I wrote yesterday about a teammate that IMHO should not have complimented an opposing teammate during a team event.
Today I'd like to write about something I learned over 20 years ago from my friend and good player, June Hager Walter, about complimenting opponents during individual matches.
She taught me NEVER to compliment my opponent during a match.
I did this one time during a match she watched me play in, and afterwards she told me not to ever do that again.
She explained if I compliment my opponent during a match ("good shot" or "nice out") it kinda makes my opponent feel better about themselves. We have just helped THEM in their OWN match.
Now, I am a very soft-hearted person so it actually pains me not to give a compliment of a good shot or out, because it goes completely against my nature. I actually WANT to acknowledge them.
I sit there thinking, "wow that was a nice, tough shot." But I keep my mouth shut and don't say it to the player. I *may* say something about their play after the match, but not during.
If we want the killer instinct and to give OUR best playing pool, then we should not be HELPING our opponents.
Right?
Right.
Imagine, you are playing in a really tough match. You make a HECK of a shot! Then your opponent acknowledges it, "That was a really nice shot."
How does that make you feel?
GREAT, right?
You knew it was great, and even your opponent was impressed. And now you are pumped up even more!
See what just happened there? Yep, your opponent helped YOU by giving YOU kudos.
Don't do that to your opponent. Don't pump them up. You are there to defeat them, not help them.
And, it actually pains my heart to even write all of this out because it goes against my nature. I provide positive words of encouragement or kudos to people all the time in my daily life. But as my friends Lisa Marr and Jennifer Kraber shared, "friends off the table."
I admit if I see something spectacular, I *might* compliment them. But even after a really nice / tough run of the table, I normally keep my mouth shut and refrain from telling them because of what I learned so long ago from June.
However, it's actually a very tough balance.
Some good players/friends will still say, "nice shot" as a courtesy to their fellow player. This happens a lot between good regional players who appreciate a good shot or recognize a tough shot.
Or, like one time at ACS State, I was playing a VERY new player and gave her compliments because I knew my compliments were helping her as a person who was nervous, but not in any way would my words help her defeat me (if that makes sense). I know, I know, I should not be supportive at all to my opponents, ever, but it was tough not to be super kind to her because she was so new and nervous.
But, if I think back to that one time I played at a WPBA Pro event, there was not ONE single pro player saying "nice shot" to their opponent. It was very serious and cut throat, quite honesty, and you were there to win, not compliment you opponent during a match.
Showing posts with label Killer Instinct. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Killer Instinct. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Complimenting Opponents
During our women's league team playoffs, you'll have to picture that most of the women on the league all like each other and are good friends. Like 95% of us are all friends!
So, it makes it difficult sometimes to play against each other.
I have learned, like my friend Lisa Marr says, "friends away from the table" because otherwise I use to have too soft of a heart when I played pool and that gets in the way of a killer instinct to want to win.
Anyway, so during our women's league team playoffs we are playing against some friends from an opposing team and one of the players is really struggling. Turns out she was coming down with the flu, but she didn't know it at the time.
She's on her second match and struggling and she says out loud, "man, I can't make a ball today."
Well, one of my teammates immediately tells her something like, "You'll be fine, dont' think that way."
And I just REACTED.
I felt so bad I did this, but I said right away to my teammate out loud kinda snappy, "Don't tell her that! She's our opponent. Don't pump her up."
I realize they are friends and she was just helping her "as" a friend, but against each others teams we aren't suppose to be friends.
I know it was very natural for her to want to offer her support and kind words because she was struggling, but that was not the time nor place for it.
But... *I* could have handled that better and whispered in my teammates ear, instead of saying it out loud, kinda getting on to her. I think our friend (yes, she was my friend, also) might have heard me say that, which is rude when you are trying to play.
I realize my teammate prolly took my words as advice eventually, but it prolly came across as getting on to her right then, not helping. :(
So, it makes it difficult sometimes to play against each other.
I have learned, like my friend Lisa Marr says, "friends away from the table" because otherwise I use to have too soft of a heart when I played pool and that gets in the way of a killer instinct to want to win.
Anyway, so during our women's league team playoffs we are playing against some friends from an opposing team and one of the players is really struggling. Turns out she was coming down with the flu, but she didn't know it at the time.
She's on her second match and struggling and she says out loud, "man, I can't make a ball today."
Well, one of my teammates immediately tells her something like, "You'll be fine, dont' think that way."
And I just REACTED.
