When it comes to pool playing success how you train will have a direct impact on your confidence, focus, perseverance, and resiliency.
Specifically, by varying routines you are more likely to keep your mind fresh, allowing you to regularly learn new things and improve your game. On the other hand, players who rarely change their practice routines run a much greater chance of mental staleness, fatigue, and burnout. Your mindset, something that is completely under your control, has our everything to do with your potential for future success – but it is also your responsibility to keep your mind fresh so that the game continues to challenge you to be your best.
Boredom leads to bad habits
When pool players get into the habit of just “banging them around” instead of going through a more focused practice, there is a greater risk for bad habits to develop. For example, when randomly hitting them around rarely do players go through their pre-shot routine, focus on controlling anxiety, and play with the overall precision necessary when playing in leagues and tournaments. Instead, what often happens is players try new things to counter boredom, don’t get down on shots as they would in competition, and allow their minds to wander and float around the pool room occasionally watching television and talking to friends. None of this is bad or wrong, of course, but those habits won’t help you take your game to the next level in the most efficient ways.
You can ward off boredom and laziness in practice by creating specific drills to complete and keeping a tally of your success rate as you go. For example, you might shoot 20 spot shots a day, and for each one bear down and focus just as you would if it were the last ball to make for a victory. In fact, you could create several drills like this (i.e., rail shots, bank shots, caroms, etc) and keep track of how well you do. Not only will this make your practices more fun and interesting, but it will also allow you to minimize outside distractions that prevent players from improving their game.
Final thoughts
Vary your routines and have a purpose each time you play pool, and the results will be better focus, confidence, and inevitably you will become a better pool player. On the other hand, simply hitting balls around without a purpose leaves you more likely to get sloppy, lose focus, and become bored – all things that steal from your potential.
