Forgetful like Quarterbacks

I've mentioned this before in my blog, and I'm sure you have heard this before anyway, that the best quarterbacks are the ones who have short term memories and can forget right away any interception or dropped ball.  Those are the best quarterbacks.

If you can try not to think in the past when you're competing, it will help you immensely.  Because if you're thinking about that ball you missed six games ago and that you would be on the hill already.... that's not helping you here in the present moment.

And obviously the same goes for "future" thinking.  Thinking in the past or future keeps you from focusing 100% on the present moment.  And how can you play your best if you aren't committed to the shot in front of you?  Instead your shaking your head disappointed about what the score "should be."

But today I want to specifically talk about the past.... and, well, uh, trying to forget about it!  lol

As usual I compare things to everyday life when I talk about competing in pool.  And today is no exception.  Aren't you lucky?!

I think most of you know that I am a meteorologist (ie. weather person).  The other day a colleague shared with us he tried to boost the morale of our colleagues in Oklahoma.  He shared, "They need to have the mindset of a quarterback; forget quickly and get back in the game."

You see, early in the week, the forecast models were indicating that a snowstorm was going to occur across Oklahoma.  As the models adjusted through the week, the snow expectations became lower and lower.  Therefore, the forecasters in Oklahoma lowered the snow potential towards the weekend and put less snow in the forecast.

And of course they still got hammered on social media.

Ugh.

Everyone was saying that they missed the forecast "bad" because there wasn't any snow covering the ground like they'd imagined, come Saturday morning.

It's funny because when it snows people don't want snow and then when it doesn't snow, people wonder where the snow is.  But that's another story.  lol

The thing is, though, just like my colleague was saying, they need to not be worried about what's going on on social media or why the forecast didn't pan out.  They need to have the mindset of a good quarterback and get back to forecasting.

You see they can't sit there and second-guess themselves and wonder what they could have done (or should have done differently) because another forecast needs to be issued; we don't have time to sit there and feel bad about a bad forecast.

Now, don't get me wrong.  We do evaluations and after action reports and check stats, run scenarios on past events, etc.  But that is something down the road that we do.

The very next day we need to come on shift and we need to forecast the weather and have that quarterback mentality.

Same thing for pool.  If you are thinking about that shot you missed, that means you're not thinking about what's going on in front of you right now.  You're mind cannot do several things at once and you got to give yourself the best chance to play your best, and therefore you need to stay in the present.

I know I've said this a hundred times.  So, now today is 100 + 1.  :)

What a Difference a Year Makes

While writing a blog entry the other day, I came across this blog post I wrote about a year ago about my thoughts (dare I say "plans") of my future in pool. 

It was a good little read for me, to reflect what I was thinking a year ago.  While it upset some friends last year, it was quite the post.... basically talking about me stepping away from the game, but also sharing I needed to gain inner peace.

So, has anything changed?  Did what I envision materialize?  Have I reconsidered things in the pool realm?

Here is my take almost exactly a year later:

Do I miss league?  NOT ONE FREAKING BIT.  For some odd reason, there has be in influx of people asking me to join teams/leagues. It's like there is an APB out on me, "she isn't playing on any leagues, grab her now."

And my old teams reach out to me every once in a while, "we need you" or "you are missed."  It's sweet, I admit, but I'm enjoying ALL my week nights open for whatever might come up.  Mostly, I have been having dinner with friends or coworkers that I want to get to know better, to learn from.  Or, friends I didn't go out with the last 4 years of my foggy life when I was as hermit.  The other nights I might be just having quiet evenings at home relaxing and getting rest.

It's nice to be able to tell a friend, "yes I can meet tonight!"  Instead of, "sorry, I have league."

Part of the point of the blog last year was to also express I want to do more for others.  Playing league, while helping my teams, was a little limiting in that it was only a certain circle of people I was helping.  I have begun to give lessons more and I can state for a fact that of all things I do pool-related, that gives me the most high in life.

It's nice when just two weeks ago I was asked if I could meet with a team on a Thursday night for a "team lesson" on 8-ball and mental tips.  Normally I'd had to say, "Sorry, I'm at State."  This year it was, "what time shall I meet you all?!"

(I'll write more about this 'lessons aspect' later - how it came to fruition and how that particular team lesson went (and what /I/ learned from it).)

I am also going to dabble more into writing.  Not just this blog, but in magazines as well.  And a partnership blogging thing a friend and I will be announcing in a month or so. 

Of course still running the Omega Tour as well.

You can see that those three main things go right along with the theme of helping others, which I have so much more time for now because I do NOT have leagues I'm committed to.

No, what about competing?  Do I miss that?

Well... I was wrong about that part.  Don't freak out - there ARE women who admit when they are wrong. 

I did find myself a few times actually /wanting/ to play (either gambling, actually played some pool during the winter months I wasn't expecting, looking forward to a scotch event, or when coerced to play in an 8 ball tourney I ended up LOVING competing). 

I think for me, the love of the game is still there, and more so because I am still playing well (even with taking this "time off") has really helped me still like playing.  If my game had gone down like some predicted, I'd be FAR away from wanting to compete still.

I can see that I don't miss league or league events at all, but I do see I still like to play.  I guess what I'm realizing is I don't want to stop competing, but I still want to steer clear of league events (weekly or state or otherwise).

I can't even tell you why, though.  Maybe it's because I have the freedom to decide when I want to play or when I don't.  With league - the commitment is all decided for me.  Weekly, or playoff weekends are set, or I HAD to attend a state tourney or nationals. 

So, I'm not staying away from playing pool at all - if anything, helping others, talking about pool to certain people, writing more, and competing when I have the strong desire to is helping put pool even more right in front of me.  But more so - in front of others because of the Pay It Forward effect.

It's funny - I actually have more plans related to pool and yet less time to do it all b/c my bucket list is so full with so many different aspects.  Quite the twist of events, huh?

Giving lessons and doing more writing is especially heart warming to me and very exciting.  To be able to give back is bottom line the ultimate goal for me.  You know, that inner peace thing I mentioned in the beginning.  :)