I was pondering last night, as I often do, you know—ponder. Sometimes I daydream and that’s usually about something fantastical, farfetched things and lovely to fall asleep to. However, last night I was pondering. Pondering is when I am sincerely considering something, but haven’t yet made up my mind about whatever it is. Is it so, isn’t it so? I wonder, you know? That’s pondering to me.
Ever since I was a young man I have been lucky enough to be in the presence of great people, famous people—people of stature. You know, those type of people that make us regular folk just go, well, gaga! I met a movie star when I was about 18 or 19 for the first time. Big name, everyone recognized him and everyone around me went gaga, for lack of a better term. I didn’t. While most everyone else was too busy with their stargazed situation and unable to respond or react, besides ask for an autograph, I became focused and coherent and basically the voice of reason. I met the movie star, talked to him as if I had known him for a while and he seemed to appreciate someone who didn’t seem to realize who he was. I knew full well who he was and yet that didn’t faze me in a manner which made me ‘lose it’. Actually, I helped him out by calming other people down and getting them to act rational. He was highly appreciative and remembered me years later when I met him again unexpectedly.
In my Memoir I write about how pressure play in billiards/pool helped me become Hyper-focused and I believe that this same type of situation applies to meeting Big Names. Maybe this happens to you too?
~
Here’s a little more of what I mean: Back in the day when I played in major tournaments I had the opportunity to play word champions and players who had been or would be the number 1 player in the world. Indeed, these great players of which some have won the Challenge of the Champions, never seemed to get to me. I would win or come very close to winning. I would not become rattled or nervous, at least not in the normal sense. The funny thing is, when preparing myself, I would try to make myself nervous. Seriously, I know that sounds rather odd, but if I could get myself to the point of feeling some anxiety I would play better by somehow transferring that energy into hyper-focus.
Before I go on, I do not recommend you try to become anxious in order to focus better, it is not healthy.
Anyway, as I was saying, if I could become a little anxious I would focus better, the more, the better. I would try and talk to myself in ways that should have made me nervous and fall apart… like: “this person is the greatest, I have no chance, and everyone is watching me, etc…” Instead of making me nervous I would become more and more hyper-focused, rational and methodic. With Billiards/pool, in action play, this trait made me an extremely dangerous player to confront—no matter how great my opponent was. And when meeting Big Names this trait made me seem normal to them and not all starry eyed and gaga.
What I have been pondering is: Is this common or typical with most ADDers? Do you get nervous around Big Names or do you become more focused and therefore methodic and rational? Being “nervous” seems to translate into rational thinking for me—is it the same for you?
Just my pondering…. ~Bryan
