The Pro Side

Overcoming Choking

2011-12-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Overcoming Choking!

The Sports Doc - Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

“Choking” is when you know how to do something and have successfully done it before, yet in pressure situations you fail because of a lack of focus and execution. In the game of pool choking is a common occurrence, especially during tournaments when it seems as though the table gets longer and the pockets become smaller. This month I would like to share with you why choking occurs, and what you can do to minimize choking the next time you play when the stakes are high!

Choking always begins with fear. Interestingly, for human beings fear can be real (i.e. somebody shooting a gun at you), or irrational (worrying about what somebody might think if I miss this next shot). Regardless of the source (real or irrational), our bodies respond with anxiety in the same exact way. In other words, your body doesn’t care if it hears gun shots or is afraid of your opponent standing over the pool table – the physical anxiety (i.e. increased heart rate; tense, tight muscles; and shallow breathing are examples) will be experienced the same exact way!

Once fear kicks into negative anxiety, your mind will begin to exclusively focus on the physical symptoms of nerves (the shallow breathing, increased heart rate, etc) instead of thinking about the shot you need to make on the table in front of you! From there, most players will start talking to themselves and say things like “don’t screw up,” or “don’t miss this next shot.” Guess what happens next? You got it – the shot is missed! Once your self-talk becomes negative and conservative, you are basically done (Don’t believe me? Try NOT thinking of a pink elephant and see what happens. Now go tell yourself NOT to miss the next shot and see what happens).

Once the shot is missed, the player usually experiences more negative energy, more fear, more anxiety, and in some cases the day may end up being lost completely. It’s amazing all this starts from fear – and irrational fear at that! Think about it – there is no real fear when playing pool, yet how many thousands and thousands of players allow their minds and bodies to experience fear as though they were in fear for their life?! Seriously, who cares about who you are playing or how many people are watching – they cant take the stick out of your hands and make you miss shots!

If you want to minimize choking, try the following tips:

· When you start getting nervous while playing, where is the fear coming from? Are you worried what somebody will think if you miss? Are you concerned who is watching you shoot? If you are feeling any of these kinds of things STOP immediately, stand up, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself you are experiencing irrational fear!

· Breathing through your stomach is the best way to immediately calm your body down. Try taking 2-3 deep belly breaths and watch how your body responds – its pretty amazing.

· Self-talk (what you say to yourself) is also a great way to refocus and remain calm in tough situations. Tell yourself words like “focus” or “stay cool” and your mind and body will respond accordingly.

· Once you conquer fear, confidence will take over – leading you to synchrony between your mind and body, experiencing “the zone” more frequently, and positive self-talk (and more wins, too!).

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

Focus Your Mind for Maximum Success

2011-12-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Focus Your Mind for Maximum Success!

The Sports Doc - Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Practice, practice, practice – that’s all there is to pool success, right? While it is true that playing more pool will typically lead to better skill development, if you really want to maximize your abilities – and work smarter, not harder – then tune in to this months column on the three pieces of peak athletic development that can be immediately applied to pool for maximum success.

Whenever I work with elite-level athletes looking to improve athletic performance, regardless of sport, I always suggest we begin by examining the three pieces needed for athletic success:

1. Physical conditioning

2. Technical instruction

3. Mental preparation

As I begin to discuss how each of these components leads to athletic success, think about how you are doing in each area, as well as what you need to do to improve (and take your pool game to new levels!).

Physical conditioning relates to your strength and stamina. Before tournaments, are you well rested, hydrated, and well stretched? Do you typically eat something light and energizing, and not something that sits in your stomach like a rock? If you are not paying attention to your physical conditioning and usually end up tired and sore while playing a few hours of pool, it doesn’t matter how good your shooting eye is or how cool your nerves are as you will eventually beat yourself by playing sloppy pool due to physical fatigue!

Technical instruction includes your shot-making ability, offensive and defensive strategies, and anything else related to improving your play (i.e. watching instructional videos, reading books, etc.). Technical instruction relates to practice, and successful practice relies on you being in good physical condition to play your best.

Mental preparation is the execution piece to playing your best pool! Mental preparation includes developing self-confidence, controlling nerves, and moderating arousal levels to maximize your ability. Mental toughness allows players to “play to win,” rather than “play to avoid losing.” Mental toughness is what allows players to go beyond being a great “practice player,” and play to their best ability in crucial tournament situations.

All three pieces are vital to pool playing success! You have to be in good shape (and free of drugs and alcohol), know the game of pool, and then be able to replicate what you do in practice in tournament-like situations. Sadly, many average pool players only focus on one thing – shooting more pool – and then get frustrated when they play great in practice but below their ability in tournaments. In these instances things like having been physically unprepared and tired and stiff, or being mentally unprepared by allowing nerves to get out of control, never get addressed and he or she goes back to the pool hall and just shoots more balls in practice over and over again. Do you see the problem? The systematic approach I am discussing in this article will allow you to isolate your strengths and weaknesses – and win more games!

Next time you think about improving your game, start with the following questions – chart your progress and watch your game improve:

How “ready” am I when I play in competition? Am I loose and limber? Am I well nourished and hydrated? Am I free of drugs and alcohol?
How well do I know the game of pool? Can I successfully make shots, play strategically, and get out of trouble situations? Do I need to get additional instruction to improve my game?
How mentally strong am I when I play? Am I confident I can win at any time? When I get nervous, do I know skills I can use to control nerves and regain my confidence?

Mind-Body Synchrony for Pool Success

2011-11-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Mind – Body Synchrony for Pool Success

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Developing a smooth, rhythmic synchrony between your mind and body is essential for many things in life, and it is especially true in the game of pool. You already know what I am talking about when it comes to synchrony, so you don’t need any fancy definitions here other for me to say that when things just feel right, when you are seeing the balls really well, and when your pace and shot execution is at its best then you know that you are in synchrony – and probably in “the zone.”

Players get out of synchrony for a number of reasons, but a few of the more common reasons include:

· Allowing missed shots to get them frustrated

· Thinking about something else other than pool while playing

· Worried about what others will think

· Fear of failing and playing to “not lose” rather than win

· Trying to win 10 games in one shot (usually happens when you are far behind and trying to do too much)

· Just having a bad day

The good news is that just as quick as you got out of synchrony, you also have the power to get back into synchrony again – and probably faster than you would have thought. Change and momentum can happen in a moment, and in pool the same is true. Just ask yourself how many times you have seen the tides turn, where in one moment a player was getting crushed, and then a few minutes later he is running a rack and all of a sudden you can just feel him coming on! The problem is that in the heat of the battle we often forget this, and as a result we tend to allow outside things to enter our minds, resulting in nervous energy, and you guessed it – no mind-body synchrony!

