Max Eberle once told me the best thought under pressure is no thought at all.
Your Thoughts In A Pressure Situation
- Thread starter Pidge
- Start date
Max Eberle once told me the best thought under pressure is no thought at all.
I've had pressure shots for the game or the match that even when they were rather easy shots for whatever the reason, the opponent, the # of people watching, or whatever, I have gotten a weak & shaky feeling come over me.
I stop & take a few quite deep breaths letting the air out slowly while thinking to myself, 'You've done this before & you've made this shot thousands of times, Now just settle down...slow down... & focus.'
The shaky weak feeling goes away & I stay focused on the job at hand & simply execute.
To be honest, that fear of missing it is still there but for me that is what motivates me to NOT miss it because I absolutely do not want to embarrass myself or even more importantly I absolutely do NOT want to let my teammates down if any are involved.
So... the mental pressure is still there & perhaps even the fear of missing, but I have gotten rid of it influencing my body so that I, my body, can execute properly.
I stop & take a few quite deep breaths letting the air out slowly while thinking to myself, 'You've done this before & you've made this shot thousands of times, Now just settle down...slow down... & focus.'
The shaky weak feeling goes away & I stay focused on the job at hand & simply execute.
To be honest, that fear of missing it is still there but for me that is what motivates me to NOT miss it because I absolutely do not want to embarrass myself or even more importantly I absolutely do NOT want to let my teammates down if any are involved.
So... the mental pressure is still there & perhaps even the fear of missing, but I have gotten rid of it influencing my body so that I, my body, can execute properly.
Last edited:
Sometimes, it doesn't matter if you have a 50/50 chance of making the shot or not because of equipment such as on a bar table down to the last all left on the table.
Even if you have a less than 50/50 chance of making the ball it pays to go for your hole. A lot of times, playing a safety is equivalent to a 90% failure rate, especially on a bar table, against a better player.
JoeyA
Even if you have a less than 50/50 chance of making the ball it pays to go for your hole. A lot of times, playing a safety is equivalent to a 90% failure rate, especially on a bar table, against a better player.
JoeyA
I don't believe in pressure because it is non productive. It's oneself's own making. A missed shot, a bad safe. Accept it, deal with it. A safety is always acceptable, a miss may mean your done.
Most of the time I'm thinking about dropping a deuce.
50/50 I'm going for it! If I ever want that 50/50 shot to become 60/40 in my favor I've gotta shoot it. I focus, make sure everything feels right, imagine that ball falling and shoot it. One of the most important things I've learned is if you approach a shot, get down on it, and don't feel right, GET UP!!!! Chalk, walk around the table, re approach and go. The "not feeling right" feeling is you second guessing something. Might be stance, a visual, or just mental, but if something doesn't feel right theres usually a reason.
GoldenFlash
Banned
Pressure is just a bunch of hooey...
First...I do not believe in that "positive thought" stuff. The balls don't know you been looking in the mirror, repeating affirmations about "I am great, this day is great, and I can make the shot".
Also I shoot just as crummy for fun as I do for money....in fact I shoot WORSE for fun. The money doesn't bother me...if I couldn't afford to lose it I wouldn't be standing up there in the first place. I've been laughed at and jeered at all my life by everyone, girls, wives, parents, other players,railbirds, knockers, pool room owners, and some tough guy is always waiting to beat me up, even though I rarely have a word to say when in action.....so that's just routine for me.
I get a positive result by being practical and assuming a negative outcome. And the shot making percentage goes up. Why?....I have no clue and don't really care, I'm going to be dead in a year or two anyway so what does a dumbass pool gambling match really mean anyway when looking at what's left in the big picture?
Funny thing about that...the balls seem to go in better when I say to myself...."oh well, I'll probably miss this one also and get laughed at again...but once I get down and dial in the shot I am not moving or raising up from this table until the object ball stops moving...I am staying down and STROKING that money ball."
Stay down - stay down - stay down, is all I am saying to myself under my breath or barely audible.
Another reason people think I am insane........which helps in getting them to leave me alone and not even talk. I do not want any new friends at the table...I just want to get the money fairly and then and be able to walk out without someone tough like Danny Diliberto taking a swing at me.
Weird? Yep, I guess it is...but just like aiming secrets, this process works for me and I don't have to participate in any gun battles with roughhouse pool players.
