Trying too hard

[mnShooter]

The last two weeks I made it to the finals of this Monday night open 9 ball tournament. I want to win this tournament so bad. Anyways as you probably guessed I lost both matches 7-5 and 7-6. This is after being up 5-3 and 6-4. The guy I lost to last night won a few matches in the last US IPT qualifier.

I think my only problem is I am trying too hard. Anyone else had this problem and overcame it? It seems counterintuitive that the harder you try the worse you do.

 

[Cane]

mnShooter... yeah, I think everyone goes through that. I did this past weekend. In a tournament, I'd taken the three favorites out of the winners side and end up winning the winners side. I'm playing the #2 pick in the tournament, whom I'd steamrolled when I played him earlier in the day. I got this "determined to win" set of mind going and all of a sudden I'm down 3-0 in the finals (R-7). The guy wants a bathroom break, and while he's gone, the tournament favorite, whom I'd beat earlier, comes over and says, "Bob, settle down and play your game. If you do that, he can't handle your game." I took his advice, just settled in, shot my shots, played my safety game when I needed, got out when I could, and quit taking STUPID chances. I won 7-3... he never won another game. I was so relaxed and "in the groove" that I didn't realize I'd won the set until he walked up to shake my hand. I had won 7 straight games, and I'm told I broke and ran 4 of them (can't remember doing it really).

I guess my point/advice is just stay in your normal game. Those "tournament nerves" tend to make me try really tough shots when a really easy safety was an option. When I settled in and "played MY game" I came out ahead.

Later,
Bob

 

[Colin Colenso]

The last two weeks I made it to the finals of this Monday night open 9 ball tournament. I want to win this tournament so bad. Anyways as you probably guessed I lost both matches 7-5 and 7-6. This is after being up 5-3 and 6-4. The guy I lost to last night won a few matches in the last US IPT qualifier.

I think my only problem is I am trying too hard. Anyone else had this problem and overcame it? It seems counterintuitive that the harder you try the worse you do.

Depends what you mean by 'working hard'.

I like to think of competition as hard work. But part of the challenge of that hard work is staying calm and focusing when that is needed. It's easy for the mind to wander, get frustrated or pumped up. Calming the mind to select the right shots, decide upon execution with a clear mind and keep out the extraneous thoughts is hard work.

It's not just about wanting to win, it's about wanting to play the best game you can, and working hard to focusing on what matters to achieve that.

By Cane's post above, seems he got into that zone pretty well.

I like to believe that if I work smarter and harder than my opponent then the result will come, without actually focusing on the result, provided basic abilities are in a similar ballpark.

A journey is but a series of steps. In a match, you must make many hundreds of decisions, one step at a time. eg. What's the right shot to take, what ball should I play to be on next, what's the best way to get there, how must I strike the CB to get there, am I aligned for the shot, am I ready to stroke it, ooh that went in the edge, cloth is grippy and took the swerve, remember that, ok now I'm slightly out of position, what to do next...repeat. Focus on all those steps best you can and be clear and decisive and you'll give your best game and get the results you deserve most the time. Thinking about the finish line or the opponent are just a couple of many possible unnecessary distractions.

 

[Gregg]

The last two weeks I made it to the finals of this Monday night open 9 ball tournament. I want to win this tournament so bad. Anyways as you probably guessed I lost both matches 7-5 and 7-6. This is after being up 5-3 and 6-4. The guy I lost to last night won a few matches in the last US IPT qualifier.

I think my only problem is I am trying too hard. Anyone else had this problem and overcame it? It seems counterintuitive that the harder you try the worse you do.

Maybe your underestimating your opponent. From what you described, he sounds like no slacker to me. Not that you should be happy about a loss, maybe you should cut yourself some slack.

 

[lewdo26]

The last two weeks I made it to the finals of this Monday night open 9 ball tournament. I want to win this tournament so bad. Anyways as you probably guessed I lost both matches 7-5 and 7-6. This is after being up 5-3 and 6-4. The guy I lost to last night won a few matches in the last US IPT qualifier.

I think my only problem is I am trying too hard. Anyone else had this problem and overcame it? It seems counterintuitive that the harder you try the worse you do.

Trying too hard usually has to do with giving too much importance to the result, and not enough to the process of getting those results.

'Results' could be a match win, or a particular shot. I'm starting to move in the direction Cane described. The best way to approach pool is knowing that it isn't a life/death situation, and striving to play YOUR game, your best that given night or afternoon.

That's all we can control as players. Results depend on a lot of factors beyond our control, and concern over them shouldn't be focused on during competition imo.

P.S. In the Rempe-Ortmann Accu-stats, Ortmann was asked after the match if he wanted to defend his title as two-time 14.1 champion. He said, NO. He just wanted to play his game. Now, that's a guy who's ready to play pool.

 

[Billy_Bob]

This is funny, but I do my best when I am bored, want to get out of the house, and decide to go to a tournament for something to do.

I don't care if I win or not. Just want to socialize a bit. So very relaxed basically. Sometimes I think I'll not try too hard, shoot a few games, and go home early. Then I wind up getting in the money or winning 1st. Amazing!

I play my worst when I am stressed out about personal things, have something on my mind, thinking about something which needs to be done, etc.

 

[Run the Century]

The Inner Game of Tennis

Totally deals with this problem - read it - doesnt pertain to tennis but to achieving dead stroke in whatever game you play. Trying to do things inhibits fluidity. Effortless effort is what you strive for - read the book.

Chris

 

[mnShooter]

I know what you mean about thinking about the game and not the results. It's hard not to think about it though. It's the times when I just play my game and not think about anything else that I play my best.

Normally I shouldn't beat the guy I played last night. I definitely had my chances though. As I said I was up 6-4 on him in a race to seven and then he quit making mistakes.