Shooter Grrl Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 Why are shooters so negative? Ask anyone at anytime during a match how they're doing, and they'll NEVER say they're doing awesome, or it's the best match of their lives, or they kicked ass - all you get in response is "Okay", or " I did a few right" or some other nonsense about their supposed mediocrity. I just don't get this! Why is it okay to pump up other people, but not ourselves? I had a great match today! I saw what was going on, shot them clean and was really smooth! Do I get kudos, oh no - cause I can't TELL anybody how great I did! So can some of you more experienced shooters shed some light on this phenomenon? Does it come from some old time school or what? K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 SG- I think what your experiencing is most often trying not to be conceited or a braggard. I think many people prefer to get pumped up from other peoples compliments, and not from complimenting themselves. And sometimes people come away from a stage not feeling like they shot their best, or didn't follow through with their game plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted August 26, 2001 Author Share Posted August 26, 2001 Actually not following their game plan is okay - the can say so. But how do the expect to get compliments if they don't say - I did great? There is a huge difference between bragging, being conceited, being HONEST and being positive - capiche? K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Dunlop Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 Thanks Shooter Girl, I just came home from our sunday match, with my head full of the negative stuff. One 40pt stage!! The rest was fine. You are right, self critisism is one thing, but being negative is another. I will learn this lesson. P.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 I know from past experience that those who do come off the range saying "I shot great, what an awesome match I had!" usually get treated like egoists. If you have a good match say so, who cares what others think. One other possibility is that because the will to win is strong, and ego sometimes stronger, shooters downplay their performance 'til they see the scores. Its like they are trying to avoid saying "I had a great match!" then finding out they didn't place as well as they would have liked. Bottom line is I think most of the problems we see at matches are created by ego's. You should shoot with my squad, we like to hae a good time, if someone has a great run, we say so, if it sucked we'll probably throw some good natured ribbing their way... but expect it back when its our turn...lol. Recently I was told that myself and other members of my squad are considered 'distracting' because we do have such a good time. Some people just take it waaaayyyyy too serious! If you do good, say so, if it didn't go well, say so, but no matter what HAVE FUN!!!! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenard Posted August 26, 2001 Share Posted August 26, 2001 Pat is right. Dont take the fun out of the game. If you dwell on the negatives, self doubt will ruin your performance. Small mistakes can be blown out of proportion. Soon you'll be burnt out. The squad I shoot with is just the opposite. It can be really competative ( sometimes downright vicious ), and most of the guys brag, lie, and try to talk trash,bully and intimidate each other. I guess that happens when guys whos egos are inversely proportional to the size of their brains are squaded together. But we actually like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted August 26, 2001 Author Share Posted August 26, 2001 So do any of you think this may be a guy vs grrl thing? I really think it should be okay "I did great" - and who cares if you won?? If you feel good, say so :-) I did today - and got some negativity, but I think it was done in fun! And when I placed in class, wonderful! But even had I not placed, I still felt GREAT about my performance. And told EVERYONE how good I did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 typically men do have bigger ego's..though I've met some women with sizable ones too. Egos that is.. If they can't handle it, who cares go enjoy yourself Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 I think it is the I shot it good but could have done better. We all go into the stage or match with an idea of how we want to shoot it. Rarely does it go exactly as planned. The Area 8 match was probably the hardest match I've seen, our squad had a great time and 6 of 8 of us placed and went to the prize table. We had a great time and everybody was telling each other how well they shot. I didn't hear one single guy say they couldn't have shot it better, we made mistakes and SH but we had a great time. Everyone wants to do their best. This is a game of making constant improvements. I've never shot a stage that I couldn't have done something better. I think thatis what you're seeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 Speaking of having fun, anyone ever try to "have fun" on a Trap field, or worse, at a Trap tournament? be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted August 27, 2001 Share Posted August 27, 2001 yup....they don't take well to it do they? Used to play on the trap field with my IPSC shotgun...rule was..if you don't smoke the bird and there are pieces falling, you gotta shoot them too...lots of fun but trap shooters treat you like the embodiment of evil! