What is confidence?

[Bavafongoul]

I Think Some Misconstrued My Point.....

When I wrote that confidence, which is nothing more than a state on mind, is the absence of any doubt, worry or fear, it's a true statement. When I bend over to assume my pool shooting stance....and everything has been considered while outside the box.........and I stroke the cue ball, there is not a single thought in my mind.....don't know about you......but there's not a single thought....there's nothing I think about........no reconfirming the shot or thinking about how hard to energize the cue ball.....no 2nd glances at the table looking at where I want to cue ball to wind up......just the shot in front of me and I pocket the ball.

So there's a total absence of any and all worry about missing the shot......no thoughts about whether I'm playing the correct shot or even just playing that shot intelligently.....and never any fear of what happens if I miss. All of that doesn't exist any longer, if it even was there to start with.......the only thing that matters is the feel of my pool stroke and my bio-rythmn practice strokes before the shot.......mine is 4.


To assume that I am referring to a state of mind analogous to super-confidence....or overly confident if you will, is to misconstrue what I originally wrote...........of course proper shot selection is paramount and precedes assuming my shooting stance......and once I decide how to play the shot while standing outside the box, I mull over the many variables to the shot before me. Once that's decided, there's isn't "any" doubt, worry or fear in my mind when I assume my shooting stance.......I can't even tell you what I was thinking about after pocketing the object ball, especially when it was a shot that brings people to their feet.......on those shots all I can recall is observing the roll and path of the cue ball


When I shoot pool, I do not get out of my shooting stance until all the pool balls have stopped rolling, not just the cue ball which I obviously pay very close attention to because the cue ball never lies......but worry, doubt or fear are never on my mind because I fully expect that object ball to go in the intended pocket and the cue ball to follow where I meant it to go....Nuf Ced!

Matt B.

 

[BRussell]

Bavafangoul - let me suggest that the ideal you're presenting there is not so much confidence as it is concentration, or attention, or just being distraction-free.

 

[CJ Wiley]

I could learn a lot from studying your techniques.

When I wrote that confidence, which is nothing more than a state on mind, is the absence of any doubt, worry or fear, it's a true statement. When I bend over to assume my pool shooting stance....and everything has been considered while outside the box.........and I stroke the cue ball, there is not a single thought in my mind.....don't know about you......but there's not a single thought....there's nothing I think about........no reconfirming the shot or thinking about how hard to energize the cue ball.....no 2nd glances at the table looking at where I want to cue ball to wind up......just the shot in front of me and I pocket the ball.

So there's a total absence of any and all worry about missing the shot......no thoughts about whether I'm playing the correct shot or even just playing that shot intelligently.....and never any fear of what happens if I miss. All of that doesn't exist any longer, if it even was there to start with.......the only thing that matters is the feel of my pool stroke and my bio-rythmn practice strokes before the shot.......mine is 4.


To assume that I am referring to a state of mind analogous to super-confidence....or overly confident if you will, is to misconstrue what I originally wrote...........of course proper shot selection is paramount and precedes assuming my shooting stance......and once I decide how to play the shot while standing outside the box, I mull over the many variables to the shot before me. Once that's decided, there's isn't "any" doubt, worry or fear in my mind when I assume my shooting stance.......I can't even tell you what I was thinking about after pocketing the object ball, especially when it was a shot that brings people to their feet.......on those shots all I can recall is observing the roll and path of the cue ball


When I shoot pool, I do not get out of my shooting stance until all the pool balls have stopped rolling, not just the cue ball which I obviously pay very close attention to because the cue ball never lies......but worry, doubt or fear are never on my mind because I fully expect that object ball to go in the intended pocket and the cue ball to follow where I meant it to go....Nuf Ced!

Matt B.

I'd like to see you play sometime, Matt, you must be an incredible player, I could learn a lot from studying your techniques.

Just curious, when you say "there is not a single thought in my mind." are referring to subconscious thoughts too, or just conscious ones?

 

[Bavafongoul]

Okay.....I'll Buy Into That Alternative Description

BR made a good point.......I suppose that the final outcome, aside from whatever takes place on the pool table.

When I feel a sense of confidence, I look forward to the task at hand because I expect the results to be favorable and I approach it with a much more positive attitude and also have great expectations as well.

I think it's easier to describe a sense of insecurity or feelings of doubt more so than it is to describe feelings of confidence which can unintentionally be construed to be borderline to feeling cocky, arrogant, brash, presumptuous, egotistical, etc.

Confidence is a quietness, a calmness at the pool table........everything around you is no longer even a source of any distraction.....your body movement, your pace of play, your shooting rythmn just becomes graceful.

Even as you walk to you next shot, your body language and eye perusal of the table is just different.......and you feel invincible and there's not a single thing your opponent can do to stop you or to cause you to miss. So you see the map to run the table or when to stop to defense your opponent badly to hopefully result in B.I.H, well, confidence is knowing that you're in control and have the knowledge & skills to get the job done.

 

[Bavafongoul]

I'm Not Sure If It's Being a Child of The 60's.....

CJ....when I am struggling with my game, I have to fight off the demons that set in....the hindsight reflections on a shot just missed, the wrong position play that resulted in a disastrous outcome, failure to energize the cue ball sufficiently or even worse, to use too much or not enough object ball hit to release some of the energy.....there's lots of shit that starts creeping into my mind. What I try to not do is watch my opponent play the table, especially if I just missed on the last remaining 4 balls.

