Listen!

[benos]

The first screw up that comes to mind happened to me at the Bianchi Cup. I don't remember what year, but I wasn't a rookie by any sense of the imagination.

This was the first year they implemented the "no-dry-firing" rule, for the Mover only. To save time of course. I walked up to the 10 yd line to prepare to shoot the Mover. Well, as the RO was giving me the last second instructions as I was in the box, I was so concerned with "being ready" that I remember the RO's voice as if in a dream saying that you weren't allowed to dry fire. He asked if I had any questions. I said no as I proceeded to whip out my revolver and started clicking away frantically at a imaginary passing moving target. After about 6 clicks I realized what I was doing and went into an immediate panic attack. I hurriedly loaded my revolver and signalled for the target in hopes of getting started before they could DQ me. Of course I shot like total crap as all I could think of was if I was going to be DQ'd after the stage was finished by an overzealous range officer who just happened to witness the whole thing.

Moral of the story (for me) -  Don't worry too much, don't take anything for granted, and pay attention at all times.

be

[Patrick Sweeney]

I learned that lesson for the first time soon after I caught the notice of my Master Instructor in Tae Kwon Do. He put it this way:  "If you are thinkign about what you're going to do, you aren't paying attention to what he's doing."

It works in debate, in martial arts, and shooting.  If you're so intent on figuring how you're going to deal with a stage that you miss an important detail of the walk-through, then your score is going to suck.