So what can you do the next time you get out of synchrony? Below are a few tips to consider:

Remember, change can happen in one shot, so stay positive!
If you are really feeling the heat, take a quick pause and step away from the table. Think for a few seconds about a positive thought, boost your spirits back up, and take one deep breath all the way into your stomach and exhale.
Watch what you say to yourself and keep it positive! Rather than swearing at yourself and calling yourself all kinds of names, try some instructional self-talk like “stay calm” or “let’s work to get this rack.” It’s amazing how your body will follow what your mind thinks!
Another good trick is to squeeze and relax just your hands 2-3 times. Oftentimes when we feel agitated we experience the shakes or tremors in our hands – this often happens in pool since it is a fine motor skills sport (meaning there are a lot of precision shots to make). Therefore, by squeezing your fists a couple times you will actually “shake out” the anxiety, allowing you to make more synchronized shots.

Make sure before you go out and shoot that your mind and body are on the same page – good luck!

Trust Your Stuff

2011-11-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Trust Your Stuff

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

If you want to immediately improve your pool game, you must learn to “trust your stuff” and shoot with great confidence every time you approach the table. When you are confident and believe in your shot-making ability, you allow your mind and body to work together in perfect synchrony – like a well-oiled powerful machine.

Players who struggle with confidence end up over-thinking situations, leading to high anxiety and shaky shots. Confidence is king when it comes to pool, and in order to play your best you must trust your stuff when it comes to making big shots! This means that instead of over-analyzing shots and worrying about all the bad things that can happen, simply bear down and calmly stroke the shot the exact way you do when you make it in practice. Trust your stuff by knowing that you will make the shot and relax, focus, and follow through all the way to the pocket.

Too many times when faced with pressure situations, players will forget how good they are, and instead over-think the table to the point where they lose their rhythm, focus, and confidence. Rather than go through a normal pre-shot routine and trust their stuff, they begin to engage in self-doubt, resulting in poor synchrony between the mind and body. When this happens, shots are missed, usually because of a relatively small error (i.e. slightly over-cutting a shot).

Of course every shot at the table requires thinking, and some deserve extra-thinking. The key is not thinking to the point where you lose your emotional groove and throw off that great flow that often comes when you are playing your best. Fortunately, if you have played pool for awhile, your mind and body have already become conditioned to automatically see and make shots, so it is important that you believe you have what it takes to play successfully. By simply thinking like this, potential negative nerves will transform into positive adrenaline!

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 Sports Performance Assessment for Pool visit www.drstankovich.com

Watch...and Learn!

2011-10-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Watch….and Learn!

Christopher Stankovich, Ph.D.

www.drstankovich.com

Obviously physically practicing your pool playing skills will lead to you becoming a better pool player, but did you know that you can also improve by simply watching others play? This type of learning is known as vicarious, or observational learning, and has been found to be an effective way to increase skill acquisition. In fact, if you really want to speed up the learning process you can add the skill of imagery to your repertoire (in simple terms, imagining yourself make shots successfully).

Vicarious learning and imagery allow you to witness successful pool play (shot making and defensive strategies), allowing you to do the following:

a) see that the shots can be made, and

b) give you the confidence that you can one day consistently make the same shots, too

When watching someone who is better than you play pool, it is important that you “lock in” and minimize outside distractions (yes, you should do this even when you are at home watching pool on ESPN!). As you are watching, it is important that your mood state is positive and that you are open-minded – the better you feel, the more likely the learning will be strengthened and easy to recall down the road when you need to use the skill.

Later, when thinking about what you witnessed earlier, it is important to rehearse in your mind making the same shots again (this is called using imagery). As you go through these experiences (watching others and then later reliving it) you are essentially strengthening your neural connections in your brain – leading to more automatic, muscle-memory movements when it comes time for you to put your cue together for competition.

When it comes to learning, you will get out of it exactly what you put into it. Interestingly, while most average to below-average pool players would like to attribute the success of better players to their “natural ability,” this is usually not the case. Sure, some players may have a slight advantage when it comes to vision, coordination, and other factors that impact pool success – but what really makes them better is their work ethic and their willingness to learn from as many people as possible! Successful players watch other players, and they relive the shots in their head over and over again until they feel they can consistently make the shots themselves.

Remember, science backs up the importance of vicarious learning, so be sure to tune in whenever you have the chance to watch great players play. Later, think about what you witnessed and how you can begin to incorporate this new thinking into your game. Before long, maybe it will be you that we will be watching on ESPN – good luck!

What Does Your Body Language Reveal About You?

2011-10-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Let Go

2011-09-16T18:27:00.003-07:00

Mind of Steel

Develop a Let-Go Technique

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

People often say there are two things guaranteed in life – death and taxes. While that may be true, most pool players would add “missing shots” to that list! The truth is every player misses shots, and no player in the history of pool has ever retired undefeated. The key, then, is to mentally prepare ahead of time for those times we miss shots and lose games (and tournaments).

Since we are human, we will experience human failures (like occasionally missing shots we shouldn’t). One saying I have always loved is “forewarned is forearmed,” meaning if we know tough times are in store, we must prepare ahead of time by having a counter-plan of attack. So, what do you currently do when you miss a shot you should make? Do you become angry and frustrated? Or do you immediately let the bad shot go and re-focus on the next shot with confidence?

The following are some steps to keep in mind when developing a Let-Go technique to help you bounce back from bad shots (and bad days):

Just as you prepare in your mind to make shots, do a separate mental drill that includes pressure situations, uncertainty, and even a few failures. Try to think through a healthy, positive way to learn from your mistake by keeping your cool and staying focused and confident.
Instead of looking at missed shots as examples of how bad you are, try to view them as challenges to get better. Human perception can be what you want it to be – yesterdays blown shot can be today’s learning experience.
When you physically feel negative energy in your body (like your muscles tightening after missing an easy shot), take a deep breath. At this point you should develop a Let-Go technique that symbolizes letting go of something bad. Examples could be switching out a piece of chalk in your bag, or removing a piece of lint from your pocket. Whatever you come up with is up to you, so long as the connection in your mind is linked to letting go of the last bad miss.

A Let-Go technique simply needs to be associated in your mind to truly letting go of something. It is a relatively simple concept, yet incredibly effective.