I felt so bad I did this, but I said right away to my teammate out loud kinda snappy, "Don't tell her that! She's our opponent. Don't pump her up."
I realize they are friends and she was just helping her "as" a friend, but against each others teams we aren't suppose to be friends.
I know it was very natural for her to want to offer her support and kind words because she was struggling, but that was not the time nor place for it.
But... *I* could have handled that better and whispered in my teammates ear, instead of saying it out loud, kinda getting on to her. I think our friend (yes, she was my friend, also) might have heard me say that, which is rude when you are trying to play.
I realize my teammate prolly took my words as advice eventually, but it prolly came across as getting on to her right then, not helping. :(
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Killer Instinct Versus My Heart
Yes, I'm still not finished talking about the BCAPL Texas State tourney!
Sorry, lots of blog entries come up when I go to tourneys :) And being there for 5-plus days gives me a lot of "material" to write about.
During the team event, I had a very heart-wrenching experience.
It was our 4th match on the winner's side of the Women's Open Team division and we are playing a really good team. I just had a little misunderstanding (that I will write about soon) with one of the players on the other team.
This misunderstanding occurred next to where the other team was sitting, and also where I happened to be playing my very next match (the current match). My team was on the other side, so they didn't know any of this was going on.
I felt super bad that I upset one of the other players, and then having to play right away shaking (b/c I don't like conflict), I had to play in front of them all. And during that game, something ELSE happened!
After a few shots each, my opponent decides she needs to jump for her ball. She's over the 2 ball (my ball) and she has room to jump the cueball over my other solid. As she jacks up, she moves the 2 ball about two inches forward by accident.
Sounds like a simple thing right?
Basically, it's simply my option to move the 2ball back or not.
But, it's not that simple. The 2ball rolled up so far, she now literally has NO room to jump her ball anymore!
The cueball and 2ball are right next to each other and she can't jump the ball anymore.
I walk up to the table and she's standing there and I'm standing there. I swear, I didn't say a word for a whole minute. I just... stood there. Thinking.
As I stood there and looked down at the 2ball now resting next to the cueball, and seeing she has no room to jump the ball now, I am TORN!
Yep, I know, it's stupid!
My mind tells me, "Melinda, it's your option and you should NOT move the 2ball back."
My heart tells me, "But then she won't have a shot."
Mind: "Have the killer instinct, Melinda. Leave the ball there!"
Heart: "You just had an altercation with another team member and you will REALLY look like a bitch if you don't let her move it back."
My heart and mind were going back and forth and tearing me apart. I felt TOO bad to leave the 2ball there, but I knew that I *should* leave it there.
Then it dawned on me that since the 2ball rolled up on the cueball that that might be a foul. Hmmm.
She's been standing there waiting for me to let her know what I want to do and I finally say, "I think it might be a foul because it hit the cueball; let me get a ref."
At this point, I feel somewhat relieved as this will not be up to me, but up to a ref now (hopefully).
He did say it was a foul and I got ball-in-hand.
I didn't get out then but I did end up winning the game.
It still amazes me that I STILL have trouble following the rules of the table, that argue with the rules of my heart.
Sorry, lots of blog entries come up when I go to tourneys :) And being there for 5-plus days gives me a lot of "material" to write about.
During the team event, I had a very heart-wrenching experience.
It was our 4th match on the winner's side of the Women's Open Team division and we are playing a really good team. I just had a little misunderstanding (that I will write about soon) with one of the players on the other team.
This misunderstanding occurred next to where the other team was sitting, and also where I happened to be playing my very next match (the current match). My team was on the other side, so they didn't know any of this was going on.
I felt super bad that I upset one of the other players, and then having to play right away shaking (b/c I don't like conflict), I had to play in front of them all. And during that game, something ELSE happened!
After a few shots each, my opponent decides she needs to jump for her ball. She's over the 2 ball (my ball) and she has room to jump the cueball over my other solid. As she jacks up, she moves the 2 ball about two inches forward by accident.
Sounds like a simple thing right?
Basically, it's simply my option to move the 2ball back or not.
But, it's not that simple. The 2ball rolled up so far, she now literally has NO room to jump her ball anymore!
The cueball and 2ball are right next to each other and she can't jump the ball anymore.
I walk up to the table and she's standing there and I'm standing there. I swear, I didn't say a word for a whole minute. I just... stood there. Thinking.
As I stood there and looked down at the 2ball now resting next to the cueball, and seeing she has no room to jump the ball now, I am TORN!
