Goals devalued

[Ron Ankeny]

I have the desire to keep investing in the journey.

I think that's the most important ingredient in the recipie.

my goal was always to have an error-free performance that matched my capacity at that moment

I was a lot happier when I too had that goal. I fell into the trap of wanting a performance that exceeds my on demand performance, and I tried to make it happen every time the buzzer went off. No wonder I burned out and sucked.

[carinab]

What is a good, competitive goal? Regardless of your skill level. It's "good" because it won't change, and it is attainable. Looking back on it, and without ever realizing it at the time, my goal was always to have an error-free performance that matched my capacity at that moment.

be

Right there! My goal is always the "perfect run." i.e. the best of my ability and without any errors...all the little details polished.

[Sam]

My stated goal is always "to suck less".

But seriously, goals no matter how important or properly stated, must be left totally behind at the beep. A goal is a quest for an outcome. Outcomes do not ever and cannot ever occur in the present. Outcomes are either sought in the near future or blow by quickly in to the past as soon as they are met.

[Calamity Jane]

I was trying to be something, ie. "A class" shooter, instead of becoming something, ie. a great shooter. I may never become a great shooter, but I'm now enjoying the process more than ever before. I have the desire to keep investing in the journey.

+1!

The word becoming has been my mental salvation this past week. I have often said the jouney is the reward....however....when you are a type A personality with strong will, determination, goals, a plan of attack, and drive yourself to unreasonable expectaions...the journey can become a little bumpy. I have a tendency to be hard on myself. The word becoming has allowed me to accept who I am where I am and retain hope that I will get to where I'm going.

I am becoming an integrated shooter.

I am becoming an A class shooter.

I am becoming the best swinger shooter our club has.

[Genghis]

I am that D class shooter now (actually C Limited, U moving to C in Open).

What we do is amazing. Think about the guy sitting at the bench shooting his .22 when we walk by on the way to a match. He would never dream of running and shooting guns. Didn't your mama tell you not to run with knives? Simply making it thru a USPSA or IDPA match is more than 99% of all shooters will ever do.

I've been shooting these matches for a little more than a year, and I can do far more than I ever could before. I love it all, and I'm always happy as long as I'm getting better. Moving up in class, finishing on the first page in one or two stages, hitting mostly A's, upping my percentage in matches - I have to take what I can get. As long as I keep getting better, some day people will take note when I step to the line.

GM's aren't magicians, but (to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke), "Any sufficiently advanced skill level is indistinguishable from magic." The reality - years of hard work - is a lot less exciting. But it's really just eliminating everything that isn't needed to get to the shooting. I'd guess that making GM just forces you to find new mountains to climb.

[shred]

"the better you are the more mistakes you make". It's a tricky trap to get into because 'error-free' is impossible that way.

[dirtypool40]

Thanks guys, good stuff.

Sorry I haven't hit this thread in a while, I’ve been out of town.

The idea with this thread, for me, is to grow mentally so I can accept being a GM, both the pressure of the label and the accomplishment that I worked hard for something and it was worth the effort. No I am not one yet, and no, it's not a done deal or something easy.

Maybe I'm making too big a deal about all this. I am one of those who strives, and will continue to strive, for better performance on match day. Getting in shape, eating right, and getting your head on straight are all little pieces of the puzzle.

With this thread I am just trying to hash out my own bad mental habits, specifically “devaluing” any accomplishment. I know I can make GM, I know it’s tough to make it, and therefore something to be proud of. I will have worked hard through stops and starts, job changes, waiting for guns, lack of practice time and all the other BS that EVERY shooter puts up with in our sport.

I guess I’ve come to feel that FOR ME, making GM will be more of a perseverance award than one for achievement.

But I know two things;

It will be something I worked hard for.

I will be the same person the day after as the day before, and I will still be learning. There is no perfect, only better and better.

Edited May 3, 2006 by dirtypool40

[dirtypool40]

Little thread bump after another year.

A buddy from Melbroune called me Sunday morning to tell me the classifications posted and I made GM.

It's been a long strange trip, and it's only just beginning.

Starting over, empty cup, clean slate. Let's shoot.

[shadetree]

I just competed at my first major martial arts turnament as a black belt. Same deal I feel like I'm starting from the beginning all over again. It's interesting no matter how advanced you think you are it always comes back to the basics block, Kick, chop, punch. Draw, aim, shoot, follow through, reload. No matter how difficult the stage or the match a little flexablity and the basics are all there is. Full circle.

[benos]

GM's aren't magicians, but (to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke), "Any sufficiently advanced skill level is indistinguishable from magic."

