The Temptation to Compare

[Calamity Jane]

I've been training. I did some time trial stuff and compared it to last year's data. The verdict....I'm a better shooter than I was this time last year

The itch to ask others what they can do so that I can compare my times with theirs is pretty strong. I'm fighting that temptation because I know what others can do has nothing to do with me. To compare myself with others is limiting.

Time is limiting. Let go of time. Keep shooting. Keep training. Let the shooting define itself. Don't try to define the shooting.

Sorry...that is my mantra to keep me on track

[AlamoShooter]

Look for the Joy

[Al Capizzo]

Look for the Joy

Now thats good (and inclusive) advice!

[megathumpzilla]

thanks.

Tricky trap but very easy .

[matt2ace]

It took me a long time to learn that the only person I should compete against is myself. Keeping a log of dry-fire par times and live-fire times/splits helps me understand how well (or not) I am progressing with my skills.

At matches, I stopped comparing (or even caring) about times run by others........they mean nothing towards my performance and only distract my mental focus (dot on target, call shot, shoot As, smooth movement).

[LPatterson]

Jane, I would like to take you back to something you once wrote.

[There is no speed. Speed does not exisit. Only what I see exisits. I see what I can see.

What I see is what is. If I want more I need to see more.]

You are a single individual who can best decide what you are capable of at any given moment. When you start to compare yourself to someone else then you are no longer an individual but are trying to become a copy of someone else. You have stated that you are ahead of last years data so that is what you should continue to stress, your individual improvement not what someone else did.

[Blueridge]

I can see what people are getting at, but I don't quite agree with the overall idea.

You should focus on improving your personal abilities, irrespective of others. That said you need to work towards something and looking at what others have done allows you to create goals for yourself.

You don't live in a vacuum, and ignoring what those aound you accomplish is like sticking your head in the sand. You shoot for yourself, but you compete with others.

I shoot revolver in USPSA & IDPA competition. In doing so I have markedly improved my skills with revolvers and autos. My goal to improve is based on my skills alone, but I endeavour to surpass as many fellow shooters possible in competition. You can go to the range and improve your skills without competition, but to compete well you have to hone your skills equal or better than others.

Should you worry about others being better than you? No you should not. You should however find something that drives you to continue to improve. Often the easiest thing to do that is competition with others.

Edited March 14, 2009 by Blueridge

[benos]

Some years ago, in my notebook I started a "mental disease" list. At the top of the list is comparison.

Especially comparing myself with someone else to in any way justify or condone my behavior.

At that moment (started the list) it all dawned on me so clearly. I realized not only what a continuous waste of mental energy comparing is, and also the fact that comparison itself prevents personal change. If I'm consumed by what I "think" or want to be - I'm not focused on what I actually am. Or in other words, change comes from self-knowledge, not an idea.

be

[Seth]

I'm a MUCH faster, more accurate shooter the less I pay attention to other shooters times and HFs. I've made enough progress in the last 6 months to be able to keep up with better shooters IF I shoot my game. I've been studying my scores, times, and HFs for a while and I made copious notes on how I shoot at each match. Each and every time I have my awareness tuned up, I shoot much more predictably and a whole lot better. When I TRY, I fail.

[Calamity Jane]

Some years ago, in my notebook I started a "mental disease" list. At the top of the list is comparison.

Especially comparing myself with someone else to in any way justify or condone my behavior.

At that moment (started the list) it all dawned on me so clearly. I realized not only what a continuous waste of mental energy comparing is, and also the fact that comparison itself prevents personal change. If I'm consumed by what I "think" or want to be - I'm not focused on what I actually am. Or in other words, change comes from self-knowledge, not an idea.

be

What if we looked at ourselves like we look at the shot. Quite minds, no judgement, just seeing what actually is and accepting it.

The no judgement part is the hardest for me. The moment I judge or compare is the same moment I stagnate my growth of becoming who I am. I'm trying really hard to avoid that. I don't want any bookends on my becoming

[AlamoShooter]

Some years ago, in my notebook I started a "mental disease" list. At the top of the list is comparison.

The no judgement part is the hardest for me. The moment I judge or compare is the same moment I stagnate my growth of becoming who I am. I'm trying really hard to avoid that. I don't want any bookends on my becoming

I read your words "Trying really Hard" "Avoid"

B class shooter Avoid no shoot, master class shooters ....Shoot for the available scoring zone.

This is one place that better shooting = better life participation.

One basic trick is to go so far out side you find your way IN.

Immerse your self in comparing immerse your self in Judging. do it so much it sickens you. Do it with how you type the key board how you read the lines on the computer screen and thin go back and read it again. Criticize each and every movement rite down to brushing your teeth and chewing your food Do it for several hrs until it reveals its self as a sickness. and when you get sick of it .......Don't do it.