Yep, I know, it's stupid!
My mind tells me, "Melinda, it's your option and you should NOT move the 2ball back."
My heart tells me, "But then she won't have a shot."
Mind: "Have the killer instinct, Melinda. Leave the ball there!"
Heart: "You just had an altercation with another team member and you will REALLY look like a bitch if you don't let her move it back."
My heart and mind were going back and forth and tearing me apart. I felt TOO bad to leave the 2ball there, but I knew that I *should* leave it there.
Then it dawned on me that since the 2ball rolled up on the cueball that that might be a foul. Hmmm.
She's been standing there waiting for me to let her know what I want to do and I finally say, "I think it might be a foul because it hit the cueball; let me get a ref."
At this point, I feel somewhat relieved as this will not be up to me, but up to a ref now (hopefully).
He did say it was a foul and I got ball-in-hand.
I didn't get out then but I did end up winning the game.
It still amazes me that I STILL have trouble following the rules of the table, that argue with the rules of my heart.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Poker Killer Instinct
I have no killer instinct. I have no killer instinct button. I can't turn it on. And if I DO happen to turn it in, I feel bad afterwards.
It's just not in me, not a part of me.
On Saturday I figured this out by feeling bad about a poker move I did. A move that was very smart on my part, and one that I should have done.
Let me try and explain what happened:
I had pocket Queens and raised before the flop and two people called. The flop comes 3, 6, 10. Two of the cards were hearts. Neither of the Queens in my hand were hearts.
I bet because I figure no one has anything better than my two Queens at this point. One person calls me. The other gets out.
The next card comes and it's a Queen! I can't believe my luck. :)
I bet and the one guy left in the hand with me, calls.
The next card that comes out on The River is the Queen of Hearts!
I had quads!
I am first to act and after I see the Queen, I indicate that I ain't gonna bet now, acting like I am beat because I now see three hearts out there, thinking the guy was looking for a flush. So, I Check.
He grabs some chips and bets about half his stack (about $40 I think). I immediately say, "all in."
He pauses for only a few seconds, trying to figure out what is going on. Turns out he had pocket 3s, so he has a Boat (three 3s and 2 Queens to make a Full House). However, he goes all in with me and I show my quads and of course the whole table goes crazy.
The guy gets up and leaves, and doesn't come back to play. I took all his money.
Afterwards, I told the guy next to me I felt bad for checking and then raising. He looked at me funny and said, "You played that so perfectly, and that's what you were suppose to do. You were suppose to Check-Raise, don't feel bad about it."
I continued to feel guilty and therefore mentioned it later to my boyfriend. He also told me, "Don't feel bad about it - that was smart play." And then he added, "He was trying to take your money, and he wouldn't have felt bad if he won that pot."
Reminds me of other advice I received once about pool: "Someones got to win, might as well be me."
I wish I had more of a killer instinct. But, I will keep learning and trying to win!
It's not personal!
It's just not in me, not a part of me.
On Saturday I figured this out by feeling bad about a poker move I did. A move that was very smart on my part, and one that I should have done.
Let me try and explain what happened:
I had pocket Queens and raised before the flop and two people called. The flop comes 3, 6, 10. Two of the cards were hearts. Neither of the Queens in my hand were hearts.
I bet because I figure no one has anything better than my two Queens at this point. One person calls me. The other gets out.
The next card comes and it's a Queen! I can't believe my luck. :)
I bet and the one guy left in the hand with me, calls.
The next card that comes out on The River is the Queen of Hearts!
I had quads!
I am first to act and after I see the Queen, I indicate that I ain't gonna bet now, acting like I am beat because I now see three hearts out there, thinking the guy was looking for a flush. So, I Check.
He grabs some chips and bets about half his stack (about $40 I think). I immediately say, "all in."
He pauses for only a few seconds, trying to figure out what is going on. Turns out he had pocket 3s, so he has a Boat (three 3s and 2 Queens to make a Full House). However, he goes all in with me and I show my quads and of course the whole table goes crazy.
The guy gets up and leaves, and doesn't come back to play. I took all his money.
Afterwards, I told the guy next to me I felt bad for checking and then raising. He looked at me funny and said, "You played that so perfectly, and that's what you were suppose to do. You were suppose to Check-Raise, don't feel bad about it."
I continued to feel guilty and therefore mentioned it later to my boyfriend. He also told me, "Don't feel bad about it - that was smart play." And then he added, "He was trying to take your money, and he wouldn't have felt bad if he won that pot."
