you?

For example, if you could bring your "A" game against a pro, would you have a chance of beating them? This includes both offense and defense. To be competitive, the skill level has to be such that you're only making a few mistakes in an entire match.

Part of being mentally competitive is learned from experience. I get mentally rusty when I'm not competing all the time, and I play nervous, even self-concious. When I'm playing a lot, the mental jitters are a lot less and my competitive game is a lot sharper.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

Lets follow Smegmund Freud then, its your mothers fault.

But seriously, if you won't allow yourself to be successful in life, then is it that you will have to maintain the level of excellence and you are afraid that you can't?

So then you are afraid that if you hit that level of excellence and then faulter, you might feel that you have let yourself down in others eyes?
Let yourself down in your eyes?

And you seek others approval. Does this matter to you?

Everyone has different levels of success. This is between you and the game.

For example. I try and be the best I can at all things. I am very judgmental of myself, yet not of others most times.

I try and be the best cue repairman I can be, the best player I can be.
Yet, I know my limitations in some cases. It doesn't mean that myself or you can't strive to overcome these limitations that we set on ourselves.

Sometimes we set low expectations of ourselves so that if we fail, it doesn't hurt so bad.

Don't be so hard on yourself, do the best you can and push yourself.

You have to realize that most times in life, other people are too busy worrying about themselves to notice what you're doing.

Do or be the best you can and don't worry about anything else.

There was a point and time in my life that I felt that I had to prove myself to everyone.
Then, I found that the only person that I had anything to prove to is myself.

Deal with that part first.

You are going to worry yourself out of the game.

My old Sensei said to me one day, no matter how tough you think your are, there is always someone tougher.
Does that make sense?

 

[LoupSeul]

Lets follow Smegmund Freud then, its your mothers fault.

But seriously, if you won't allow yourself to be successful in life, then is it that you will have to maintain the level of excellence and you are afraid that you can't?

So then you are afraid that if you hit that level of excellence and then faulter, you might feel that you have let yourself down in others eyes?
Let yourself down in your eyes?

And you seek others approval. Does this matter to you?

Everyone has different levels of success. This is between you and the game.

For example. I try and be the best I can at all things. I am very judgmental of myself, yet not of others most times.

I try and be the best cue repairman I can be, the best player I can be.
Yet, I know my limitations in some cases. It doesn't mean that myself or you can't strive to overcome these limitations that we set on ourselves.

Sometimes we set low expectations of ourselves so that if we fail, it doesn't hurt so bad.

Don't be so hard on yourself, do the best you can and push yourself.

You have to realize that most times in life, other people are too busy worrying about themselves to notice what you're doing.

Do or be the best you can and don't worry about anything else.

You are going to worry yourself out of the game.

Best response, thank you

I think a big part of it is being hyper critical of myself, and having an
all or nothing mentality, i.e. be the best or be nothing

 

[C.Milian]

If you give us something specific to think about it may help make things easier because there are many mental blocks. Even most of the "Mental" barriers are more physical barriers than they are mental. If it is about spending too much mental energy on pool, there is nothing you can do about it. It's just human nature to focus on things they have interest in. If that is the case, I can only suggest that you spend a little time deeply thinking about whether you really value this game as much as you think you do. I've had this problem and went through the same process. I've come to the conclusion that most of which I valued about the game are truly non-values. So now I only play this game for my own enjoyment. I seek to gain nothing from others in all regards of this game.

If I become a pool player, I'll probably never play anyone but a pool player. I would play tournaments if I have to. And with this transformation, I've gained closure to the game that has tortured me for most of my life. Good luck.

 

[LoupSeul]

The big question is how to move past it........drugs? lol j/k

 

[LoupSeul]

If you give us something specific to think about it may help make things easier because there are many mental blocks. Even most of the "Mental" barriers are more physical barriers than they are mental. If it is about spending too much mental energy on pool, there is nothing you can do about it. It's just human nature to focus on things they have interest in. If that is the case, I can only suggest that you spend a little time deeply thinking about whether you really value this game as much as you think you do. I've had this problem and went through the same process. I've come to the conclusion that most of which I valued about the game are truly non-values. So now I only play this game for my own enjoyment. I seek to gain nothing from others in all regards of this game.

If I become a pool player, I'll probably never play anyone but a pool player. I would play tournaments if I have to. And with this transformation, I've gained closure to the game that has tortured me for most of my life. Good luck.

good luck to you too! Thanks for the thoughts!

 

[JoeyA]

I like to win...............

Loup,
I just now saw this thread and thought I would respond. This is just based upon my journey and yours and others will most likely be different.

Pool for some of us, is simply a journey, with twists, turns and obstacles along the way, similar to real life as you have noted. I do not believe there is a final barrier but that there will always be barriers that we or others place before us and it is our job if we are so inclined, to overcome those obstacles.