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 Sports Performance Assessment for Pool visit www.drstankovich.com

Imagery Drill for Success

2011-09-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Imagery Drill for Success

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

In previous columns I have talked about the importance of imagery and how it can help pool players with focus, composure, shot execution, and controlling emotions during competition. This month I would like to expand on the concept of imagery and give you a few more ideas to consider when developing an imagery routine that is good for you.

Remember, imagery is nothing more than creating thoughts in your mind. The good news is there is no “wrong” way to do it, but the main idea is to always see yourself being successful when using imagery.
The more controlled and vivid the thoughts in your mind, the more real the experience will become, and the faster you will develop “muscle memory” and make more automatic shots.
When beginning an imagery experience, first try to relax, close your eyes, and simply “see” yourself walking into the pool room. As you walk in, look around and try to use all your senses, not just vision (i.e. what does it sound like? Is there a certain smell associated with the pool room?)
Continue to think through the things you normally do before playing – picking up some balls out of the pockets, putting together your stick, chalking your hands, etc.
At this point it is vitally important that you really focus on some shots. For example, after racking the balls start to feel what its like to look over the table, your hand placing the cue ball behind the head string, and the cue sliding through your hand as you practice before making your break shot. This is a CRITICAL point in the imagery experience – you want to really get into a deep focus before executing your break shot!
Next, follow through with your break and be sure to see a ball or two drop into the pockets and allow the rest of the balls to disperse. Take a deep breath or two, relax, and begin to calculate your run of the table. Be sure to look for potential problem shots that lie ahead (i.e. a cluster of balls stuck together) and feel the experience of how you would experience this in real life. If you feel a little nervous that’s OK – remember, YOU control this experience and will find a way to break those balls up so that you can run the table.
Begin to execute your shots one-by-one, and with each shot try to take your time, focus, and really include all your sense (for example, if you start to feel your heart race a little, or if you feel warm and start to sweat this is OK). The key is to make sure that even under conditions of duress that you execute the shots perfectly and leave yourself set for your next shot.
Continue to run the rack and with each shot try to feel the exhilaration of making each ball. Try to include some challenging shots like a long bank, thin cut, or combination shot. Again, this is your imagery experience so make it unique to you – and remember, ALWAYS make your shots!
When you get to your last shot (i.e. the 9 ball if playing 9 ball), make it a challenging situation and try to build up some pressure in your mind. Of course, you will make the shot in a moment, but it is important that you start to feel what these types of situations are like so that you are ready to go when you experience them for real later on in a tournament.
When you are done with your rack, take a deep breath, relax, break down your stick, and give somebody a high-five for a job well done!

Focus Your Mind for Maximum Success!

2011-08-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Focus Your Mind for Maximum Success!

The Sports Doc - Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Practice, practice, practice – that’s all there is to pool success, right? While it is true that playing more pool will typically lead to better skill development, if you really want to maximize your abilities – and work smarter, not harder – then read on for the three pieces of peak athletic development that can be immediately applied to pool for maximum success.

Whenever I work with elite-level athletes looking to improve athletic performance, regardless of sport, I always suggest we begin by examining the three pieces needed for athletic success:

1. Physical conditioning

2. Technical instruction

3. Mental preparation

Next time you think about improving your game, start with the following questions – chart your progress and watch your game improve:

How “ready” am I when I play in competition? Am I loose and limber? Am I well nourished and hydrated? Am I free of drugs and alcohol?
How well do I know the game of pool? Can I successfully make shots, play strategically, and get out of trouble situations? Do I need to get additional instruction to improve my game?
How mentally strong am I when I play? Am I confident I can win at any time? When I get nervous, do I know skills I can use to control nerves and regain my confidence?

How To Develop Confidence

2011-08-02T07:31:00.002-07:00

Mind of Steel

Develop Confidence for Success in Pool!

The Sports Doc - Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Confidence truly is king when it comes to athletic success. Confident pool players constantly look to dominate their opponents and “play to win,” while players lacking confidence consistently underachieve, choke, and play to “avoid losing.”

When you are confident in your pool playing abilities, your mind and body become synchronized and you get into Flow (or as athletes refer to it, “the Zone”). Confident players don’t pay attention to things that don’t matter (the opponent, the fans, the last missed shot, etc), and instead channel their complete energy into the only thing that is important – the next shot. Confidence also impacts perception – for example, say you took 10 shots and made 5 and missed 5. A confident player will stay focused and positive, whereas a player with less confidence will get angry, frustrated, and inevitably miss more future shots.

The good news is you control your self confidence! To begin with, make sure to have a positive attitude every time you pick up your cue. Positive emotions and attitudes have a tremendous impact on self-confidence! The great news is YOU control your emotions and attitude, so be sure to stay positive everyday. This game is tough enough without you being your own worst enemy!

Some additional tips for building self-confidence are presented below:

· Practice with a purpose. Work on mastering the basic skills until you can do them without thinking – to the point where they become automatic. More shots made = greater self-confidence

· Make pool mastery a personal challenge. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The perception you have is as individual as you are. Whenever you play pool you are going to make some shots and miss others – the real question is what will you focus on at the end of the day? If you are challenged to get better every day you will always look to build on the future by challenging yourself to get better every day!

· Look to learn something new every day. By improving at the small details of pool (i.e. getting into pinpoint position), you will make more shots and improve your confidence level.

· Laugh. Life is short enough, so you might as well enjoy as much of it as you can! Sometimes you have to just break down your stick, smile, and promise to make tomorrow a better day than today. Remember, it’s not the end of the world when you miss a shot (or lose a game), and the sun really will come up tomorrow!

· Keep a journal of your success. If you think you will remember the last time you played great pool, think again. I’ll bet you can’t even remember what you had for lunch yesterday, much less that great tournament you played in 6 months ago! Trust me, if you want to feel good nothing beats a quick re-read of one of your best all-time games!

Confidence is king, and you control your confidence level! Think like a champion and one day you may become one – good luck!

Think BIG!!!!

2011-07-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

Mind of Steel

Think BIG!!!!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

This month I would like to offer what may seem like at first glance more of a rah-rah speech, but actually it’s more than that – I want to get you excited about taking your pool game to another level, or in other words, to think BIG!! In sports, just like everything in life, what you think you often become – for better or for worse. In fact, Henry Ford once said that whether you think you can or you think you can’t – you are right on both counts!

So how does all this apply to pool you might ask? Well it’s simple, actually – when you think big and actually allow yourself to believe that you can not only improve your game ‘a little,” but instead start thinking that you can, with a positive mindset and dedicated practice schedule, actually improve your game dramatically to the point where you are the top shot in the house, then you are thinking BIG!!