Reminds me of other advice I received once about pool: "Someones got to win, might as well be me."
I wish I had more of a killer instinct. But, I will keep learning and trying to win!
It's not personal!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
The Killer Instinct And Frienships
I'll never forget that one particular match where my opponent taught me the hard way about the killer instinct.Yea, I was on the other end of it.
Back in the mid 90s, when I was hardly a good pool player, mostly a ball banger still, I played in a tournament against my friend Karen. She was an extremely sweet woman and I think we were even on a team together once at BCAPL Nationals. She played good, and much better than I, and was considered one of the better players in the central Texas area.
When we played in this tournament, she was beating me pretty badly. I couldn't string two balls in a row and she kept winning and winning. I was SO frustrated and VERY upset because it seemed like everything was going against me.
Now, we aren't suppose to feel sorry for our opponents, and she for sure didn't care she was beating up on me.
I don't think I was even as on the scoreboard yet; she was just annihilating me.
I was mostly frustrated with myself for losing so badly, but what Karen did next I will never forget. Even typing it out, I can feel my blood pressure rising. It was like it was yesterday.
I fouled and she had a chance to make a combo on the 9ball to win the match. I was down 0-6.
She took ball in hand and went for the combo and made it.
I was FREAKING LIVID! I couldn't believe she did that to me! Personally... to me! I was very angry, hurt, upset, mad, embarrassed, you name it.
I was pretty vocal to her and I told her I couldn't believe she did that. I raised my voice to her, "you just stabbed my in the heart! How could you go for that combo when I was down 0-6?!?!"
I walked away, bitching, "she just stabbed me in the heart!"
It felt SO personal that she would go for the combo to beat me, when she was already beating me 0-6.
As I reflect back, I know now obviously that she was just trying to win. She had the killer instinct.
I can appreciate her today, and I can also appreciate how tough that might have been to seal the deal with a 9ball combo against a friend who was struggling, and losing 0-6.
I was still very, very angry about the match because I was so new to competition.
As I type this out, it reminds me of another incident... and I think I did this to a friend by accident later on.
In the early 2000s, I was playing in south Houston at Legend's Billiards in a tournament. I was playing a good friend in the first or second round.
At this time in my life, my husband at the time was helping me work on gaining a killer instinct. Doing what I needed to do to win, instead of letting up against friends or feeling sorry for my opponents.
So I'm playing my friend and at one point in the match she scratches on the break. I have ball-in-hand and see an easy safe on the first ball. I play safe to put her on 2, to try and 3-foul her. It wasn't a very good safe, but she still had to kick at the ball. She missed it and I got ball in hand again and again played safe. This time, she kicked at the ball even worse and I won that game by 3-fouling her.
I don't recall exactly what happened next, but she was VERY visibly upset with me. I didn't understand why, but she was pissed. I can't remember if she played out the match or not but I ended up defeating her because she was so upset and wasn't playing pool at that point on anymore.
She didn't speak to me the rest of the weekend and I didn't know why. I got upset about it but she left to drive back home (she didn't live in Houston and had a long drive) and I asked a mutual friend what was going on.
She told me that my friend was upset that I 3-fouled her. She thought that since we were friends, I shouldn't have done that to her.
I was shocked!
This mutual friend tried to comfort her, but she realized she was too upset and could only listen and hug her.
I called my friend Monday morning and tried to leave a heartfelt message that I was sorry, and I hoped she was okay. And I hated that she was so mad at me.
We eventually talked later that morning and she was very blunt and honest with me.
She said she couldn't believe I tried to 3-foul her. She told me, "There wasn't any clusters, so why would you even try?"
I told her, "you scratched and there was an easy safe with ball in hand so I went for it."
She tells me angrily, "you didn't even play a good safe! You got lucky I didn't hit it. "
I told her my husband was trying to teach me to have a more killer instinct and here I was getting bitched at for playing the game properly.
I was upset about the whole altercation and the words we had with each other because we were good friends. I was working on my game and trying to improve. In my eyes, I did nothing wrong. But in her eyes, there was no reason to try to 3- foul her because there were no clusters.
I guess I should have tried to run out. But, I was not good enough back then to run racks, and 3-fouling without a cluster on the table is the choice I made at the time. I didn't do it to hurt her, I was just trying to win a game.