Instead, I'll just pay attention to what I think I need to fix and don't even look at the table and just listen for the sounds of a ball dropping after being struck. In a money match or a tournament, I'll observe my opponent for potential fouls to protect myself ....that's a given. When I am pocketing balls and the acoustics of the hit sounds right, the feel of my stroke seems motionless except for to and fro.....no wrist movement which is my biggest flaw but I watch for it.....the cue ball movement rolls to the shot instead of taking off......I zone in more and my confidence builds and builds.

As I stand over the shot, I relax and flush my lungs, I envision exactly where and how the cue ball will be travelling and wind up......I stand over the object ball looking at my point of contact and walk backwards to the cue ball keeping my eyes on my aim point......if I lose it, I go back and re-visualize the cue ball striking the object ball.....when I stand at the cue ball, I decide the amount of force, i.e., energy to use and control the cue ball after contact, especially if any English is needed. Of course, deflection & tangent lines, etc. are duly considered but that's part of any shot decision-making,

I do all this crap outside the box standing erect....when I go to assume my shooting stance, I just trust my judgement and do my best to think of nothing....just feel the smoothness of my pool stroke and the cue shaft in my closed bridge. All of that is done without thinking about it and it's an instinctive feeling.....you know when everything is measured and executed the way you meant it to be otherwise you just reset because every time you try to turn chicken shit into chicken salad, the best you can hope for will always be a horrible tasting sandwich, if you catch my point.

As far as being an incredible player, not any more....pushing 70 yrs old, will be having a 4th rotator cuff surgery on my shooting arm later this year, carpal tunnel, bad knees, etc. But I know that pool is a game played between the ears long before you ever pick up the cue. or stroke the cue ball. I'm an excellent mentor for other players because I understand the game and can see things that the player can't which also applies to me as a player as well. So for my own needs, I rely upon feel of my stroke for feedback and correction since most of the others I play with lean more towards being great shot-makers rather than pool players and I know that you appreciate the difference.

Matt B.

p.s. And CJ wouldn't mention this but last year I purchased two (2) sets of his TOI & other CDs.............some really great stuff for any & everyone.

 

[CJ Wiley]

you, on the other hand seem to be very secure and confident in a productive way

CJ....when I am struggling with my game, I have to fight off the demons that set in....the hindsight reflections on a shot just missed, the wrong position play that resulted in a disastrous outcome, failure to energize the cue ball sufficiently or even worse, to use too much or not enough object ball hit to release some of the energy.....there's lots of shit that starts creeping into my mind. What I try to not do is watch my opponent play the table, especially if I just missed on the last remaining 4 balls.

Instead, I'll just pay attention to what I think I need to fix and don't even look at the table and just listen for the sounds of a ball dropping after being struck. In a money match or a tournament, I'll observe my opponent for potential fouls to protect myself ....that's a given. When I am pocketing balls and the acoustics of the hit sounds right, the feel of my stroke seems motionless except for to and fro.....no wrist movement which is my biggest flaw but I watch for it.....the cue ball movement rolls to the shot instead of taking off......I zone in more and my confidence builds and builds.

As I stand over the shot, I relax and flush my lungs, I envision exactly where and how the cue ball will be travelling and wind up......I stand over the object ball looking at my point of contact and walk backwards to the cue ball keeping my eyes on my aim point......if I lose it, I go back and re-visualize the cue ball striking the object ball.....when I stand at the cue ball, I decide the amount of force, i.e., energy to use and control the cue ball after contact, especially if any English is needed. Of course, deflection & tangent lines, etc. are duly considered but that's part of any shot decision-making,

I do all this crap outside the box standing erect....when I go to assume my shooting stance, I just trust my judgement and do my best to think of nothing....just feel the smoothness of my pool stroke and the cue shaft in my closed bridge. All of that is done without thinking about it and it's an instinctive feeling.....you know when everything is measured and executed the way you meant it to be otherwise you just reset because every time you try to turn chicken shit into chicken salad, the best you can hope for will always be a horrible tasting sandwich if you catch my point.

Matt B.

It sounds like you have a quality mix of confidence AND concentration. I usually associate getting into "the zone" with concentration, I guess the confidence just happens.

I like what you're saying, some people have trouble differentiating true confidence from arrogance, you seem to have a genuine understanding of that it actually takes to be confident in an ego-less way.

Players with low self esteem have always considered me "cocky" or arrogant, however, at my level it's only possible to compete in a humble state of being. One thing about human nature is people will sometimes jump to conclusions, then try to make the reality fit their perception.

This leads to many types of delusions, you, on the other hand seem to be very secure and confident in a productive way and I'm sure you have/had a great game.

 

[Island Drive]

Knowledge.................

 

[CJ Wiley]

The more pieces you get in place the clearer the picture becomes.

Bavafangoul - let me suggest that the ideal you're presenting there is not so much confidence as it is concentration, or attention, or just being distraction-free.

All these things must fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The more pieces you get in place the clearer the picture becomes. And by picture I mean things like confidence, concentration, focus, and creativity....of course this can't happen unless you also have the physical skills, fundamentals and knowledge.