Essentially, what I am encouraging you to do is develop a positive self-fulfilling prophecy, a concept that is essential in order for success of any magnitude to occur. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, due to positive feedback between belief and behavior.

Breaking this down to a pool example let’s think about it this way: If you go to the pool hall and you think, believe, and expect that you will soon pass up everyone in the room, then every little thing you do well (i.e. make a touch bankshot, cut the paint off another thin cut, or execute a tough combination) your mind will view those experiences as evidence of confirmation that you are getting better! That mindset will propel you to work even harder, typically producing even better results, and essentially making the idea of the “self-fulfilling prophecy” true!

On the other hand, if you A) Don’t believe you can improve, or B) Only believe you will improve a little bit, then your progress (or lack thereof) will follow. As simple as it may sound, the bigger the dream and the more you believe in the dream the more likely chance you will have for it to actually occur.

In my experience in working with elite-level athletes from all different sports, a positive self-fulfilling prohecy is always at the heart of their success. These individuals don’t even think failure is an option, and also realize that positive change in life always begins between their ears with what they think, believe, and feel about themselves. Their “success,” then, is not a product of luck, good fortune, or having better genes, but instead due to their commitment and not being afraid to convince themselves that they will one day be a champion.

Remember, you don’t have to be arrogant or cocky about your expectations for future success, as you don’t even need to talk about this with anyone. Instead, tell yourself how good you can be, and remember, think BIG and you will soon be playing at a level you might have only dreamed about! Good luck!

Challenges Instead of Fear

2011-07-05T10:02:00.001-07:00

Mind of Steel

See Challenges Instead of Fear!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Human perception is a really funny thing – what people “see” is really as individual as each person. In fact, have you ever heard the saying “one mans garbage is another mans treasure?” Think about that for a moment – what is essentially useless to one person is invaluable to another! EBay has become a worldwide institution based on this idea.

So how does this apply to pool you ask? Very simply – what you “see” when you look at the lay of the balls on the table is a very unique, subjective human experience and will ultimately play a major role in whether you run the table – or choke on the first shot you attempt. More specifically, seasoned players will typically see challenges when they look at the table, whereas inexperienced players will tend to see overwhelming, fearful situations that they perceive to be more than they can handle. In reality, both players are actually looking at the same table, yet both players end up experiencing the situation in two completely different ways!

Teaching yourself the importance of perception, especially how it plays such a major part in pool success, is vitally important for your self-improvement. When you look at a bed of roses, do you see the flowers or the thorns? Both are there, yet it is the individual who determines what to focus his or her attention toward. With pool, teaching yourself to interpret tricky situations as challenges will help you “play to win,” whereas allowing tough situations to scare you will consequently put your mindset in a “play to avoid losing” perception.

When you perceive situations as challenges, your mind and body work in synchrony and confidence emerges. Research clearly shows that confidence is directly related to peak performances, and your perception is actually what helps you develop confidence!

On the other hand, when you perceive situations as catastrophes, your body will immediately respond with anxiety, which will in turn cause all kinds of problems with focus, concentration, and ultimately shot success. When you “choke,” more often than not you missed the shot not because you didn’t know what to do, but instead because you never really felt as though you were going to make the shot in the first place. Again, your initial perception of the situation probably played a major role in this situation.

Next time you go out and play, think about the following tips for success:

· Only YOU can determine whether a situation is a challenge or a threat. Remind yourself of this each time you approach the table!

· If you begin to get nervous about a situation, try to reframe the problem. For example, if the table looks downright ugly and its only the first game of the match, remind yourself about how much time you have to still come out on top.

· When you see a tough lay on the table, try to put all your focus into just your next shot. So many times players look ahead a shot or two and end up blowing the first shot (and often the match)

· There probably isn’t a shot on the table that hasn’t been made at some point, so remember to tell yourself that the next time you get down on a challenging shot. Try to put all your energy into positive self-talk and work hard to channel all your confidence into the shot you have at the moment and watch what happens. Pretty amazing, huh?!

Perception

2011-06-15T10:21:00.003-07:00

Mind of Steel

Perception Focus and Pool Success

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Perception focus is just that – it’s where you put your focus at any given moment. For example, while eating breakfast you might be focusing on the TV while eating, and while working at your job you probably focus on the task at-hand (at least I hope you do!). When it comes to pool, your perception focus can really help – or hinder- your path to success.

For all people, there are 3 directions you can point focus toward at any given moment: the past, present, or future. When it comes to pool players, far too many times the focus stays on the past, and the shots or games that “shoulda” or “coulda” been made or won. This type of perception focus is very limiting as it actually hinders your progress toward getting better because your mood state is depressed, your frustration level is high, and your tolerance level is low. Of course, if “yesterday” was a great day, then the opposite would be true – but I ask how many times have you held onto that “bad day” and allowed it to impact your confidence level today?? If you are like most players, this has definitely happened to you!

The other two directions of focus – present and future – are typically better places to work from when it comes to pool success. Obviously staying in the moment (or the present context) allows you to focus on each shot and feel the exhilaration with each success. The future orientation is not good to use while playing, obviously, but it is good to use once the game is over and as you look toward what lies ahead. In fact, if you have just had a really bad day, future focus may be the place to be!

A good general rule of thumb is to jot down good days of the past and revisit them from time-to-time to boost your attitude and spirit, but do not spend much time looking in the rear-view mirror if you are still consumed with blowing that last ball to lose the match. This may sound like common sense as you read this, but how many times have you “beat yourself” even before the first shot because your head wasn’t on right?!

Let the bad days go quickly, channel all your focus on the present shot and table lie, and if you have a tough day look toward tomorrow and think about what you can do differently and better. The best news about perception focus, like almost all mental training skills, is that only you can make the decision about where to direct your attention. So when you are having a bad day, rather than succumb to the negative energy and focus on bad things, including the last missed shot, empower yourself to view the situation as a challenge and pull all your energy together and execute that next shot. Try it for yourself and just watch what happens – good luck!

Imagery

2011-05-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Use Imagery for Pool Success!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Imagery is simply the creation (or recreation) of mental thoughts. Imagery can be used in a variety ways, including faster skill acquisition, faster skill mastery, increasing self-confidence, and even faster injury rehabilitation. Thousands of elite-level athletes use imagery every day for athletic success, and in this months column I would like to show you how you can use imagery for success in pool!