First...I do not believe in that "positive thought" stuff. The balls don't know you been looking in the mirror, repeating affirmations about "I am great, this day is great, and I can make the shot".
Also I shoot just as crummy for fun as I do for money....in fact I shoot WORSE for fun. The money doesn't bother me...if I couldn't afford to lose it I wouldn't be standing up there in the first place. I've been laughed at and jeered at all my life by everyone, girls, wives, parents, other players,railbirds, knockers, pool room owners, and some tough guy is always waiting to beat me up, even though I rarely have a word to say when in action.....so that's just routine for me.
I get a positive result by being practical and assuming a negative outcome. And the shot making percentage goes up. Why?....I have no clue and don't really care, I'm going to be dead in a year or two anyway so what does a dumbass pool gambling match really mean anyway when looking at what's left in the big picture?
Funny thing about that...the balls seem to go in better when I say to myself...."oh well, I'll probably miss this one also and get laughed at again...but once I get down and dial in the shot I am not moving or raising up from this table until the object ball stops moving...I am staying down and STROKING that money ball."
Stay down - stay down - stay down, is all I am saying to myself under my breath or barely audible.
Another reason people think I am insane........which helps in getting them to leave me alone and not even talk. I do not want any new friends at the table...I just want to get the money fairly and then and be able to walk out without someone tough like Danny Diliberto taking a swing at me.
Weird? Yep, I guess it is...but just like aiming secrets, this process works for me and I don't have to participate in any gun battles with roughhouse pool players.
Last edited:
In regards to the pressure element, I just know that tomorrow I'm not going to care about "this" nearly as much so knowing that, pressure becomes a non issue preety easily.
As for the performance side, I don't think it's about telling yourself something, or saying something over and over. I think you either believe you will execute what you envisioned or you don't. If you don't believe it, your not going to be able to talk yourself into it, you probably need to adjust your intentions until you find a game plan you can believe in.
As for the performance side, I don't think it's about telling yourself something, or saying something over and over. I think you either believe you will execute what you envisioned or you don't. If you don't believe it, your not going to be able to talk yourself into it, you probably need to adjust your intentions until you find a game plan you can believe in.
Cashplayer
Banned
There is no pressure. Only opportunity and execution. You should relish the chance to show what you know. The less self talk the better.
Money games are the only games that could present a bit of pressure. Tourney pressure is no way near. Sorry.
A shot you're gonna make 50% of the time. A tough shot.
I'm thinking...... Nice and smooth. Also I'm holding the cue with two fingers (not touching)if I'm feeling pressure. No chance of grip tightening . This sounds easy but learning to shoot balls this way takes time and I mainly use it under pressure
I was in this situation, cb was tucked inside a side pocket corner..while the eight ball was frozen 3 inches to the same side corner pocket.......I had no shot and the bank was the only option......I missed and congrates' to the winner....I don't get nervous, I'm to busy trying to win.:thumbup:
I'm just a bar box 8-ball player. But when I'm faced with a 50-50 shot, no way am I shooting it. I can almost always come up with something that makes my opponent have to shoot a hard shot with lets say he's got a 20 percent chance of getting out.
Make them shoot the tough shots. Keep the pressure on them. I turn to go mode when I am at least 70 percent to make the shot. Once I am in control of the game I don't want to give it back.
Make them shoot the tough shots. Keep the pressure on them. I turn to go mode when I am at least 70 percent to make the shot. Once I am in control of the game I don't want to give it back.
If the grip holds up under pressure why not use it at all times?
Almost always come up with a safe? Even when there are just two balls on the table? I've been in this situation a couple of times and the best possible safety I could come up with was cb one end and OB tue other end. That's not very safe against someone who can bank. And most players today can bank pretty well. I don't think I've ever lost a match that's been hill/hill with a tough shot to win. I've always let rip and gone at the shot whole heartedly. I think in moments like this I play at my full potential, for just that one shot. I seem to hit the exact part of the pocket I want and the cue ball is stuck to a rail. I think because I go into the shot believing I've made it that its harder to miss so the 50/50 shot becomes just a regular 90/10 shot. And the cue ball to the rail is just something everyone learns to do over time as a just in case method.
Another poster said about Max Eberle saying don't think...thats the best advice in this thread. All I think about is well, nothing. Not about fundamentals, they're already ingrained in me, not about scratching...thats ingrained in me too. All I'm thinking is I've made the shot.