There aren’t many pool players who, given a couple of hours, would use it training their brain instead of their stroke.
The reason for this comes down to a series of myths that downplay the need for a sound mental game. These myths pull many pool players away from pursuing a better pre-shot routine or a better way to handle pressure. Training your mind can make just as profound a difference in a player’s performance as practicing mechanics.
Here are four misconceptions. See if any ring a bell… and if a truer representation makes you think any more favorably about adding analytical skills into your practice routine.
MYTH #1 – WORKING ON YOUR MENTAL GAME IS ADMITTING YOU HAVE A WEAK MIND
For many pool players, the mind game echoes psychology in general as a tool for exposing and rectifying some perceived deficiency of a player’s character.
But the mind game is not about delving into your past or looking into the future. A much more accurate and healthy interpretation is that it is skill building, no different than changing something mechanical.
Take for example the skill of playing in the present. The human mind is constantly looking into the past or projecting into the future, but in pool the game requires you to play in the present; otherwise, you miss the clues the pool table is giving you to win the game.
Becoming more focused on the present is just one of several skills that can be trained and learned. It’s nothing to do with having personal weaknesses.
MYTH #2 – WE CAN CONTROL OUR THOUGHTS
We are sold on the idea that Shane Van Boening goes into a bubble where only positive thoughts go through his head. And then, when we can’t find a similarly serene mental state, we give up.
The fact is, you can’t control your thoughts… and neither can the current world champion. The notion that you might make a mess of things, can affect any pool player at any time.
But while you can’t stop random thoughts from popping into your head, you can control how you respond to them. There is a big difference between believing your thoughts and simply noticing them.
Just because your mind produces the image of an embarrassing failure, you don’t have to go with that thought. Instead, you can do what Shane, or any top pro does: notice the thought, let it pass, and then refocus on what you must do to execute the shot at hand.
MYTH #3 – POSITIVE THINKING GETS POSITIVE RESULTS
It doesn’t take a pool player long to realize that saying “I am going to run out” doesn’t always work. But it does bring about a feeling that you have nowhere left to go.
A better approach is to distinguish between positive thinking – which is a prediction into the future you can’t control – and asking positive questions.
“What does a good shot look like?” and “Is it possible that I could pocket this cut?” are examples of positive questions that put you in your most effective mindset, while making no superficial forecast relating to what could actually happen.
MYTH #4 – A STEADY STATE WILL TURN YOU INTO A CONSISTANT PLAYER
No, it won’t! Even the most composed players can play well one day then falter the next. Consistency is not the gift of a sound mind… yet many pool players feel let down when their performance drops, even though they have remained focused during their entire match.
Consistency in general is a myth when it comes to pool. Pool is not a perfect game, and you certainly cannot win all the time; perhaps your opponent ran out the set or made the 9-ball on the break 3 games in a row, you’ll be in a different frame of mind. Adaptability is a far better skill to develop it will enable you to address whatever obstacles the game throws your way.
