Because I go through the "motions of aiming", but I am not actually aiming.
In other words, for some reason down the line I got it into my head that I could just get down on the shot and think... "oh, that shot needs to be hit this way, okay it has to go if I hit it here..." And then I just fire away. Sometimes I miss, sometimes I make it, whatever the shot, easy, hard, etc...
But I realized fairly recently that I actually need full concious effort while I am aiming, thoughts in my head that go something like this...
... okay I'm hitting it with outside English, gotta compensate a little for deflection...
... how hard am I hitting it, should I aim more for the deflection if I'm hitting it hard, or more for the swerve if hitting it soft?
... will there be a little throw?
... where exactly do I need to focus on hitting that object ball with my cue ball (contact point to contact point)?
... where do I want my cue to land specifically?
Now granted it doesn't take as long to aim as it just did to read all that, but it HAS TO take some amount of time. I believe the only way I have gotten better and will continue to get better will be through CONSCIOUSLY thinking about what needs to be done and not just "going through the motions" like I have been for years.
This especially helps AFTER I miss as well.
... that shot was hit too full, did I aim too full, or was there more deflection/swerve/throw than I expected?
... was it too hard/soft?
... was it the wrong speed because I hit it too thin/thick?
... the next time I shoot a similar shot, how will I adjust for my mistake.
I don't know if this is a revolution only to me, but I'm hoping maybe this might help someone else in the same situation that doesn't know why they miss sometimes. And help them not to think that every shot can be made by just getting down and shooting and "thinking" they knew where to aim and how, like I did for years...
my 2 cents, just thought I'd share
In other words, for some reason down the line I got it into my head that I could just get down on the shot and think... "oh, that shot needs to be hit this way, okay it has to go if I hit it here..." And then I just fire away. Sometimes I miss, sometimes I make it, whatever the shot, easy, hard, etc...
But I realized fairly recently that I actually need full concious effort while I am aiming, thoughts in my head that go something like this...
... okay I'm hitting it with outside English, gotta compensate a little for deflection...
... how hard am I hitting it, should I aim more for the deflection if I'm hitting it hard, or more for the swerve if hitting it soft?
... will there be a little throw?
... where exactly do I need to focus on hitting that object ball with my cue ball (contact point to contact point)?
... where do I want my cue to land specifically?
Now granted it doesn't take as long to aim as it just did to read all that, but it HAS TO take some amount of time. I believe the only way I have gotten better and will continue to get better will be through CONSCIOUSLY thinking about what needs to be done and not just "going through the motions" like I have been for years.
This especially helps AFTER I miss as well.
... that shot was hit too full, did I aim too full, or was there more deflection/swerve/throw than I expected?
... was it too hard/soft?
... was it the wrong speed because I hit it too thin/thick?
... the next time I shoot a similar shot, how will I adjust for my mistake.
I don't know if this is a revolution only to me, but I'm hoping maybe this might help someone else in the same situation that doesn't know why they miss sometimes. And help them not to think that every shot can be made by just getting down and shooting and "thinking" they knew where to aim and how, like I did for years...
my 2 cents, just thought I'd share