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 If I appear unhappy with my performance on a stage, it's because I shot well below my ability and/or made mistakes. And I make mistakes, however small, on at least 9 out of 10 stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 I also think one can look at the match as a whole, and regardless of your performance (on a stage, overall, whatever), you can still appreciate the match as a good one. Like yesterday, by stage 3 I realized I should have slept in; then I talked to a friend and heard everybody was eating it, even the GM. But in the end I feld like it was a really good match, because it was even pushing the masters to the edge. Even if you crash, shooting a well-constructed match is a good experience. BTW; came in 2nd in my class....behind a grrl....I was really happy for her..... .....and I also KICKED ASS on the last stage....that's always a good way to end a good match.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 I had the best IPSC match of my relatively short career yesterday. Since I started in May, I've always lost my focus on one of the early stages, made a dumb mistake and let that affect me for most or all of the rest of the match. For the last several matches, I've been trying to just flow through the stages and let my vision control my performance. Well, yesterday, for the first time I was relaxed enough to get through the first six stages (of 7) without a brainfart. Average accuracy for me, no noshoots or procedurals, and my usual slow times. But the best part was that I felt for the first time, that I might be beginning to know what I'm doing here. It's tough when you're coming from two or three stage IDPA matches to 5-7 (mostly fieldcourse) IPSC matches just to maintain the mental clarity and acuity for most of a day. I'm sure that battle isn't won yet, but hopefully over the next couple of months I can get more comfortable, both with the longer match days and with not letting a mistake affect on a stage affect me on the subsequent ones. P.S. Congragulations Shooter Grrl and Ron!! Well Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted August 28, 2001 Author Share Posted August 28, 2001 Good Job Nik! I was particularly impressed with the "seeing" thing. Specially after only mulling it over for a few days - the brain is a wonderful tool, but it can also be your worse enemy :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted August 28, 2001 Share Posted August 28, 2001 Pat, That was us (Robbie, Arnt, me, or Voigt), man, if looks could kill, we'd be long dead. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted September 1, 2001 Share Posted September 1, 2001 I ever shoot a "kick ass match" you all will be the first to know. (Edited by John Thompson at 7:54 am on Sep. 1, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted September 26, 2001 Author Share Posted September 26, 2001 Okay - I'm learning TONS with y'all. I now know the answer to this question!!!! I experienced it myself just this last weekend. I was at a match, and just did not feel "on". I knew I hadn't screwed up anything super bad, but just knew that it was not my best performance. So when asked how I did, I was honest and said that I felt slow and didn't think that I screwed up anything, but who knew. At the awards ceremony, they called my name for 3rd C. So basically, I got lucky :-0 The other shooters just had a worse day than I did. So now I understand completely the responses I got at the other match. (Edited by Shooter Grrl at 7:40 pm on Sep. 25, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 It is difficult to let go and do your best and then live with the results, some people try to soften the possible blow by minimizing others view of their performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Judging your performance and selfworth by the way you think others see you is the number one way to burn out , never have fun shooting, and never have peace and satisfaction in any personal endeavor in life. When someone you respect approves of what you did or how you perform that's great. But put it in perspective, I mean after all your competing against these people whom you think is going to be honest and unbiased to you. Feedback is a two edged sword that can destroy your confidence and set you into a tailspin that some people in sports and life can never come out of. (Edited by John Thompson at 12:17 pm on Sep. 26, 2001) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Well said Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonedaddy Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Whew! I thought I was the only one who felt like I sucked. This is good therapy. (but wait......maybe I do suck... and ....and....you guys are trying to......make me feel better about it...... so I won't see the need to improve...) AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted September 27, 2001 Author Share Posted September 27, 2001 Hey Sam, The one thing I think you can trust, is the people here on this forum :-) I've never dealt with a more brutally honest bunch of people in my life, and that's not necessarily a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 Want some really brutal honesty...head over to GlockTalk. It can get nasty over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted September 27, 2001 Author Share Posted September 27, 2001 I get enough nastiness reading the unofficial ipsc list, don't need anymore, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now