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I play in the local pool league. Sometimes I choke.
When possible, (in a regular game at the pub) I'll play someone of similar ability for a bit of cash. Maybe a pound or so, no more. Not looking to take money from people or to throw my own money away, but the practice under pressure, that's what I'm trying to simulate. I figure that way I can at least learn to cope with it, if not overcome it.
Rationally, I don't see enough riding on league or money games to justify significant pressure, but it's there nonetheless.
I find pressure works as a distraction - instead of thinking about what you're doing, you think about what happens if you screw up. Or you're thinking about your nerves, or thinking about trying not to think about stuff.
In contrast, when you're in 'the zone' (if you've ever been there I think you'll agree), there are no distractions from the task at hand, in fact there's generally very little conscious thought at all.
With this theory in place, we have an angle to try to overcome pressure. Focus the mind, clear everything out. Then you can perform fluidly, relaxed, at your best.
Unfortunately, I've usually found any attempt to put this into practice leads to thinking about trying not to think about stuff. Not actually not thinking at all, or even just thinking about the task at hand.
It was either a bunch of Buddhists or Yoda (or it might have been Mr Miagi from Karate Kid) who said (roughly) 'There is no try. Either you do, or do not.'
I think it was Yoda, but they all probably came to similar principles in their wisdom.
Whoever it was, they seem to have hit the nail of performance on the head of.. performance.
With no 'try', there's no need for the conscious thoughts that usually only lead to bad things happening. At most, you need only think about what actions you'll take to make the 'do' as likely as possible.
Still, are we any closer to pulling it off? Or do we find ourselves trying not to try, in the same way we think about not thinking?
I do.
And that's as far as I've come. I know what I'm trying to achieve, but I don't know how to get there.
So I'm putting it open to anyone out there. It need not be sport (or pub pretent sport) based, for choking comes in many circumstances.
But how do you stop it?
And as a side thought, do we really want to stop it?
That league game of pool - surely it's the pressure and (admittedly minor but still bigger than winner stays on) significance of the game that seperates it from a casual night with a few frames amongst friends?
And you want to play in the league. So pressure is good.
You can spend years trying to overcome it, but do you really want to defeat it - or is the battle itself what you seek?
When possible, (in a regular game at the pub) I'll play someone of similar ability for a bit of cash. Maybe a pound or so, no more. Not looking to take money from people or to throw my own money away, but the practice under pressure, that's what I'm trying to simulate. I figure that way I can at least learn to cope with it, if not overcome it.
Rationally, I don't see enough riding on league or money games to justify significant pressure, but it's there nonetheless.
I find pressure works as a distraction - instead of thinking about what you're doing, you think about what happens if you screw up. Or you're thinking about your nerves, or thinking about trying not to think about stuff.
In contrast, when you're in 'the zone' (if you've ever been there I think you'll agree), there are no distractions from the task at hand, in fact there's generally very little conscious thought at all.
With this theory in place, we have an angle to try to overcome pressure. Focus the mind, clear everything out. Then you can perform fluidly, relaxed, at your best.
Unfortunately, I've usually found any attempt to put this into practice leads to thinking about trying not to think about stuff. Not actually not thinking at all, or even just thinking about the task at hand.
It was either a bunch of Buddhists or Yoda (or it might have been Mr Miagi from Karate Kid) who said (roughly) 'There is no try. Either you do, or do not.'
I think it was Yoda, but they all probably came to similar principles in their wisdom.
Whoever it was, they seem to have hit the nail of performance on the head of.. performance.
With no 'try', there's no need for the conscious thoughts that usually only lead to bad things happening. At most, you need only think about what actions you'll take to make the 'do' as likely as possible.
Still, are we any closer to pulling it off? Or do we find ourselves trying not to try, in the same way we think about not thinking?
I do.
And that's as far as I've come. I know what I'm trying to achieve, but I don't know how to get there.
So I'm putting it open to anyone out there. It need not be sport (or pub pretent sport) based, for choking comes in many circumstances.
But how do you stop it?
And as a side thought, do we really want to stop it?
That league game of pool - surely it's the pressure and (admittedly minor but still bigger than winner stays on) significance of the game that seperates it from a casual night with a few frames amongst friends?
And you want to play in the league. So pressure is good.
You can spend years trying to overcome it, but do you really want to defeat it - or is the battle itself what you seek?
I used to choke all the time in my pool matches. Until I discovered John Smiths. Lots of it. It cured the choking but it didn't improve my win ratio.