That's a great one (I hadn't heard).

"the better you are the more mistakes you make".

True. And if you'd like to improve then that will motivate you.

It's a tricky trap to get into because 'error-free' is impossible that way.

That one doesn't work for me because of the word "impossible." Remembering back on quite a few stages, of course, most of the time, there were mistakes. But I can also remember a lot of stages that were error-free, for me, at that time.

All the error-free stages, whether in IPSC, The Steel Challenge, The Bianchi Cup, with a shotgun or 22 pistol, shared one common sensation: there was only a witnessing of effortless activity. And I can also say what wasn't there: any sort of sense of trying anything whatsoever.

[Steve Anderson]

I'll say that, outside of a fixed time stage, there is no such thing as a perfect performance in uspsa/ipsc shooting.

Had a great time? Max or Robbie could have shot better points.

You got a smokin' time with all A's? Is KC "on" and has he shot yet?

If you need a perfect performance, shoot the Bianchi cup...you might even get paid a little.

There will always be someone a little faster and/or a little more accurate.

I like this sport because there's always room for improvement.

And among competitors of closely matched skill level, the winner will be the one who makes the least errors.

As for me, I'm not really motivated by the idea of winning. I just want to shoot great!

SA

[dirtypool40]

That one doesn't work for me because of the word "impossible." Remembering back on quite a few stages, of course, most of the time, there were mistakes. But I can also remember a lot of stages that were error-free, for me, at that time.

All the error-free stages, whether in IPSC, The Steel Challenge, The Bianchi Cup, with a shotgun or 22 pistol, shared one common sensation: there was only a witnessing of effortless activity. And I can also say what wasn't there: any sort of sense of trying anything whatsoever.

Brian

I agree and I have experienced that years ago as a pool player. The walls just dissolved and the game seemed at once both simple and beautifully intricate, presenting me with a myriad of options. I had only to choose and things would happen. I can remember seeing and feeling things I can't really explain, that didn't seem quite real, but the results were real enough.

There was no fear through limitation, and there was a calm confidence. Even when I missed or lost a game it didn't effect me, I was still going to win and just looked forward to my next turn at the table like a kid in class who knew all the answers and couldn't wait to be called on.

I can remember gliding through several racks and being slightly dissapointed that the games were so short or easy. I'd see a huge stripe on the ball, KNOWING if I hit anywhere in there the ball was going in. I can remember seeing the weave of the cloth 9 or 10 feet away, or a route between two balls off a second or third rail.

When you relax enough to remove your own limits, you can see and do some wonderful things.

The only (recent) experience like this in shooting was a match back in January. I shot a LOT of points, and had so much relaxed fun, I won the match overall. In the video I am having so much fun I am making "tire screeching noises" as I brake to a halt. Now THAT'S not normal, but the point is I just had so much fun I LET myself perform well.

The only other thing that stands out on the video is I look like I am moving quickly but shooting a little smoother or slower than normal.

[Genghis]

In the video I am having so much fun I am making "tire screeching noises" as I brake to a halt. Now THAT'S not normal, but the point is I just had so much fun I LET myself perform well.

Our range was muddy in spots at this month's match. On one stage I braked to a halt and slid in the mud. I grabbed a snow fence with my left hand and kept from falling, but when I was finished there was a skid mark on the ground and almost another one in my shorts. I wasn't the first one to slip - one guy turned his khaki shorts into homemade camo. If anyone ever made a video of that stage, he would almost have had to dub in some tire screeching sounds.

The comparison of pool to shooting is a great one. Pool is 100% skill - your results depend ONLY on what you do. There is no wind, or other players, or anything else other than you, the stick, the table, and the balls. There is ALWAYS a shot to keep your run going, if you can make it. And if you miss, it's ALWAYS because you didn't hit the shot right or didn't choose the right shot to try. No excuses.

Our game is very similar. We can complain about the difficulty of shots, or a tough stage layout, or our gun jamming, but every shooter faces exactly the same challenge so it equals out. If someone shaves a half-second off, it's on you. If your gun jams, it's on you. Again, no excuses.

Both games come very close to removing every other element from the outcome, except performance.

[benos]

Brian

I agree and I have experienced that years ago as a pool player. The walls just dissolved and the game seemed at once both simple and beautifully intricate, presenting me with a myriad of options. I had only to choose and things would happen. I can remember seeing and feeling things I can't really explain, that didn't seem quite real, but the results were real enough.

