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.
8. 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!
9. 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.
10. 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!
of the pockets, putting together your
stick, chalking your hands, etc.
5. At this point it is vitally important
that you really fo-cus 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!
6. 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.
7. 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
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.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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?)
4. Continue to think through the
things you normally do before
playing—picking up some balls out
Mind of Steel Imagery Drill for Success
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