First, it is important to say there is no wrong way to use imagery. If you can create an image in your mind, you are using imagery. When you stop to think about making your next shot and actually see the ball roll toward the pocket and drop, you are not only strengthening neural connections in your brain, but also eliminating your sensors to outside distracters (i.e. your opponent, the fans, etc). When your focus is entirely on the shot, it is impossible to also think about the “other things” around you that often get in the way and prevent you from playing your best.

For imagery to be most effective, consider the following tips for immediate success:

Control & Vividness: Try practicing taking total control over the shots you play in your mind – and always be sure to make your shots successfully while using imagery! Try closing your eyes as you rest at night and see yourself taking total control of the table and with each successful shot make the situation as real as possible in your mind. With a little practice, you will be amazed at how quickly you will be able to imagine your local pool hall, the stick in your hands, and the sounds of the balls cracking off the break!

Internal/External Imagery: Internal imagery is as if you are looking at the pool table through your own eyes, using your own point of view. External imagery is as if you are watching yourself play through a camera sitting across the room. Both types of imagery can be effective, so try both and see which type best suits you. In my personal experience, internal imagery seems to work best, but either type is far better than doing nothing at all.

Use All Your Senses: Imagery is more than just visualization! Think about what it feels like to hit the perfect draw shot (kinesthetic imagery), or feel the pool stick in your hand (tactile imagery), or even the smell of your local pool hall (olfactory imagery). Quite simply, the more you can incorporate all the sense the more real it will become in your mind – and the most confident you will be when playing in pressure situations (because in your mind you will have already been there a million times before!).

Pre-shot and Pre-game Routines: Use imagery the night before a tournament (pre-game routine) and briefly before each shot (pre-shot routine). Imagery will help you keep a good pace and block out unnecessary things (i.e. the crowd watching), while also helping with self-confidence.

Try using imagery today, and allow yourself time to get used to using imagery. Remember, always keep your imagery positive and productive and you will never go wrong!

Bouncing Back

2011-05-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Bouncing Back

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

The ability to bounce back may be the greatest skill an athlete (or person) can learn to do. Your resiliency is your internal toughness that allows you to get up after tough losses, and it is the one common denominator found in all great athletes. Sure, it’s easy when things are going your way, but what do you do when things go wrong? Bad athletes give up immediately, average athletes battle this, but great athletes actually use failure as a teaching tool and use it to get better!

So lets look at the basics of athletic competition: Somebody will win, and somebody will lose. Furthermore, unless you have some special magical ability, you will lose at some point as you are human. Since we know losing is a part of life, the million dollar question then is how will you use losing when it happens in your life?

When you don’t play your best, you essentially have two choices: Either A) get angry and swear you will never play this game again, or B) take a step back, stay as positive as you can, and look for ways that you can learn from the experience so that you will play better tomorrow. Pool players who choose the second route will almost always grow by leaps and bounds, assuming they actually mean what they say!

Again, let me remind you bouncing back is not easy – if it were everybody would be a great athlete. Bouncing back requires discipline, focus, composure, respect, and patience. The good news is that you have the ability to do all these things, and you also have the ability to bounce back whenever you want to. While it may not be “that easy,” it is very possible, but only you can make this decision.

Below are a few more tips to think about when dealing with anger and adversity:

• Remember what I have written about in this article and how vital bouncing back is to pool success. Unless you work on this, going from an average player to great player will be very difficult – if not impossible.

• Writing things out can really help when it comes to adversity. Keep a journal and jot down all the things that make you angry – watch how effective this technique can be after you do it a few times.

• Find safe, effective ways to deal with stress. Obviously punching walls, using alcohol or drugs, or becoming verbally abusive are not healthy mechanisms!

• If you feel your emotions regularly get out of control, consider professional assistance. Many counseling professionals today can immediately help you control your anger and channel that energy into healthy and positive endeavors.

Learn how to bounce back quickly and watch your game go to new heights! Good luck!

The Importance of Focus

2011-04-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

The Importance of Focus

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Focus, or your ability to direct your attention toward a specific target, is an invaluable skill when it comes to playing your best pool. Pool players with a strong focus are able to block out distractions and only think about what is important – the next shot. Pool players who struggle with focus allow their minds to wander and think about things that really do not matter, including what happened in the last game, the next opponent on the bracket sheet, or even who is watching them play. Players who master the element of focus play to their highest ability, while players who struggle with focus often play far below the level of what they are capable of playing.

There are three specific concerns related to focus that all pool players should be aware of if they want to raise their game and play more consistently.

A) Too narrow of focus: This occurs when pool players try to always play perfectly, or are too “perfectionistic” in their approach. When you put so much pressure on yourself to make perfect shots, what inevitably happens is an increased level of anxiety due to the fact that we cannot be “perfect” (we are human after all!). Obviously pool is a game of inches, and you should always try to make the best shots you can – the problem is with the frustration some players feel when they do not make “perfect” shots. In these instances the player gets upset, his arousal level increases, his muscles become tense and tight, and usually ends up putting even more pressure on himself on the next shot. A better way to go is to play your best and when the shot doesn’t turn out quite how you would have liked, instead of getting upset begin to look at the lay of the table as a challenge – when this happens your mind and body will work in synchrony and you will make more shots!

B) Too wide of focus: This is the exact opposite of having too narrow of focus, when players allow all kinds of outside distracters to enter their mind and their focus ends up on everything else but where it should be – the next shot! Sometimes focus becomes wide when players are not challenged, are physically fatigued, or when they are simply not as interested in playing any longer. The result of a wide focus is a lot of sloppy shots and poor positioning on the table.

C) The wrong focus: Having the wrong focus has to do with knowing the game of pool and proper shot selection. When players focus on the wrong shots, the result is pretty obvious – he or she doesn’t end up stringing together many runs or playing appropriate defense, when necessary.

Examine your focus level and see if you tend to find yourself dealing with one of the three types of focus problems described above. Every pool player battles focus issues from time to time, but most will tend to deal with one type of issue more than others (i.e. the perfectionist will usually deal with trying to be too precise while playing, while the player whose mind wanders will usually have to improve upon having too wide of focus). Remember, better focus = better pool playing!

The Zone

2011-04-01T15:30:00.002-07:00

Mind of Steel

Getting in the ZONE!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

The “Zone” is known by every athlete I have ever worked with – and even though it is sometimes difficult to describe, most athletes will say it’s when you are in complete control, totally absorbed in the moment, and when you feel as though nothing can stop you. Sport Psychologists call the zone being in “flow,” or experiencing the optimal psychological mindset. Being in flow is when you are able to channel all your focus and energy into the only thing that is important – in sports that’s the next play or shot.

