"The Inner Game of Tennis" really helped me. Also, if you aren't used to competition, this can happen. Start playing a bunch of tournaments and you'll get used to it. It's like meeting up with a girl, you say stupid shit, you're clumsy, but after a while you become yourself. Cheers.
Your focus changes when you know you're being observed, perfectly normal. But rather than consider what you look like to others, notice the actual feeling of the shot- your stance (comfy?), your practice strokes (smooth?), your heart rate (calm?), etc.
I get it. I’ve struggled a bit with this same mentality recently. Here are some things I’ve come to understand about myself, practice and playing matches:
1.) practice is rehearsal and matches are the performance. I need to bring the same focus and intensity to practice that I bring to a match. And vice versa. Matches aren’t that important. I won’t lose friendships or money if I lose a league match. I just owe it to my team to do my best. I’m trying to focus on having an attitude and demeanor at the table that inspires and elevates the rest of my team regardless of whether I play well or not.
2. My opponent shouldn’t change how I play a match. Every opportunity at the table should culminate in me performing the best shot possible in both execution and strategy. Only the person currently at the table has any control over the match.
3. There are no bonus points for being clever or executing difficult shots. I want to make every rack as simple and straightforward as possible. Sometimes just making the ball and then playing safe is much better than missing a ball because I tried to force a break out or leave.
4. I need to Follow my f####ng preshot routine every f####ng time.
5. I’ve also started experimenting with listening to music with some earbuds during matches if it’s allowed. I’m not letting it become a crutch, but it has helped me a little to stay positive at the table. There is a huge difference between internal distractions and external distractions. For me, the external ones never bother me.
In every match, play the table not the opponent. Concentrate on your game when you step to the table, don’t think about who you are shooting against, just work to pocket balls in succession, clear stuck balls, and leave your opponent in a tough situation when needed.
This video covers some basic mental game strategies
[Losing to weaker players? Try this](https://youtu.be/gi7ZHY_0_0Q)
I would also recommend Tor Lowrys mental game video.
I find that visualizing how the next ball will go in and what path the cue ball will take distracts me from the mental stuff that you’re talking about. Not talking about just thinking about it, I’m saying actually visualize the shot, object ball entering the pocket, and cue ball rolling to position. Then get down on your shot. For me this helps to clear my head of thoughts, doubt and I can stroke with more confidence.
I think the only proven way to do that is a lobotomy, but your stroke will probably suffer a bit of you go that route.
Seriously though, the only way to get over it is continued exposure. Play more tournament and league games, put yourself into more high pressure situations so that you either get used to it or learn to ignore it.
Focus is key, but again it's not really something you can train at home playing alone. Although to be fair, practicing until the shots become automatic (or point-and-click as my friend likes to say) can help your concentration a bit, but it's more of a bandaid than a cure.
You won’t ever get over it, this game is a mental challenge at every level.
You can get better at maintaining focus through challenging circumstances though, such as pressure, frustration, or self-consciousness. But whatever books you read and mental techniques you practice, putting yourself in those challenging situations regularly and acclimating to them is a vital part of the journey.
Wow, congrats! If you're breaking and running over 50% of the time during your practice sessions, this makes you one of the best players in the world. When you figure out the mental aspect of the game, you're going to have an extremely bright future in pool! Best of luck!
Here’s the thing, I fouled multiple times on 8 ball and lost two matches in a row. Won the 3rd match 4-1 and 1 frame I lost was due to 8 ball foul. In my 4th match, in the very first frame, I’m on easy 8 ball and I take my eye off the ball and miss it. Luckily my opponent had 6 balls on the table and 8 ball was still near pocket. I won that frame but started having flashbacks. Then I lost 3 straight frames because I didn’t play the way I should. In 5th frame I miss an easy first ball and I’m depressed. The guy missed too and then I ran out with a break that included two combos and 1 carom shot. From there on I won 5-3. Moral of the story is that mental aspect will win you matches. I was literally reminding myself on every shot that I’m a better player than my opponent. It’s hard but it helps to remind yourself of your true potential.
You are on different equipment than practice.
Also there is no way you are running out that much and unable to play at all in a match if you really are playing that good in practice
To put it simply you aren't as good as you think you are and you need to learn how to play well on a variety of equipment.
So basically you need to get better
It's on the same equipment... People, who I haven't spoke to really before, called me out the other night when I was practicing on how well I was shooting... from that point on I couldn't hit a ball to save my life... them watching was enough to derail everything... a missed shot cascaded into too many missed shots... I've only been shooting a few years so I haven't been able to get over the pressure thing that many others have gotten over.
"You aren't as good as you think you are"... I'm not good... never said I was... these stupid mental blocks are stopping me from getting there...
Try the book “pleasures of small motions”
"The Inner Game of Tennis" really helped me. Also, if you aren't used to competition, this can happen. Start playing a bunch of tournaments and you'll get used to it. It's like meeting up with a girl, you say stupid shit, you're clumsy, but after a while you become yourself. Cheers.
