Prepare for Your Next Tournament

Prepare for Your Next TournamentBy The Monk, InsidePOOL ColumnistTournament preparation is not just a matter of showing up. Those who make it to the money have a purpose. They are focused. They are prepared. one thing they have in common with other tournament winners is that they did not come to play, they came to win. If you prepare for a tournament, you are expected to win. This is why so many players have a careless attitude when it comes to getting ready for a tournament. If they work hard and prepare well, they put pressure on themselves to win. They would rather not deal with it, so they show up with a haphazard attitude just hoping for some luck.
My students will tell you that they came to win, and they will feel no pressure. What is expected of them is to prepare, play to win, think winning, and let other results be whatever they are. If they arrive with the “I came to win attitude,” then they have done all that is expected of them to be a champion. There are two kinds of pool players in these games, the ones who get it, and the ones who do not. Become the one who gets it. If you develop the “I came to win attitude,” then your practice sessions take on new meaning. You are preparing to win. You create your own experience. Take responsibility for everything that happens to you, and you will find greater joy in your preparation. I've had players tell me that they are going to the tournament just to see how far they can go. In other words, they came to lose. Reality is only a perception. In this game, if you are not trying to win, you are trying to lose. We are the masters of our own reality. Our perceptions form our mental states, and it is from these mental states that we act, think and perform. Change your mental state, and change your destiny. Some players tell me they are only interested in how well they perform. “It is not if you win,” they announce, “it is how you play the game.” They came to lose. This is a polluted perception. Another group says that they just want to spend some time with their friends. Another polluted perception. Why pay the $50 entry fee when you can accomplish this social experience just by showing up? When one operates out of a tranquil mental state, ease follows him where he goes. With the “I came to win attitude,” you approach the game in a clear state of mind. When the tournament director calls your name, you must be ready. You came to win, and your efforts must reflect that affirmation. “I came to win” is who you are. It does not mean you have to win the tournament. It simply means you came to win. I've seen players of inferior skills win tournament after tournament because they knew what their purpose was and followed those principles throughout the event. on each shot, they came to win. Do not play games before a match. Playing games is not preparation for tournaments. Do not workout by playing. If you want to win, the first thing you will need is a reliable stroke, which you must develop through drills. Do the 2-7-2 exercise, and you will be ready to perform. Secondly you need a reliable attitude that fits your purpose. If you arrive with the “I came to win” concept, your performance will reflect that attitude. The third thing you need to win is some luck. You must declare that you will get good rolls. Be the one who gets the good rolls. And the fourth thing you need is to have an opponent who makes mistakes. If you perform the first three, you will see the fourth one come to light. When you are ready to play, you are ready. I once had a student practice six hours just before a match. She was as ready as could be, yet she still continued to practice. By the time her match was called, she was burned out. Another student had done all her work and was ready to play. She was prepared. She knew she was ready, so she cut her practice short and warmed up just before each match, and she ultimately won the big tournament. We practice to get ready. once you are ready, you must wait for your match to be called. Life is not cured. It is managed. Take charge of both your life and your game. Develop the “I came to win attitude” in everything you do. Half measures avail us nothing. We must be fully committed to our purpose. Prepare well, and I will see you in the finals.Visit InsidePOOL for the latest techniques from the top instructors in billiards and pool.

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