Nice, I agree with what you say but im nackered so cant answer those questions if they arent rhetorical.
:-D
:-D
I play in the local pool league. Sometimes I choke.
When possible, (in a regular game at the pub) I'll play someone of similar ability for a bit of cash. Maybe a pound or so, no more. Not looking to take money from people or to throw my own money away, but the practice under pressure, that's what I'm trying to simulate. I figure that way I can at least learn to cope with it, if not overcome it.
Rationally, I don't see enough riding on league or money games to justify significant pressure, but it's there nonetheless.
I find pressure works as a distraction - instead of thinking about what you're doing, you think about what happens if you screw up. Or you're thinking about your nerves, or thinking about trying not to think about stuff.
In contrast, when you're in 'the zone' (if you've ever been there I think you'll agree), there are no distractions from the task at hand, in fact there's generally very little conscious thought at all.
With this theory in place, we have an angle to try to overcome pressure. Focus the mind, clear everything out. Then you can perform fluidly, relaxed, at your best.
Unfortunately, I've usually found any attempt to put this into practice leads to thinking about trying not to think about stuff. Not actually not thinking at all, or even just thinking about the task at hand.
It was either a bunch of Buddhists or Yoda (or it might have been Mr Miagi from Karate Kid) who said (roughly) 'There is no try. Either you do, or do not.'
I think it was Yoda, but they all probably came to similar principles in their wisdom.
Whoever it was, they seem to have hit the nail of performance on the head of.. performance.
With no 'try', there's no need for the conscious thoughts that usually only lead to bad things happening. At most, you need only think about what actions you'll take to make the 'do' as likely as possible.
Still, are we any closer to pulling it off? Or do we find ourselves trying not to try, in the same way we think about not thinking?
I do.
And that's as far as I've come. I know what I'm trying to achieve, but I don't know how to get there.
So I'm putting it open to anyone out there. It need not be sport (or pub pretent sport) based, for choking comes in many circumstances.
But how do you stop it?
And as a side thought, do we really want to stop it?
That league game of pool - surely it's the pressure and (admittedly minor but still bigger than winner stays on) significance of the game that seperates it from a casual night with a few frames amongst friends?
And you want to play in the league. So pressure is good.
You can spend years trying to overcome it, but do you really want to defeat it - or is the battle itself what you seek?
When possible, (in a regular game at the pub) I'll play someone of similar ability for a bit of cash. Maybe a pound or so, no more. Not looking to take money from people or to throw my own money away, but the practice under pressure, that's what I'm trying to simulate. I figure that way I can at least learn to cope with it, if not overcome it.
Rationally, I don't see enough riding on league or money games to justify significant pressure, but it's there nonetheless.
I find pressure works as a distraction - instead of thinking about what you're doing, you think about what happens if you screw up. Or you're thinking about your nerves, or thinking about trying not to think about stuff.
In contrast, when you're in 'the zone' (if you've ever been there I think you'll agree), there are no distractions from the task at hand, in fact there's generally very little conscious thought at all.
With this theory in place, we have an angle to try to overcome pressure. Focus the mind, clear everything out. Then you can perform fluidly, relaxed, at your best.
Unfortunately, I've usually found any attempt to put this into practice leads to thinking about trying not to think about stuff. Not actually not thinking at all, or even just thinking about the task at hand.
It was either a bunch of Buddhists or Yoda (or it might have been Mr Miagi from Karate Kid) who said (roughly) 'There is no try. Either you do, or do not.'
I think it was Yoda, but they all probably came to similar principles in their wisdom.
Whoever it was, they seem to have hit the nail of performance on the head of.. performance.
With no 'try', there's no need for the conscious thoughts that usually only lead to bad things happening. At most, you need only think about what actions you'll take to make the 'do' as likely as possible.
Still, are we any closer to pulling it off? Or do we find ourselves trying not to try, in the same way we think about not thinking?
I do.
And that's as far as I've come. I know what I'm trying to achieve, but I don't know how to get there.
So I'm putting it open to anyone out there. It need not be sport (or pub pretent sport) based, for choking comes in many circumstances.
But how do you stop it?
And as a side thought, do we really want to stop it?
That league game of pool - surely it's the pressure and (admittedly minor but still bigger than winner stays on) significance of the game that seperates it from a casual night with a few frames amongst friends?
And you want to play in the league. So pressure is good.
You can spend years trying to overcome it, but do you really want to defeat it - or is the battle itself what you seek?