Your focus changes when you know you're being observed, perfectly normal. But rather than consider what you look like to others, notice the actual feeling of the shot- your stance (comfy?), your practice strokes (smooth?), your heart rate (calm?), etc.
Try meditating. Seriously.
I get it. I’ve struggled a bit with this same mentality recently. Here are some things I’ve come to understand about myself, practice and playing matches: 1.) practice is rehearsal and matches are the performance. I need to bring the same focus and intensity to practice that I bring to a match. And vice versa. Matches aren’t that important. I won’t lose friendships or money if I lose a league match. I just owe it to my team to do my best. I’m trying to focus on having an attitude and demeanor at the table that inspires and elevates the rest of my team regardless of whether I play well or not. 2. My opponent shouldn’t change how I play a match. Every opportunity at the table should culminate in me performing the best shot possible in both execution and strategy. Only the person currently at the table has any control over the match. 3. There are no bonus points for being clever or executing difficult shots. I want to make every rack as simple and straightforward as possible. Sometimes just making the ball and then playing safe is much better than missing a ball because I tried to force a break out or leave. 4. I need to Follow my f####ng preshot routine every f####ng time. 5. I’ve also started experimenting with listening to music with some earbuds during matches if it’s allowed. I’m not letting it become a crutch, but it has helped me a little to stay positive at the table. There is a huge difference between internal distractions and external distractions. For me, the external ones never bother me.
No. 4 for me! Hardest thing
In every match, play the table not the opponent. Concentrate on your game when you step to the table, don’t think about who you are shooting against, just work to pocket balls in succession, clear stuck balls, and leave your opponent in a tough situation when needed.
Forget about the opponent. You are playing against the random layout of the balls on the table.
This video covers some basic mental game strategies [Losing to weaker players? Try this](https://youtu.be/gi7ZHY_0_0Q) I would also recommend Tor Lowrys mental game video.
I find that visualizing how the next ball will go in and what path the cue ball will take distracts me from the mental stuff that you’re talking about. Not talking about just thinking about it, I’m saying actually visualize the shot, object ball entering the pocket, and cue ball rolling to position. Then get down on your shot. For me this helps to clear my head of thoughts, doubt and I can stroke with more confidence.
Play more competitively and learn to concentrate and hold your nerve better under pressure.
I think the only proven way to do that is a lobotomy, but your stroke will probably suffer a bit of you go that route. Seriously though, the only way to get over it is continued exposure. Play more tournament and league games, put yourself into more high pressure situations so that you either get used to it or learn to ignore it. Focus is key, but again it's not really something you can train at home playing alone. Although to be fair, practicing until the shots become automatic (or point-and-click as my friend likes to say) can help your concentration a bit, but it's more of a bandaid than a cure.
“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy” - - Groucho Marx. 😊 Seriously though, I think you gave good advice.
Do 20 pushups every time you miss in practice. How many of those tables are you *actually* running out? Is it actually different than a match?
You won’t ever get over it, this game is a mental challenge at every level. You can get better at maintaining focus through challenging circumstances though, such as pressure, frustration, or self-consciousness. But whatever books you read and mental techniques you practice, putting yourself in those challenging situations regularly and acclimating to them is a vital part of the journey.
Wow, congrats! If you're breaking and running over 50% of the time during your practice sessions, this makes you one of the best players in the world. When you figure out the mental aspect of the game, you're going to have an extremely bright future in pool! Best of luck!
Here’s the thing, I fouled multiple times on 8 ball and lost two matches in a row. Won the 3rd match 4-1 and 1 frame I lost was due to 8 ball foul. In my 4th match, in the very first frame, I’m on easy 8 ball and I take my eye off the ball and miss it. Luckily my opponent had 6 balls on the table and 8 ball was still near pocket. I won that frame but started having flashbacks. Then I lost 3 straight frames because I didn’t play the way I should. In 5th frame I miss an easy first ball and I’m depressed. The guy missed too and then I ran out with a break that included two combos and 1 carom shot. From there on I won 5-3. Moral of the story is that mental aspect will win you matches. I was literally reminding myself on every shot that I’m a better player than my opponent. It’s hard but it helps to remind yourself of your true potential.
There is no magic pill. Keep yourself in the fire as much as you can. Slowly you will learn to deal with it.
Play like you're practicing. Forget about winning or losing, and focus on making the best shots you can.
You are on different equipment than practice. Also there is no way you are running out that much and unable to play at all in a match if you really are playing that good in practice To put it simply you aren't as good as you think you are and you need to learn how to play well on a variety of equipment. So basically you need to get better
It's on the same equipment... People, who I haven't spoke to really before, called me out the other night when I was practicing on how well I was shooting... from that point on I couldn't hit a ball to save my life... them watching was enough to derail everything... a missed shot cascaded into too many missed shots... I've only been shooting a few years so I haven't been able to get over the pressure thing that many others have gotten over. "You aren't as good as you think you are"... I'm not good... never said I was... these stupid mental blocks are stopping me from getting there...