You can't win a match on the 1st stage, but you can loose it! Take your time and see your sights. I also think it is similar to test anxiety. If you are well prepared for an exam and know you have a mastery of the material.... No test anxiety. Get a handle on your stage plan. I find it helps to close my eyes and rehearse the stage until it is second nature. When I have a couple of plans and am not sure which one is best, that's when the wheels come off.
A GM I shoot with told me to try to walk directly at a target while shooting on the move. This has helped me more than the size of the step which seems to work itself out.
I also use it for specific drills like practicing movement. My real focus is on the movement portion not the shot itself. Works great for that as well.
A friend of mine has the m&p 22. It functions well. He took a class and shot over 700 rounds. It had one malfunction.
I have been running a plate rack with my Ruger .22. It has helped my accuracy a ton. I will certainly continue. 9mm would be better if I could afford it, but the savings is substantial.
Good post. I have found it useful to pick my stop spots during my walk through. A mark on a board, A bald spot on the gravel, etc... Look for something unique, get to it quick and go to work. A GM gave me this tip and it's helped me a lot.