There was no fear through limitation, and there was a calm confidence. Even when I missed or lost a game it didn't effect me, I was still going to win and just looked forward to my next turn at the table like a kid in class who knew all the answers and couldn't wait to be called on.

I can remember gliding through several racks and being slightly dissapointed that the games were so short or easy. I'd see a huge stripe on the ball, KNOWING if I hit anywhere in there the ball was going in. I can remember seeing the weave of the cloth 9 or 10 feet away, or a route between two balls off a second or third rail.

When you relax enough to remove your own limits, you can see and do some wonderful things.

That was awesome to read - thanks for posting it.

Although I never reached that level in pool, I've shot a lot of pool (Bought books, studied videos, took a few lessons, and grew up shooting pool in bars.), so I can relate. Everything you said triggered an analogous shooting memory. What happens is beautiful when no doubt remains.

be

[dirtypool40]

Thanks. it's something I have only experienced a few times. It was the addicitve part of pool. When I'd hit that "dead stroke" I felt like NEO from the Matrix or something, where you suddenly realize you make your own limitations and it's really a simple game.

It was like a drug, once I had hit it the first time I chased it off and on for years, ruined semesters of school etc etc.

You play pool? You'll understand this one. I was a calculating, defensive player, or at least that's how I started. So to put myself under "match" pressure and force myself to run out (get more aggressive) I would "play the ghost". Break, take ball in hand and try to run out. It's simple, you miss you lose. 0-1 ghost.

I used to warm upfor maybe 45 minutes and then play sets against the ghost. Anytime I could stay ahead I was doing pretty good.

One night I didn't have much time, so I racked the balls, put the cues together and just kept score right from the beginning. I ran two, missed one, ran ten missed one and ran three. It took about an hour and half and I missed two balls, running ten in a row, total of 15-2.

I thought it was a fluke, but when I came back the next night I ran nine.

Ever play "one pocket"? Tough chess like game, first guy to run any 8 into his pocket wins. One game often takes over an hour. You alternate breaks like serving in tennis. the break moves balls towards your pocket and away from your opponent. Playing for some pennies one time I responded to a guys break by running out (rare) and then I broke, made a ball in my pocket (very rare) and ran out (also rare). 16 unanswered balls into one pocket, in about ten minutes.

I could see things about speed, angle, patterns etc, that I could never put into words. It was like a dream where you suddenly KNOW you can fly or breath under water. I've had it happen in tournaments or gambling too, and those are the times you try to hang onto the hardest in hopes of being able to summon at will. But it's like grabbing at smoke.

The "dead stroke stories" are legion. At "the Sands" back in the 90's Kim Davenport ran out so many he forgot the score, and walks back to the table ready to break again even though he just won the finals. Willie Mosconi ran over 500 on a stingy 8 footer, 20+ years into retirement!! Johnny Archer won the toss and ran 13 racks against Bustamonte for the cash.

Truly addictive stuff. I've had similar things happen in shooting, but shooting ia so active it's harder to stay in that meditative state once things go well. You're moving shooting and talking so it's tougher. At least for me down at my level.

I surely felt something like this the day I shot 105+ plates in a row, most at 25y. Oh what you must've been seeing for the "505"!!!

I had something like this back in January when I won a local over my GM Open buddy by a half a point. We put like 15%+ on the whole field. Things just seemed effortless, and fun but at the same time challenging.

Wish I could bottle it or find the switch....

[benos]

Eric,

16 unanswered balls into one pocket, in about ten minutes.

That I can't even comprehend. I played a little one pocket, but I was never good enough to enjoy it.

I've had it happen in tournaments or gambling too, and those are the times you try to hang onto the hardest in hopes of being able to summon at will. But it's like grabbing at smoke.

I surely felt something like this the day I shot 105+ plates in a row, most at 25y. Oh what you must've been seeing for the "505"!!!

I was so immersed I wasn't aware of much other than the bullets hitting the targets.

No doubt = Confidence. I was sooo confident, there wasn't even confidence. Typing that summoned the memory, then that reminded me of the zen archery adage (paraphrasing): To the Zen Archer, there's no chance of missing the target because he is the target. That's what if felt like.

Wish I could bottle it or find the switch....

That's were the trouble begins.

We have to "create favorable conditions," then if we were thorough enough, the beauty will overtake us.

be

[dirtypool40]

clearly I am not ready to "snatch the pebble from your hand" but I appreciate the insights.

Gotta go do some one finger pushups on rice paper...

[Genghis]

GM's aren't magicians, but (to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke), "Any sufficiently advanced skill level is indistinguishable from magic."

That's a great one (I hadn't heard).

Here's the original: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."