Mushki25 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 I have been shooting IDPA for a few years and have constantly struggled, shooting below my abilities, at majors. I let every little questionable call, dropped shot, etc. bother me. Yesterday I shot my first USPSA major and had a fairly good match. I just wanted to enjoy the match and have fun. Honestly could have done better on a few of the stages. I did not carry over the mistakes to the next stage. I stayed happy and loose and it really helped. I just wanted to share this for anyone who also struggles letting expectations not met drag down an otherwise good match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacB Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 This mindset is contagious. It's so much easier to shoot on a squad of people that can remain optimistic. When the group can remain positive, everyone seems to shoot better. I know that I try to squad with people that have records of being able to move on after a tough stage, and avoid the ones that throw fits when they tank a stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tattooo Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 It is so true, if you carry that disappointment with you between stages it ruins your whole mindset and you shoot like crap. I have been guilty of this myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickT Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 My wife and I both shoot SC and practice quite a bit. Our ceiling is age-limited, but we're competitive, simply wanting to shoot our best and continue to get a bit better. Let's just say she "puts up with me" when I get down and helps to pull me out of it. These sports take so much concentration and it's difficult to maintain that for us normal folk string after string, stage after stage, match after match, but you've got to enjoy the small victories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impact Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 To me it also helped to write down things that bothered me on particular stages. For example if I screwed up hitting a activator popper but moved on, screwing up the whole timing i would write down "practice calling your shots on important (steel) targets" on a small notebook i got in my rangebag, and forget about it. From the head to the paper, so I can focus on the next stage. After the match there's plenty of time to think about what went wrong and how to adress that in training. Also enjoying the match is a good attitude to have, I guess. After all, there's not much you can do at a match to get better. You trained what you trained, you're at where you're at, you hopefully done your homework and you have to use the skillset that you developed in practice. Just shoot at your ability level, and when something bothers you fix it in training after the match. I think nobody ever will have a feeling like "today I made absolutely no mistakes and shot better than I ever expected to. There was nothing that I could have done better". If you can't enjoy it, why are you doing it anyways? To prove something? To impress people? To seek appreciation? Do it for yourself, not for others. Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday and try to improve babysteps at a time. It will sum up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Part_time_redneck Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Your attitude is one of the things you can control. A good attitude is one of the most beneficial things to have in your arsenal, IMHO. The alternatives, crying, whining, complaining, moaning are only detrimental to you. Common knowledge but still a path a lot of guys take. From "Golf is not a game of perfect" - Positive thinking works about half the time. Negative thinking is almost 100% effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
191138sc Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 On 9/11/2017 at 10:12 AM, IsaacB said: This mindset is contagious. It's so much easier to shoot on a squad of people that can remain optimistic. When the group can remain positive, everyone seems to shoot better. I know that I try to squad with people that have records of being able to move on after a tough stage, and avoid the ones that throw fits when they tank a stage +1 For squadding with shooters that have a positive outlook. Even when dealing with difficult stages they constantly try to figure out how to shoot it rather than complain. Great lesson learned for a new shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Scientist Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 I need to remember this. I get so frustrated by little mistakes, coming in last, blowing a stage--its even stopped me from going shooting sometimes. And the worst day shooting is better than the best day at home depressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 My worst day at the range was better than most other days, NOT at the range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piracy85 Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 A positive attitude is a must. I try to stay laid back and positive at all of my matches. It has opened up a lot of opportunities to me. +1 for the OP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzShooter Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 "Don't let the little things bother you." They are all little things. I see things that would really upset me at the range years ago.. People are not perfect so I have learned to just live with the little inconvenient things that pop up. It's not like we are shooting for $1,000,000 bucks after all. And I've learned to WALK AWAY when I see someone that is holier than thou on the range. It's taken me a long time. but nothing seems to bother me at a match these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 19 minutes ago, AzShooter said: "Don't let the little things bother you." They are all little things. I see things that would really upset me at the range years ago.. People are not perfect so I have learned to just live with the little inconvenient things that pop up. It's not like we are shooting for $1,000,000 bucks after all. And I've learned to WALK AWAY when I see someone that is holier than thou on the range. It's taken me a long time. but nothing seems to bother me at a match these days. So, to sum up...Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knguyen1904 Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Took me a while to not dwell on my mistakes but I learned a clear mind is key in order for success. Don’t get me wrong I still suck but Ive learned the sooner you put it behind you the better you’ll perform. But yea whenever something did go wrong during a stage it would always cause me to try and do something heroic during that same stage or the next. And as we know and have all probably learned first hand that never works out how you want it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanks Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 As a friend of mine says: "Make your mistakes fearlessly and learn from them". A life without failures means a life without accomplishments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean91285 Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 the mental aspect is the toughest part of all shooting sports. I find that I have to constantly remind myself that the shot is allready gone you cant have it back move on to the next one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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