Same Performance, Not The Same Feeling

[Ben Stoeger]

Ok I just got back from shooting. It was my second practice in as many days.

I was working with just one target. I feel I need to back away from multiple target hoser type drills for awhile. Here is the odd part, Yesterday I was shooting pretty well. I felt I broke some new ground. I left the range damn near elated.

Today, I shot just about the same. I didn't feel so much like I was breaking ground, but I still shot very solidly. I left the range feeling dissapointed and unhappy.

Yesterday I FELT great

Today, I FEEL crappy

I can't see any reason for why I feel so low today. Its not like I was Totally screwing up or anything like that.

The Question:

Whats going on here? How do I stop this negative feeling?

[Duane Thomas]

Realize you're going to have those moments when you feel your shooting has reached a new level, and they'll probably be followed a corresponding slip back to your normal performance. The "next level" experience is a glimpse of your potential, given you as a kind of preview of what will happen if you just stick with it. Don't get discouraged, stay with the program, and eventually the level of performance you experienced only for a bit will become your norm. (And then you can start the sequence all over again at a higher level. )

[ScottQ]

I've noticed that when I'm feeling confident and good about my shooting, I tend to shoot poorly. That of course tends to put me in a bad mood, which, oddly enough, seems to improve my shooting. And those times when I'm able to just put my mind on coast and let the shooting happen, I shoot the best.

From what I read, this is hardly unique, but what are some good suggestions to try to start each stage with the "mind neutral" mode that seems to perform the best?

Scott

[Loves2Shoot]

Most people don't need to practice the hoser stuff. It may have a high fun factor, but the tedium of practicing precision at varying speeds is much more boring. It is also a much more honest measurement of skill, that can be depressing, but realize that ANYONE who is any good has experienced the exact same thing.

I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to. When shooting gets depressing I dump a couple mags full auto in the general direction of a few targets just for fun, imagining that maybe someday I could dump them that fast and hit all A's. If you lose hope, what do you have?

If you ain't gettin' paid you'de better enjoy doing the work That my friend is up to you to figure out for you.