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A Matter of Written by: Denny Stewart

balls, and for all else you can erase with some
focus on your breathing. It will keep you in a
lot more games.

Next time when you’re getting ready to

Concentration is not something that you practice try this.
can force, or control. Matter of fact if you’re Set up a straight in shot to the side pocket.
even trying to concentrate that means your You’re going to stop the cue ball when you
not concentrating! Fighting the mind does not shoot it. Now once you have decided on what
work, you can’t will a state of mind, or we’d tip position and speed you’re going to shoot
all be willing dead stroke every time. It just it at, close your eyes and I want you to feel it,
doesn’t work that way. What you can do is hear it then listen for it to go in the pocket. Try
FOCUS the mind. It works like this, as you it and see and feel the effects of it.
achieve focus, the mind quiets automatically.
A quiet mind only picks up what is relevant Previously published in Inside English for
in the here and now. You get into a state of Sandy Schuman in 2008
relaxed concentration.

When your at the table and going into your
PreShot routine, or planning a shot, then
executing it, it is relatively easy to focus
because your actively engrossed in what you
are doing moment by moment. But you are
vulnerable between shots, or in the chair.

Something that might benefit you for when
you have those stray thoughts of winning,
losing, who’s there, what if I miss etc.
(basically all chatter) is to focus the mind on
your breathing. Nothing is more “here and
now” than your breath. It also has a beneficial
calming effect. So now you have some tools to
keep your head in the game. Focus on the here
and now while you’re at the table and running

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