Pressure for BCAPL Nationals?

I have written over a 100 times probably on my blog over the years that expectations are pretty much the root of evil for me.

And yet here I sit, less than two weeks away from the 2015 BCAPL Nationals, so do I have any expectations?

You bet I do!  I am a pool player, after all ;)

I shouldn't be nervous though - I haven't prepared or hit balls, so I should feel any nerves.  And while I know I play my absolute best not thinking of the future, I admit I am not doing well with that.

The last few times I was unprepared for State events, I earned first place trophies in the BCAPL Texas State tourney in 2014 and 2015.  But this is a national BCAPL event.  One I haven't placed high in singles before.  My highest was 9th, and that was prolly about 12 years ago.

However....

• I KNOW I'm better now. 
• I KNOW I know the game of 8 ball very well.
• Physically, I am doing better than usual. 
• I KNOW after playing good scotch doubles I should be really be warmed up well for singles.
• I think my partner and I can do real well in scotch doubles.  REAL well - we have a great chance - IF I can hold it together and NOT think ahead of the possibilities like I already am  :( 

I should be going over these two books in the next week and a half to mentally prepare myself:

But will I?  I am being pretty lackadaisical for sure this time around.

Since pool isn't a priority in my life right now, I'm really not doing anything to prepare for this big tournament.  But yet - it means a lot to me and I would LOVE to finish well as my last hurrah.  Kinda of like gaining weight, ya know?  We WANT to lose weight, and it's on our minds, but we don't really put a lot of effort into it lol.

And this is what I also know:

• I am not as mentally tough as I have been the last few years for some reason.
• I haven't prepared AT ALL for this event.
• I am slowing down in playing league and pool in general, and what if this is my "last hurrah" to play BCAPL Nationals and I dog it?

Well, let's put this in perspective:

Will it be the end of the world if I don't place well?

Nope. 

Will I still be a good person in life, even if I don't place well?

Yep.

Will I still be proud of myself?

Yep.

And what if I don't even get in the money? (although my personal goal would be to get deep in the money)  Would I be okay?   Would I be okay knowing I didn't get moved up yet again?  Would I be okay knowing I might have lost my last opportunity to do well in this event because I may not play in it again any time soon?

Absolutely!

I have had so much success in many other tournaments in the past few years, if I don't do well in this one this year, I should be okay with myself.  Because, as I said - it wont be the end of the world if I don't place well.

As one of my friends has told me over and over in the last few years, winning or losing doesn't define me.  

Glad I wrote my thoughts down.  Whew!  I already feel better and much less pressure!

No, go out there and have fun, Melinda!