11. Have a plan.

Ideally, think about what you're going to practise the day before, or plan out your week. If you can't manage that, think about it first thing in the morning at the latest: what am I going to do this afternoon or this evening? A plan gives you peace of mind, and it makes you feel ready before you've even started. Once you're at the table, you don't have to think about what you're going to work on any more. It makes a real difference to your preparation, and everything goes better with a plan.

12. After a match, start with what went wrong.

In my first session after a match, once I've warmed up and done my basics, I spend the first ten or fifteen minutes on what went wrong: the balls you kept missing, the safeties that didn't come off, or the ones that secretly did get to you.

13. Sometimes you focus only on aiming.

In some parts of my practice I don't think about my stance or my cue action (so, just like in a real match). All I think about is the object ball, the cue ball and the line to the pocket: that ball has to go in. That's when your cue action is at its most natural. When it comes down to it, it's about making the balls do what you want.

14. Stay down until the ball drops or hits a cushion.

But not for the reason you think. Technically, of course, it helps you deliver the shot better, and that's more than a nice bonus. But when it comes to making progress in your practice, and getting live feedback on what you're doing, there's a more important reason to do it, which is that you can see where the ball goes: too thick or too thin, left or right, high or low in the pocket. It's all information for your next ball and your next session. Don't underestimate this part, you learn an enormous amount from it. What I often do… when I miss a ball, I say to myself: thick, thin, left, right, etc. That way I pin down what I've just seen, and I adjust what I do (almost) automatically. And all of this happens within a few tenths of a second.

15. Work on your mental game, even if you think you're strong.

Most players aren't as strong mentally as they think, whether they realise it or not. Snooker is a strange sport, and anyone who has been playing for a while knows what I mean. Work on staying calm, focusing and concentrating. There are mental tools that help, for example to put a miss behind you in a second or two. I'm going to spend more time on this in the “Mental game” section, more on that soon.

There are also some good books, for example, and paid courses you can take, some of them even put together by fellow snooker and pool players. It all depends on what you're looking for, what exactly your challenge is and, of course, how much you're willing to put into it.

16. Your pre-shot routine helps with nerves.

I take a calm look at the table (by that I mean I often physically walk an extra lap round the table, or half a lap), which gives me a bit of extra time, because I often feel rushed. I pick a red that gives me the angle on the colour (or the other way round), and sometimes I think a ball or two ahead. I know where to hit the cue ball and roughly at what pace, which is more a matter of feel and also varies from table to table. It can depend on the conditions, etc., and even on the time of year. Then I decide (and commit to it), get behind the ball and walk into the line. Once you're down, all that's left is aiming. It helps you keep your focus, because you have something “to do”.

Everyone does it a little differently. It's called a routine because you do certain things the same way every time (your way, at least), and that can bring calm to your mind, and so to your game.

17. In a match, you don't think about your technique.

Your stance and your cue action should look after themselves at that point. It isn't always like that, of course, but that's OK. If it doesn't come naturally, write it down, make a mental note and work on it in your next session. If you do catch yourself thinking about it now and then, that's fine, and there's no need to get angry with yourself. That's what you practise for, and some of us need a bit longer than others. On top of that, snooker is a game that constantly demands your attention, and you never stop learning.

18. Set yourself a task, and don't get angry.

Pick one thing, which for me is often staying down a second longer after every shot. And I'm not allowed to get angry, not at my own game and not at my opponent's. Also, as I said above, take that extra time. If I manage that, I've already won as far as I'm concerned, and it usually goes better than I expected too. And I try not to get frustrated when I miss balls I practise a lot, because you're not always on form and not every day feels the same.

19. Your snooker doesn't improve in a straight line.

It does add up, though: everything you learn, practise and play builds on what came before. At the start you have more bad days than good ones, and after a year your bad days are the good days of your first few months. So don't get frustrated after a session or a match where nothing went right.

20. A messy session is often a good one.

It's at the bottom of the list, not on purpose by the way, but this might well be the most important one to remember, especially if you practise regularly. If it didn't feel good and you missed more than you wanted to, it was probably one of your better sessions. If you practised seriously and took everything as feedback (did I hit it too thin or too thick?), then you've really learnt something. And keep principle 19 in mind here: your level doesn't go up in a straight line.

There'll be a lot more on the mental side later on this site, under Mental game.