Getting in the zone can be a lot easier than most people think, and this month I would like to offer a few thoughts that can help:

• First, getting in the zone requires that you compete against competition that is challenging (or creating challenging practice situations). Studies show that when we compete against competition that is too easy, we often lose our focus or only put out enough effort to win (and don’t really end up getting any better). Conversely, playing against competition that is far superior to you can be counterproductive, too. While it is good to play against better competition, if you regularly play against competition where you have very little chance to win in theory you are likely to become frustrated, pessimistic, and possibly even angry – all things that will not help your game.

• When practicing, be sure to set up challenging situations as much as possible. Keep track of your success rate and you will find that soon enough you will become “locked in” to the task

• Watch your arousal level and learn things that can help you regulate your level. For example, if you are too nervous then you will need to learn a skill or two to reduce your nerves. On the other hand, if you are too flat (or bored) you will need to do something to “pump up” a little so you can get your head in the game. The optimal arousal level – also known as “the zone” – is between being flat and being too nervous.

• Self-talk, or the things you say to yourself, can also help with getting in the zone more frequently. Keep your self-talk always positive and productive and your mind will begin to lock in to your future shots at the table. Positive self-talk also minimizes choking, too!

• Develop pre-game routines that help you center yourself and get prepared for action. I see far too many players not take advantage of their time before matches and tournaments and instead allow the environment to get into their head. Instead, be proactive before tournaments and take time to gather yourself and prepare for the day ahead. Try using imagery to see your success, and work on deep belly breathing to moderate your arousal level. Add some positive self-talk and you will be in the zone before you know it!

Journal Your Success

2011-03-15T08:14:00.002-07:00

Mind of Steel

Journal Your Success

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

In my experience working in the field of sport psychology, one of the most beneficial training techniques athletes can do is keep a journal of their goals and daily experiences. Sadly, far too many athletes devalue this technique, and instead assume they will be able to remember everything in their head. In reality, this is simply not the case – don’t believe me? Try to remember what you had for lunch yesterday – see what I mean?!

Keeping a personal journal of your athletic accomplishments can be a very effective tool when it comes to improving focus, increasing self-confidence, and for breaking slumps when they occur. There are as many ways to journal your progress as there are types of people playing pool, so don’t get caught up trying to do this one specific way. Instead, find a style that works for you and try to be as consistent as you can with your entries. Below are a few tips to get you started.

1. Buy a journal or notebook with a lot of pages and personalize it. If you have favorite quotes or pictures you might consider adding them to the journal for additional inspiration.

2. At least once a year, and possibly even more frequently, you should write out all your goals in your journal. Be sure to write daily, short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals; and always try to set your goals so that you can measure your progress (i.e. if you have a goal to shoot for an hour a day, it is very easy to quantify whether or not you accomplished this goal).

3. When making an entry, try to include the date and any other information that will help you conjure an image in your mind when looking back at this entry down the road. For example, you might say “June 4, 2008, Smokeys Pool Hall – 9 Ball Tournament.”

4. The first question I encourage athletes to ask themselves is “What did I do well today?” By prompting yourself to think of at least one good thing each day it will improve your attitude and confidence levels.

5. The second question that I think is good to ask yourself daily is “What do I need to improve?” Here you might quickly list one or two things, like work on breaking or pay better attention to my shot selection.

6. The last question I like to add is “Other notes.” Here you can list things like a reminder to get your tip replaced or the date of an upcoming pool tournament.

These are just a few suggestions to help you get started. Another good thing to do is to mark specific entries where you really played well (i.e. perhaps a tournament you won). This way, when you hit a bad stretch in the future you can quickly look back and feel good about yourself again after re-reading one of your better days!

Walk with Swagger

2011-03-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Walk with a Swagger

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

As most pool players already know, confidence is a really big thing when it comes to pool success. With confidence, players “play to win” and are able to control their nerves, improve their focus, and keep their emotions in check when they get stuck and miss a couple shots. On the other hand, when players do not have much confidence the result is usually “playing to avoid losing,” which includes defensive and conservative play, poor focus, poor concentration, increased anxiety, and usually a few emotional blow ups along the way after missing shots.

Confidence is know as self-efficacy in the psychology world, and literally hundreds of research studies have consistently shown that athletes with confidence play to their best ability, while athletes with little confidence ultimately play below their maximum ability.

So how do you develop confidence in yourself? One way is to put time in the pool room and practice, practice, practice. Obviously the better you play, the more your confidence will improve, and the cycle will likely continue as long as you put in the work. But what can you do along the way as you are still developing your confidence?

One thing all pool players need to learn to do is what I call “walk with a swagger.” I am not saying you should be cocky and arrogant, but instead I am suggesting you carry yourself at all times as though you have been in these situations before and are sure you can come back and win at any time. There is a fine line between arrogance and confidence – while arrogance is rude and obnoxious, confidence is very controlled and refined.

For example, rather than standing just off the table and giving off the impression you are terribly nervous and cannot wait to get back to the table, take a moment to sit down and have a drink of water. Instead of looking around frantically at the bracket sheet, calmly prepare your cue and begin warming up on a table. Even when you approach the table, rather than racing up there, take a moment to stand back and evaluate the lie of the table, then move into your position and execute the shot.

The beautiful thing about prompting yourself to “walk with a swagger” is that others will notice and begin to believe you are a confident player. Whether you really are confident doesn’t matter – they will believe that you are and in all likelihood that image will be in the back of their mind while playing against you. Who knows, maybe your opponent will then begin to “play to avoid losing” and end up choking because of it, while you gain more confidence by witnessing his errors and realizing you really can beat this guy!

The difference between average and good, as well as good and great, is often a very fine line – and in my opinion just as mental as it is physical. Take advantage of the things you can control (like the way you carry yourself) and watch what happens. Sure, it won’t be a substitute for practice, but it can be the difference between two nearly equal opponents. Mental toughness is a huge part of pool success, so be sure to work on the mental side of the game as much as you do your shot making!

Changing Arousal Levels

2011-02-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Changing Arousal Levels

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Arousal is defined as your response to stimuli, and can go from very low (when you are relaxed and daydreaming, for example) to very high (when you are in a panic-state). Psychologists believe “the zone” for athletes is actually the mid-point between these two states, and while this is not an exact science (its more theory than anything), there does appear to be strong evidence that suggests when our arousal is too low, our focus becomes too wide, and the result is less-than-desirable results. Conversely, when we are overly-aroused, it appears that we often become to “perfectionstic” and we ended up dealing with increased anxiety. Since our arousal level changes all the time, the key, then, is to learn how to change, or moderate, your arousal level for peak performances to occur.