I went for the win; which in the past I wouldn't have done. Since she was a friend, I normally wouldn't have done that to her, but I was trying to be more competitive; TRYING have a more killer instinct and play pool, not be friends "on the table," because being too nice was costing me matches.
Eventually, she would take lessons and get a coach and her game improved immensely! She got way got better than I. Her knowledge for sure was exponential.
I hate that these two incidences happened but it shows how weird/different girls/females can be when it comes to competing and the killer instinct, and what we struggle through when we first start competing against friends.
I do think that if I had played sports in high school, I would have been more competitive and less likely to ease up against friends earlier in my pool career. Even now, I sometimes still struggle with that.
But, everything happens for a reason and is a learning experience. While I hated these two instances occurred, we all learned from them in the end.
Back in the mid 90s, when I was hardly a good pool player, mostly a ball banger still, I played in a tournament against my friend Karen. She was an extremely sweet woman and I think we were even on a team together once at BCAPL Nationals. She played good, and much better than I, and was considered one of the better players in the central Texas area.
When we played in this tournament, she was beating me pretty badly. I couldn't string two balls in a row and she kept winning and winning. I was SO frustrated and VERY upset because it seemed like everything was going against me.
Now, we aren't suppose to feel sorry for our opponents, and she for sure didn't care she was beating up on me.
I don't think I was even as on the scoreboard yet; she was just annihilating me.
I was mostly frustrated with myself for losing so badly, but what Karen did next I will never forget. Even typing it out, I can feel my blood pressure rising. It was like it was yesterday.
I fouled and she had a chance to make a combo on the 9ball to win the match. I was down 0-6.
She took ball in hand and went for the combo and made it.
I was FREAKING LIVID! I couldn't believe she did that to me! Personally... to me! I was very angry, hurt, upset, mad, embarrassed, you name it.
I was pretty vocal to her and I told her I couldn't believe she did that. I raised my voice to her, "you just stabbed my in the heart! How could you go for that combo when I was down 0-6?!?!"
I walked away, bitching, "she just stabbed me in the heart!"
It felt SO personal that she would go for the combo to beat me, when she was already beating me 0-6.
As I reflect back, I know now obviously that she was just trying to win. She had the killer instinct.
I can appreciate her today, and I can also appreciate how tough that might have been to seal the deal with a 9ball combo against a friend who was struggling, and losing 0-6.
I was still very, very angry about the match because I was so new to competition.
As I type this out, it reminds me of another incident... and I think I did this to a friend by accident later on.
In the early 2000s, I was playing in south Houston at Legend's Billiards in a tournament. I was playing a good friend in the first or second round.
At this time in my life, my husband at the time was helping me work on gaining a killer instinct. Doing what I needed to do to win, instead of letting up against friends or feeling sorry for my opponents.
So I'm playing my friend and at one point in the match she scratches on the break. I have ball-in-hand and see an easy safe on the first ball. I play safe to put her on 2, to try and 3-foul her. It wasn't a very good safe, but she still had to kick at the ball. She missed it and I got ball in hand again and again played safe. This time, she kicked at the ball even worse and I won that game by 3-fouling her.
I don't recall exactly what happened next, but she was VERY visibly upset with me. I didn't understand why, but she was pissed. I can't remember if she played out the match or not but I ended up defeating her because she was so upset and wasn't playing pool at that point on anymore.
She didn't speak to me the rest of the weekend and I didn't know why. I got upset about it but she left to drive back home (she didn't live in Houston and had a long drive) and I asked a mutual friend what was going on.
She told me that my friend was upset that I 3-fouled her. She thought that since we were friends, I shouldn't have done that to her.
I was shocked!
This mutual friend tried to comfort her, but she realized she was too upset and could only listen and hug her.
I called my friend Monday morning and tried to leave a heartfelt message that I was sorry, and I hoped she was okay. And I hated that she was so mad at me.
We eventually talked later that morning and she was very blunt and honest with me.
She said she couldn't believe I tried to 3-foul her. She told me, "There wasn't any clusters, so why would you even try?"
I told her, "you scratched and there was an easy safe with ball in hand so I went for it."
She tells me angrily, "you didn't even play a good safe! You got lucky I didn't hit it. "
I told her my husband was trying to teach me to have a more killer instinct and here I was getting bitched at for playing the game properly.
I was upset about the whole altercation and the words we had with each other because we were good friends. I was working on my game and trying to improve. In my eyes, I did nothing wrong. But in her eyes, there was no reason to try to 3- foul her because there were no clusters.
