Over the years, I have been asked by many; ‘Why do some players seem to improve and become more successful than others despite all the training they do?’ My answer is; there is no simple answer. To reach one’s true potential, players have to work hard in several areas and not just spend hours on the table.
Talent, contradictory to what many may think, is not enough by itself to succeed in this sport. Snooker is one of the loneliest sports due to the fact that a lot of time is spent training solo, so as to fine-tune your techniques. This means choosing to train over spending time with your friends or family, something not many people are willing to do.
I have found that working alongside a coach can ease this feeling of isolation, but I have tried to take into account what goes on behind the scenes, so as to highlight what players need to do to achieve success, both on and off the table.
Some of this can be done by players individually. However, some will require guidance from a professional. I say this because I firmly believe that talking through a problem is the best way to resolve it or work around it.
I really believe that having a plan in place helps you achieve this success and do not be afraid to change the plan as I have a saying in my academy that ’’ my players never lose they just learn ‘’ this motto means from every defeat the plan is fine-tuned and strategy begins again.
The plan must be Specific to you, You will need a good Commitment to follow it and it will be probably be an emotional journey but as long as you are confident you have the right people behind you to allow your skills to develop then success is around the corner.