When practicing pool the challenge is usually trying to “pump up” your arousal level as often practice can be boring and mundane (ask yourself how many times you have just ‘hit balls around’ and lost your focus). On the other hand, in pressure situations it is imperative that you learn ways to decrease your arousal level so that your mind and body can work in synchrony. As you become more skilled at doing these arousal changes, you will improve your focus, motivation, resiliency, and mood state – all leading to better pool playing!

When adjusting your arousal upward (when you are under-aroused), just about anything that gets your blood moving will work (i.e. a quick stretch, a few rapid breaths, and even using imagery to think about exciting thoughts will help). You do not need drugs to do this, or even a cup of coffee, but instead simply a dedicated focus to “getting your head in the game” will usually suffice.

When looking to calm down, deep belly breathing is the best way to go in my opinion. What this means is that you take 2-3 very deep breaths all the way in to your stomach and exhale slowly. Deep breathing is really effective and will automatically calm your muscles, allowing you to play precision pool without choking.

Arousal regulation is a tremendous skill for all athletes, but can be especially helpful to pool players when you think of all the precision involved in making shots. Keep a running journal of your daily pool experiences to look for trends and habits you may be developing, as well as things that usually lead to various arousal states (for example, do you always get overly-nervous playing against a particular player? Or do you always have to work hard to keep your head in the game against other, weaker players?). The more you learn about yourself, the better player you will become!

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

Watch What You Say to Yourself!

2011-01-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Watch What You Say to Yourself!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Self talk, or the dialogue you have with yourself, is very important as it relates to how we feel about ourselves, how we carry ourselves, our ability to be resilient to stress and failure, and a whole host of other important things. We all talk to ourselves (even if we are not opening our mouths to do it), and we all engage in self talk! The problem is when we begin to have negative and debilitating self talk and allow our negative emotions to skew our perception of reality.

It’s really quite amazing how self talk can impact pool players. Think about it: How many times have you played someone (or watched this happen as a fan), where one player begins to crumble and miss more shots. Have you ever really noticed what is happening? Chances are the player’s body language changes, he begins to shoot more quickly and without paying as much attention to the table, and in some cases you may even witness angry outbursts, foul language, or possibly even a thrown cue across the room! Obviously, it is impossible to play good pool when all of these things are going on at the same time.

In the example I just described, while it is impossible for us as observers to truly know what this type of player is thinking or saying to himself, we can be fairly confident that his self talk is just as ugly and angry as his outward actions are to the casual observer. The internal language we use within our minds is like a thermostat when it comes to how our bodies will respond. In short, allow your self talk to become negative, and you can almost guarantee your pool playing will suffer tremendously.

There is some good news to report, however. First, positive self talk will actually help you with your attitude, confidence, focus, and ability to bounce back! Similar to how negative self talk does negative things to you, positive self talk will lead to many positive things while playing pool. Secondly, you have 100% control over your self talk, so there are no excuses when it comes to allowing yourself to wallow in self-pity or call yourself all kinds of names in your mind. Finally, you can change your negative self talk into positive self talk at any time you want, even when you are losing or just missed a bunny shot you make 99 out of 100 times.

Take note of the type of self talk you regularly engage in while playing pool. Is it hostile and negative, or is it positive and facilitative? Remember, you are the only one who can decide which road you will take. If you seem to allow yourself to have a lot of negative self talk, you might want to do something to remind yourself to snap out of it and get back on track. For example, wearing a rubber band on your wrist and lightly snapping yourself can serve as a reminder, as can having a cue word written somewhere discretely on your stick or case (i.e. the word “Focus”).

Self talk is very powerful and can be the difference when it comes to playing your best pool. Good luck and remember to tell yourself to play like a champion today!

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

The "Big Shot"

2011-01-04T13:07:00.002-07:00

Mind of Steel

Getting Down on that “Big Shot”

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Have you ever felt your nerves begin to go crazy when getting down for that big, game-ending shot? And when I ask if you have felt nerves, I really mean it – like shortness of breath, butterflies in your stomach, or your mind telling you all kinds of reasons why you are going to miss the next shot?! Pool is a game of high concentration, and it is also a sport where it is just you at the table when those clutch shots sit there waiting. In other words, there are no places to hide, and when you screw up everyone is there to see it, oftentimes making the miss that much more difficult to bear.

Becoming a clutch player is something you can improve on, and it has everything to do with learning skills, and far less to do with how you were born or your genetic makeup (although players who routinely choke would love to believe it is entirely genetics that makes clutch players tough). If you want to become a clutch player - that player your team can count on in crucial times – then read some of the following pointers that will help you improve immediately:

• Perceive challenges, not threats. What this means is when you view tough situations on the table as challenges, your mind will kick into overdrive and work hard to provide you ideas of what to do next. On the other hand, when tough situations are viewed as threatening, the exact opposite occurs, and as you might expect – your anxiety level increases dramatically, too.

• One shot at a time. Yes, this is cliché, but it is also an invaluable lesson to remember. Think to yourself how many times you missed a bunny because you were looking one or two shots ahead? By minimizing the unforced errors you will make more shots, increase your confidence, and ultimately win more games.

• Stay in the moment. Similar to playing one shot at a time, it is also important to keep your emotions in the moment. What this means is to develop skills that allow you to let go of bad shots quickly, which in turn will keep your mood state positive (and your mind and body in synchrony). Again, ask yourself how many times have you missed a shot because you were still upset about the last shot? These mistakes must be minimized in order for you to reach your full potential.

• Keep your physiological arousal in check. Try to think of your arousal level on a straight line, with low arousal on one end and high arousal on the other. When thinking about low arousal, you might picture being slow, lethargic, and relaxed. When you are experiencing high arousal, the exact opposite occurs – nervous energy, heart racing, and an overall excited feeling in the body. The key is learning how to “pump up” on slow days (low arousal), while also knowing how to relax on those extra-nervous days (high arousal). By moderating your arousal level you will increase your self-confidence, improve your focus, and inevitably learn how to keep your body under control in tough situations where you might previously have “choked.”