The truth is that we determine our own fate and sometimes for whatever reason (it varies) we sometimes sabotage the outcome.

I have resigned myself to learning more and more about pool. This alone has helped me to overcome obstacles I find in my way. The time on the table can't be discounted as it is important but finding the right information, techniques etc is a personal journey as your needs may not be the same as the next person.

I once joked that I had tried everything else, so maybe I should try finding a Pool Muse to help me with my game. Believe it or not, I got a good response. But that's neither here nor there.

All of us wonder about our mistakes that held us back and we learn from them if we have a lick of sense at all. None of us are perfect and we all do things that inhibit our ability to excel to the limit that we are currently capable of. With attention to detail, desire to expand our knowledge & skills and the will to learn from our past mistakes will help us on our journey.

"It is up to each person to work out their own salvation."

Face your greatest fear and make it your greatest strength.

In my earlier years, tournament play was one of my greatest fears but it is no longer so, however it still gives me great excitement and pleasure whether I win or lose. I used to be concerned about what others would think if I did not play well. (I guess I have finally gotten used to the realization that none of us can play perfectly all of the time) Knowing that, I look at the better players as an opportunity to overcome just one more obstacle in my way. Additionally, I feared that I would not play up the ability that I know I have. I face those fears and am determined to perservere regardless of the obstacles that I or others put before me. Headed out to the Dalton Bourg Memorial Tournament today, to test myself against 128 players once more. Getting Stronger.............. :smile:

Next week it will be Atlanta, GA

Good luck on your journey.

 

[Jodacus]

Two things

Two things.

First: what are your expectations?
If you expect to play your best every
time you are at the table you are
sabotaging yourself mentally. Expect
to play your at you average ability, your
confidence and judgement will improve.

Second: Are you familiar with the shape
of a learning curve? Where you are on
that curve will give you an idea of what
to expect from your practice sessions.
The higher on the curve, the slower the
gains. Again this helps to bring expectations
in closer with reality.

Good Luck !

Flintlock

 

[JoeyA]

Two things.

First: what are your expectations?
If you expect to play your best every
time you are at the table you are
sabotaging yourself mentally. Expect
to play your at you average ability, your
confidence and judgement will improve.

Second: Are you familiar with the shape
of a learning curve? Where you are on
that curve will give you an idea of what
to expect from your practice sessions.
The higher on the curve, the slower the
gains. Again this helps to bring expectations
in closer with reality.

Good Luck !

Flintlock

Flintlock,
Not trying to steal your arrow of "expectations" but it found me as the target yesterday. I expect to play my best pool EVERY TIME I compete and I believe that it does & did my sabotage my ability to play at my average ability.

It sucks not doing what you know you are capable of doing but expecting that you play your best every time, reminds me of a book called, "The Peter Principle", which I believe was explained by a M.D. by the same name. The book was printed around 1960 or so and what I remember most was that as a person is promoted because of an achieved level of ability in a corporate environment and then as their responsibilities are tacked on, they then reduce their average level of competency. I think I have arrived.

The only thing I fear now is that by accepting this theory (for myself) is that it will give me an excuse to no longer be "competitive", to be able to accept every excuse that my internal "negative man" has to offer for my failures at pool.

Hopefully, continuing to expose myself to stiff competition will lend itself to stifling the different demons that I seem to experience from time to time.

 

[nobcitypool]

Perhaps what the OP is experiencing is he's either hit a wall with what his stroke and/or game knowledge/experience will provide and/or he could be simply over thinking everything being his own worst enemy. He didn't provide any information about skill level, what leagues or games he's playing in and what kind of practice he is investing and what type of practice drills he's employing.

If you're truly committed to getting better, it may be a great time to look into hooking up with a qualified instructor. If you haven't already done so, it may be time to purchase some DVD's and possibly training tools that may help focus on areas of your game you feel you most need help in.

Good luck with your game whichever path you choose to take to get past where you're at now and make it to the next level.

 

[itsfroze]

---------------------

 

[Donny Lutz]

Lessons, yes!

Perhaps what the OP is experiencing is he's either hit a wall with what his stroke and/or game knowledge/experience will provide and/or he could be simply over thinking everything being his own worst enemy. He didn't provide any information about skill level, what leagues or games he's playing in and what kind of practice he is investing and what type of practice drills he's employing.

If you're truly committed to getting better, it may be a great time to look into hooking up with a qualified instructor. If you haven't already done so, it may be time to purchase some DVD's and possibly training tools that may help focus on areas of your game you feel you most need help in.

Good luck with your game whichever path you choose to take to get past where you're at now and make it to the next level.

For many players (most?) the "final barrier" is accepting the fact that self-teaching is a very slow and frustrating process, and getting lessons from a qualified instructor can speed up the process substantially.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor