Getting the Edge

 by The Monk

Let me show you a new way to win more games.  You are familiar with The Monk’s four stages of pocket billiards. You can work o­n the fourth stage, Mastering Self, simply by taking each match seriously. It all happens in the mind. Focus o­n winning, and you will add more wins to your average.
 Our mental state of mind drives us to think, act, and perform. It is all based o­n our perception. In league play or tournament play, we don’t always win. Therefore, our perception of winning does not match up with our past experience. When we enter a contest, we are reluctant to approach it with a winning attitude. How many times have you told friends that you should have won the match? Because of these types of losses, we are reluctant to face our opposition with a zest for winning. Instead, we enter and hope. There are so many fine players in a tournament, it would be foolish to think we can win it. We can’t afford to think like that.  We need to break this cycle of thought. We must enter to win. “I came to win” is our new thought pattern. We must believe we can win. Create this perception, and you will form the right mental state of mind. We will always do three things from our mental state of mind. We act, we think, and we perform. 
 The four major golf tournaments this past year have produced a unique event.  Mike Weir won his first major when he won The Masters. This set up a mindset. Jim Furyk won his first major by taking the U.S. Open. Ben Curtis shocked the world when he took the British Open o­n his first try.  Now Shaun Michael captured the PGA Championship. In the Women’s division, a French girl won her first major. This trend was set up by Mike Weir. He showed it could be done, and a group of players accepted this powerful mindset. When we think we can do something, we get added skills to do it.  It is always in our best interest to improve our skills and use this to give ourselves the best chance to win.
 There are no dominant teams anymore in sports, because no o­ne will recognize a dominant team. Everyone thinks they can win. You must join this winning team by thinking winning thoughts. I do not like it when my student tells me how great other players are. I want them to think that they are as good as anyone.  I simply refuse to be impressed with anyone playing in the tournament.  I go to a match with an “I came to win” attitude and let the results be whatever they are.
 A pool player is much like any of the competitive teams in sports. You never hear a baseball player admit that they have no chance to beat a certain team. A professional competitor will never enter a contest with thought of losing. We must prepare to defeat our opponent.  We must study the art of winning, and most importantly, we must guard against negative thoughts. The art of war is fought in the mind.  Change your mindset and change your destiny.
 We can get the edge o­nly when we seek the edge. Take an active role in training your mind to think winning thoughts. A baseball hitter fails to hit over 70% of the time, but the great o­nes always think they are going to get a hit when they go up to bat. They have o­ne thought and that is to hit the ball with a quality swing. This mental state of mind gives them a better chance. This same quality is within our power if we do not yield to negative thinking. Give it your “I came to win” effort, and you will like the results.
 Prepare yourself to gain the edge. Don’t think about winning. Don’t think about losing. You came to win, so let your stroke reflect that attitude. Focus o­n winning and gain the edge. I will look for you in the finals, and when anyone asks how you got there, tell them, “The Monk sent me.”

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