• Develop amnesia after bad days! We have all had them before – those days where nothing seems to go right. In fact, I can’t tell you how many pool players I have talked to who just the day earlier looked like world beaters, only to all but give up on the sport the next day after experiencing a terrible loss. Again, and I cannot stress this enough, greatness comes from quickly being able to LET GO of bad days! One technique that can help is to write down all the negative thoughts in your mind and then destroy the list (I once had a client who used to light his lists on fire until one day he accidentally burned himself – so instead I suggest you simply tear the list up!). This exercise is symbolic of “letting go,” and will help your mind move past the agony of playing the same missed shot in your head over and over 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

Goal Setting

2010-12-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Mind of Steel

Set Goals for Future Success!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

www.drstankovich.com

Goal setting is arguably the best technique an athlete can use to immediately improve his or her performance. Interestingly, although this statement is true, very few athletes actually know how to set effective goals. In other words, far too often athletes set what we call “do your best” type goals that are extremely vague (i.e. “to become a better pool player”) and without any timelines to measure success (re-read the example I just gave – how will you know when you have become “better?”).

Research studies in sport psychology clearly show people who set specific, measurable goals almost always out-perform people who set “do your best” type goals (or people who set no goals at all). By setting and achieving goals, your self-confidence will dramatically improve – and so will your pool game.

This month I would like to share a few tips so that you can begin setting goals for immediate success:

• Begin by brainstorming all the goals you want to achieve, and for now don’t worry about how vague the goals might be (we will refine them later). Take out a sheet of paper and start writing down as many things as you want to accomplish and try to do this in just a few minutes.

• Once you have your list, go back through each goal and look to see whether it is vague (“win more”) or specific (“make at least one ball on every break”)

• When writing your goals, try to develop as many process goals as you can. A process goal is a goal you can control (i.e. starting each match confident and composed), whereas an outcome goal is a goal typically beyond your complete control (winning tournaments is great, but ultimately you never control ‘winning’ if the opponent has a shot to win, too). By reaching your process goals, you will ultimately reach more outcome goals (and win more games!)

• Try to break your goals into three areas: Physical, technical, and mental. An example of a physical goal can be making sure to get 8 hours of sleep the night before a tournament or to have water on hand all day in order to stay hydrated. A technical goal might be to practice until you can successfully make 90% of spot shots. A mental goal could be making a point to use a deep breath between each shot.

• Your goals should always be in writing and you should have dates attached to each goal so you can monitor your success. It is also wise to develop short-, mid-, and long-term goals. We call this technique developing a “goal ladder,” and it has been found to be a very effective technique.

• Other tips include being realistic with your goals, as well as being somewhat flexible if you don’t first succeed.

• Keep track of all your progress by keeping a journal. While this may sound kind of funny, you will find that our memories are really not that great – and a journal will actually help you recall some of your better moments. Your journal should include all of your goals, as well as regular entries that allow you to update your progress along the way.

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

Live Your Dream!

2010-07-12T09:38:00.001-07:00

If you are a competitive pool player, it’s very likely that you are not only playing pool everyday, but you also think a lot about pool even when you are not playing. For some of you reading this article your dream is to beat some of the better local players consistently, for others it’s winning that weekly local competitive tournament, and for a select few it’s playing on the big stage and trying to become one of the best players in the world. Regardless of what scenario best describes you, if your goal is to play pool seriously and to reach your full potential, there are a number of things you will need to do in order to achieve greatness.

• Play with a passion. When you play pool with a passion, you are more likely to keep a high level of focus, enjoy playing the game more, and inevitably win more games. Passionate pool players love the game – they love everything about it, from putting their cue together to studying every shot on the table throughout a match. When you are passionate about something, you are also intrinsically motivated to succeed (intrinsic motivation is the type of drive that comes from within, and not because of external rewards). It’s also no surprise that people who are successful, are also usually passionate (and intrinsically motivated) about what they do!

• Play up whenever possible. If you want to get better at pool, or anything else for that matter, you will need to conquer your fears and put yourself in challenging situations on a regular basis. Sure, these “lessons” might cost you a few bucks when it comes to pool, but playing against better players will over time do wonders for your nerves, your understanding of the game, and your ability to deal with frustration and adversity.

• Be a student of the game. Try to watch and learn from the best whenever possible. Ask yourself right now who is the best breaker in your local pool hall? How about the most consistent shot? Or what player knows the most about the game, even if he/she no longer plays at a high level anymore? Interestingly, human beings love to teach others, so work on those people skills and get to know some of the better players whenever you can --- you might be surprised at how interested they are in helping you if only you ask!

• Use losing as a teaching tool. It’s a fact – you will lose games if you play this sport long enough. The funny thing is losing can be a tremendous teaching tool and can help galvanize your nerves for future big games. I am not suggesting you learn to enjoy losing, but what I am saying is by becoming a student of the game you can look back at bad shots and losses and learn what you did wrong, what you should have done, and what you need to do more of in the future.

• Take your goals seriously. Write down your goals, study them, and live them everyday. Your goals need to be high priorities in your life if you want success to occur, and high-level athletes live by their goals and review them everyday to help with focus, commitment, and achievement. Goals will help you “point your compass” in life and give you direction, and goals will also help you “right the ship” when things don’t go your way. Have conviction toward your goals and work toward them everyday and you are bound to see success!

Dr. Christopher Stankovich

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

The Evolution of Pool...

2010-06-25T10:07:00.003-07:00

It started when I was a boy. My parents used to walk a couple of blocks down the street for an afternoon drink. Back in '75 it wasn't unheard of that kids could walk into bars when accompanied by their parents. Can you believe it? Well, my parents wanted to spend time talking with friends, they certainly didn't want to spend time watching my brother and I.

"Here's a quarter go play pool!" they would say to us enthusiastically and my brother and I were off for hours of fun. Didn't know what we were doing of course, I was only five and my brother four years of age. Through the years we learned the game and we both developed a stroke; that was about all...

Throughout grade school and high school we played the game. We both usually won as most people didn't stroke the cue straight and wouldn't pocket balls. Every summer my brother and I would play for the coming year's lunch money and I always won. (I actually still feel guilty about that). My father, Frank Alvarez Jr., was a great road player. He made quite a bit of money in the days of gambling and was able to travel the country. I actually did not know my father from the ages of 5-17, so I was not able to "tap" into his talent until later later in life.

Stay Tuned...

Frank "The Saint" Alvarez III
UPA President

Coming Soon!

2010-06-09T10:27:00.003-07:00

We are currently revamping our Blog :-) Please take a moment to give us your feedback and be sure to come see us in July. Also please take a moment to let us know your thoughts by voting. Thank you!