I guess I should have tried to run out. But, I was not good enough back then to run racks, and 3-fouling without a cluster on the table is the choice I made at the time. I didn't do it to hurt her, I was just trying to win a game.
I went for the win; which in the past I wouldn't have done. Since she was a friend, I normally wouldn't have done that to her, but I was trying to be more competitive; TRYING have a more killer instinct and play pool, not be friends "on the table," because being too nice was costing me matches.
Eventually, she would take lessons and get a coach and her game improved immensely! She got way got better than I. Her knowledge for sure was exponential.
I hate that these two incidences happened but it shows how weird/different girls/females can be when it comes to competing and the killer instinct, and what we struggle through when we first start competing against friends.
I do think that if I had played sports in high school, I would have been more competitive and less likely to ease up against friends earlier in my pool career. Even now, I sometimes still struggle with that.
But, everything happens for a reason and is a learning experience. While I hated these two instances occurred, we all learned from them in the end.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Killer Instinct Tips
Last week someone posed on AZBilliards.com forums a great question about the killer instinct.
"For those that weren't killers, how did you develop your Killer Instinct?"
I submitted the below tips and thought I should share them in my blog, too. If any one of these helps one person, I'll be happy!
This is a compilation of things that have helped me over the year. I definitely did NOT have the killer instinct, and of course I still work on that aspect as I have my moments of letting up still.
1. Always keep learning. Read books and articles, listen to advice, watch videos, practice. Don't just read about pool, read about mental toughness, read some tennis books, listen to the golf announcers, etc.
2. Play in as many tournaments as you can. And the real tough ones, too. The more you play, the more experience you gain. Every single time you compete in a tournament, you learn something new. Every time! Whether you get more experience about pressure, or test your composure, or more experiences how to fight back when you're down, whatever.
3. Attitude about your opponents is key. I asked Liz Ford once about a comment she made in Billiards Digest. She shared with me that Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert (a tennis player) helped her, and suggested I read it, too. After I read the book, I swear my I gained a killer instinct. I never had it before. I want to win more than ever after reading that book. And I reread it all the time. :) I posted her longer response here in my blog. I found her comments very enlightening!
4. Again attitude is important. There are two women on the OB Cues Ladies Tour that exude major confidence during their matches, and they are extremely successful players on the tour. I recently interviewed them because I wanted to learn about their killer instinct and their attitude during competition. If I emulate them while competing, I play better. If I reread the blog entry before my tourneys, I play better. It's a great reminder for me to refresh myself about how mentally strong competitor think.
5. Fundamentals are KEY. Mental toughness is most of the part of competition, but fundamentals are the most important part of the physical game. At least, it has been for me.
Many other pool enthusiasts replied to his question, also. Check out all the other suggestions here!
"For those that weren't killers, how did you develop your Killer Instinct?"
I submitted the below tips and thought I should share them in my blog, too. If any one of these helps one person, I'll be happy!
This is a compilation of things that have helped me over the year. I definitely did NOT have the killer instinct, and of course I still work on that aspect as I have my moments of letting up still.
1. Always keep learning. Read books and articles, listen to advice, watch videos, practice. Don't just read about pool, read about mental toughness, read some tennis books, listen to the golf announcers, etc.
2. Play in as many tournaments as you can. And the real tough ones, too. The more you play, the more experience you gain. Every single time you compete in a tournament, you learn something new. Every time! Whether you get more experience about pressure, or test your composure, or more experiences how to fight back when you're down, whatever.
3. Attitude about your opponents is key. I asked Liz Ford once about a comment she made in Billiards Digest. She shared with me that Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert (a tennis player) helped her, and suggested I read it, too. After I read the book, I swear my I gained a killer instinct. I never had it before. I want to win more than ever after reading that book. And I reread it all the time. :) I posted her longer response here in my blog. I found her comments very enlightening!
4. Again attitude is important. There are two women on the OB Cues Ladies Tour that exude major confidence during their matches, and they are extremely successful players on the tour. I recently interviewed them because I wanted to learn about their killer instinct and their attitude during competition. If I emulate them while competing, I play better. If I reread the blog entry before my tourneys, I play better. It's a great reminder for me to refresh myself about how mentally strong competitor think.
5. Fundamentals are KEY. Mental toughness is most of the part of competition, but fundamentals are the most important part of the physical game. At least, it has been for me.
Many other pool enthusiasts replied to his question, also. Check out all the other suggestions here!
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