Winning Mentality the only thing that can take you to the next level

[JayUK9779]

Just reflecting on things my game is pretty decent all round, looked at my trophies and had 6 runner up trophies. I know Jimmy White never won a world title but is still an all time great but for me I think thats the only thing that's stopping me from going to the next level. My finals I have always played very good but come up against top players some knocking in 147s as highest break. To me, I will never progress to until I have won something. In one final I missed match ball down the rail just bottled it! Anyone else think that is hindering their game not winning a tournament?

[Leo]

Just reflecting on things my game is pretty decent all round, looked at my trophies and had 6 runner up trophies. I know Jimmy White never won a world title but is still an all time great but for me I think thats the only thing that's stopping me from going to the next level. My finals I have always played very good but come up against top players some knocking in 147s as highest break. To me, I will never progress to until I have won something. In one final I missed match ball down the rail just bottled it! Anyone else think that is hindering their game not winning a tournament?

You just ain't good enough I'm afraid. To many excuses will only hinder your game, get down practice and hope for the best and if you improve you do if you don't you don't but just enjoy it.

[JayUK9779]

Yeah I've not gone into a final as favourite in my head and not on paper as well being realistic, but maybe I'm not good enough but the psychological boost you can get must definitely help a player during tough times. People like Bingham, Dott and Ebdon all must have in the back of their minds 'I'm a champion' when they play and I think that can win you frames down the line.

[Shockerz]

Yeah I've not gone into a final as favourite in my head and not on paper as well being realistic, but maybe I'm not good enough but the psychological boost you can get must definitely help a player during tough times. People like Bingham, Dott and Ebdon all must have in the back of their minds 'I'm a champion' when they play and I think that can win you frames down the line.

I remember saying to someone when I played in the 80's that if there was a trophy for the most runners up prizes I would probably come second! (mainly because that was what I thought I was or should be).

After an 11 years lay off and not picking up a cue at all I don't think that way anymore.

I know play snooker like I did football and think, "I having this one way or another regardless of how good you are."

Now I know this is relative to the standard but without believing you can be good enough, how will you find a way to sink that pot down the rail.

The way we feel is normally the same when the same set of circumstances is placed in front of us each time. You have to make a conscious decision to work on change and recognising the triggers that make you feel this way so you can react differently.

I'm really not trying to be condescending or the font of all knowledge but before change you have to make a decision to be something different and drive change against your natural instincts.

Making the decision to not accept missing the game ball may not make you pot it but you can get up and not go through the motions of missing when you know you will.

Sorry to preach, worked with a lot of people who have learned to fight their natural thought process and re-invent themselves.

It's just an opinion.

[JayUK9779]

Awesome advice mate! If I ever get to a situation like this again I am going to just go for it and believe I can win!! Haha might be awhile but if I do win one I think my mindset would change completely forever!

[Shockerz]

Awesome advice mate! If I ever get to a situation like this again I am going to just go for it and believe I can win!! Haha might be awhile but if I do win one I think my mindset would change completely forever!

When you win one. When you win one. If you sign on to it and believe you have it in you then you're always working toward it even if it's not next time.

I remember reading something about Terry Griffiths in his book and I'm sure he said he couldn't move forward until he learnt to lose and move on from it as sometimes there were 5 months in between tournaments for him to re-live his misses (he had to learn to let them go so he could focus on the new opportunities).

If you don't see each final as a new opportunity then you are just reliving the same failure criteria and mindset until it becomes routine. Before, I used to be pleased to just take part and get to finals so I was settling; I want scalps now and if not today, then tomorrow, block the rest out.

I know the American basketball players are heavy on stats.

Coaches tell players that if they have averaged 2 out of every 3 baskets from the free throw line over the course of the season then every time they miss, the chances of getting a basket after a miss goes up as all their previous stats say they will.

Greg Norman used to say that he never three putted in is seminars. Even when the crowd said they had seen him on the tv 3 putting he still denied it as he wouldn't let himself believe it would happen as it affects thinking.

You must have potted the ball you missed a few hundred times in the past. If you can just see the ball going in as a video before you cue it then it may just go in as you are seeing the video in your head rather than a miss.

All good fun.

[Sidd]

A final is always won by the one who wants it more So its how much you want it that decide how you will perform. In the final be an animal and concentrate on winning and never give away any easy chance.

Best of luck !

[tomwalker147]

I recently won my local league's final against Pottr. He's better than me in every department bar safety in my opinion but I'm a capable player, steady in the balls and able to make century breaks. I went in as a big underdog in many people's eyes but I had the belief to win which came from the hours of practice I have put in over the years.

It sounds ridiculous but in sport whatever it be athletics/football/snooker i've always said to myself "i'm the best" and it's given me a psychological edge. In reality I know i'm not (I wouldn't be that stupid) but mental reinforcement counts for so much. If you're a person who nicks frames regularly on the colours, it's not luck... it's having that extra 5% mentally to take your chance and believe in your ability to do so. Having won a final I'd say it's given me an extra few per cent to win when the going gets tough.

My advice would be to keep putting the practice in, believe in yourself and when your next opportunity comes take a moment to tell yourself you're in the final on merit and are every bit as good as your opponent. After all it's all on the night!

[alabadi]

If you're a person who nicks frames regularly on the colours, it's not luck... it's having that extra 5% mentally to take your chance and believe in your ability to do so.

Its quite interesting you mention this, recently i have been winning the majority of the games on the last few colours. i have lost some too , but i have started to believe i can always win even when i am 20+ behind early on.

i consider my game as very sketchy, my potting is inconsistent, my safety is solid and this is what allows me to claw back games when i am behind early on. as long as i don't go for silly shots i feel i can always win.

this is a far cry from my early days, i use to get frustrated when things are not going my way, and i a way panic and try too hard to try and catch up, which led to taking on too many risky shots and inevitably loosing.

now i have learnt to be much calmer, and let may safety get me back in the game. as long as there is belief there is always a chance.

[ace man]

From my own experience, to win a tournament (assuming you actually have the necessary skills of course) you need to miss less simple balls than your opponents and to play smart. You don't necessarily need to be the best player at the event, though it would certainly help if you are.

[Byrom]

I would rather have a good loosing mentality ...

[Shockerz]

I'd say most of the best players in our league are better than me at break building, outrageously good potting and cue actions.

Every Friday I frustrate the c**p out of them and have learnt that you can have all the skill in the world but the metal game from the off is a massive part of getting over the line.

Let the losses go, got to be easier to start a new match without baggage.

[Byrom]

Yeah a winning mentality comes easier if you learn to cope with the frustrations of defeat, learn from you mistakes and gain in motivation to improve and practice the right things so it don't happen as often.

A strong mentality and good shot selection can win as many frames as that guy with the silky cue action and no brain.

[Shockerz]

Yeah a winning mentality comes easier if you learn to cope with the frustrations of defeat, learn from you mistakes and gain in motivation to improve and practice the right things so it don't happen as often.

A strong mentality and good shot selection can win as many frames as that guy with the silky cue action and no brain.

It's funny. We have this debate often. On my drive home after a match I always do the:

What do I need to stop doing?
What do I need to start doing?
What do I need to do more of?

Some shots I recreate later to make sure I play them better next time. I used to write notes as to why I lost to see a pattern or why I beat certain players so I could play that way again; I even watch who certain players lose to to see if they don't like a particular style. If you put a player with a certain style in the same set of circumstances it's surprising how many react the same way so as last time as they just turn up and do what they always do (Einstein's definition of madness!).

[LucLex3119]

Leo,
M intrigued to know how good you are at snooker? Highest break, do you play in a league or enter tournaments?