What Does Your Body Language Reveal About You?

Mind of Steel

Body Language – What Does Yours Reveal About YOU?

Christopher Stankovich, Ph.D.

www.drstankovich.com

Body language, or non-verbal behavior, can be summed up as the way you carry yourself – including your posture, the way you cross your arms, and your facial expressions, to name a few.  Interestingly, it is often our body language and not our words that sends the strongest message to others when it comes to interpersonal communication.  As people, we are regularly “sizing people up” by looking at their body language, which in turn creates our feelings about them based on our perceptions of what they look like and how they carry themselves.  In fact, in many instances we develop pretty strong feelings about people simply through how we perceive them – even if we have never spoken to them before!

So how does body language impact pool success you ask?  Actually, quite a lot when you think about it.  For example, think about how you feel when playing against a person who appears to be constantly dejected, frustrated, and not very confident – does your game (and confidence level) pick up a notch or two against these types of players?  On the other hand, how do you feel when you play against someone who appears to be very confident, in control, and “locked in” to their game?  My guess is that type of player has a stronger likelihood to “get in your head” and might possibly put you in a place to “avoid losing” rather than playing to win.

When it comes to pool think about the way you are perceived by others – do you walk with confidence?  When you are sitting while your opponent is at the table, are you upright and “tuned in,” or are you slouched in your chair and giving off the impression that you are already defeated?  When you approach the table do you walk up examining the table and ready to make the next shot, or do you slowly mosey on up with a confused look on your face?  When you miss a shot, do you stay up and keep your emotions in check, or do you quickly become angry and appear as though you have no confidence in your game?

Most pool players do not think about the importance of body language, but maybe they should.  Try to think of body language as a song without the lyrics – the music is still there, but the words are not.  In this example, you can see how a mood state is still created through the sounds of the song, even if there are no lyrics.  The same is true with pool – even if you do not verbally say anything, your opponents will still pick up on the mood state that has been created, leading them to develop more (or less) confidence in their game.  Obviously body language is not a substitute for good shot making, but it can make the difference when it comes to close matches and your opponent begins thinking a little more about you and a little less about the shots he needs to make!

Here are a few pointers to consider when it comes to body language:

• Take note of the way you carry yourself when competing.  Is your body language positive and confident?  If not, remember that you control this and can make changes immediately!
• From the moment you begin playing remind yourself of the importance of how you carry yourself.  Pool is a tough enough game – you don’t need to be giving away shots simply because your opponent believes you have no confidence in yourself.
• Try to keep your breathing rhythmic, your pace natural, and your eye contact level.  When approaching the table it is not necessary that you race there, but do approach with a steady stride and a confident look over the table.
• If you begin feeling really angry and think your emotions are beginning to get the best of you, try to find a moment for a quick timeout to use the restroom or get a quick bite to eat.  Sometimes taking a minute or two away from the action can help emotions settle, allowing you to go back and play with confidence again.

Dr. Christopher Stankovich is a nationally acclaimed expert in Sport Psychology and the Founder of Advanced Human Performance Systems.  For more information on performance-enhancement products, including the exclusive “Mind of Steel for Pool Success” and the world’s first Sport Performance Assessment for Pool, please visit www.drstankovich.com