[Chills1994]

I'm up at this late hour and was watching Fox news channel's Red Eye. It's kind of a funny show at 2 to 3 o'clock in the morning.

They had Dr. Drew Pinsky on (the Dr. Drew who was paired up with Adam Corolla for the longest time for that phone in sex question radio talk show).

Dr. Drew was plugging his new book, "The Mirror Effect". He was talking about how narcissistic American society has become. He then went on to say that this narcissim is what leads you to compare yourself to/against other people and that leads to envy.

He didn't go much farther than that, but if you so happen to be of a religious bent, envy has all sorts of other implications.

Anywhooo.... some food for thought.

As far as comparing your past performance to your current performance, I think that's a good idea.

I can look at my posercam videos from say the 2007 Badlands IDPA match and compare them to the 2007 MO USPSA Fall Classic vids... well, I am almost embarassed by the Badlands IDPA match vids. I won't say my performance between those two matches increased by leaps and bounds, but pretty close.

It gives me an idea of how far I have come... and how far I have to go.

[Phil Dunlop]

I hate shooting any of the accepted drills or classifiers because of my inabilty to step over comparison, before I've found the sights, the acceptable cadence has intercepted performance more often than not

[Calamity Jane]

What happens when comparison leads to feeling superior?

Pride.

I'm trying to avoid pride.

Pride is self limiting.

When I say "trying to avoid"...that means I'm dealing with a spiritual/mental/emotional strategy to keep myself from pride. It's not wishful thinking...it has an action plan attached to it.

[Jake Di Vita]

I don't think pride is really a bad thing. Arrogance is pride's evil twin.

[Seth]

I agree with Jake. Pride is an expression of satisfaction from a job well done. If I can't feel good about positive results from hard work, what's the point?

[AlamoShooter]

What happens when comparison leads to feeling superior?

Pride.

I'm trying to avoid pride.

Pride is self limiting.

When I say "trying to avoid"...that means I'm dealing with a spiritual/mental/emotional strategy to keep myself from pride. It's not wishful thinking...it has an action plan attached to it.

Sounds good, I like what Jake said too.

Them Darn Emotions held me back for years, I can tell in the past few years that as my Emotions are removed from the shooting my Joy increases.

For me removing the emotional part from the shooting lets me get closer to my potential.

[badchad]

I agree with Jake. Pride is an expression of satisfaction from a job well done. If I can't feel good about positive results from hard work, what's the point?

+2. Reminds me of one of my favorite Schopenhauer quotes:

“No doubt when modesty was made a virtue, it was a very advantageous thing for the fools; for everybody is expected to speak of himself as if he were one.”

[benos]

I agree with Jake. Pride is an expression of satisfaction from a job well done. If I can't feel good about positive results from hard work, what's the point?

To me, more and more, the point is in the doing. I feel cleaner at the end of the day.

be

[Seth]

I separate pride in accomplishment from the task. If I approach a task boastfully, my ego probably will get in the way of my results. I say probably, because I do believe that success begets success - sometimes just walking in with a swagger is enough to get the job done! However, I have recently experienced the opposite and approached a task with too much bravado -- ending in complete disaster. I couldn't get past myself to be aware of the work that needed to be accomplished.

If, over time, I'm working hard, making progress and feeling a sense of accomplishment, then the more I believe in my skill, the more skillfully I'm able to act. Any lingering doubt which might otherwise obscure my view is pushed aside. The end result is that when I approach a task, my mental state is not encumbered by doubt, so all I have to do is open my awareness and execute.

When I was rock crawling (seriously) competitively, there was a point where the car and I were dancing. I was so confident in my ability to make the machine move that each obstacle it encountered was another dance partner. I was aware of each sound, each movement, and ultimately could feel traction through the cars steering wheel, pedals and seat. Traction, in that game, equate to completion of task.

The correlation between driving and shooting for me is awareness of sensory input. As a driver, I had a base level of skill and confidence in that skill that let me be aware of the input the car was receiving. As a shooter, I have not developed that baseline yet. My awareness is sometimes turned up o everything and sometimes is very detail task oriented. And frankly, sometimes, its just plain turned off.

I am temporarily boosted by each success. That little boost is the energy I use to continue working for more success. The feeling of pride in accomplishment is the fuel for continued work.

Seth (degree in Philosophy FINALLY getting put to use :lol: :lol: )

[Calamity Jane]

I agree with Jake. Pride is an expression of satisfaction from a job well done. If I can't feel good about positive results from hard work, what's the point?

To me, more and more, the point is in the doing. I feel cleaner at the end of the day.

be

And the doing is done without judgement, boundries, expectations, etc....

Just be...

Just do...

Just experience...

Let go....

Let what is....define itself

Speaking of doing....I'm done talking. I've got it straight in my head and that's what really matters.

[Early IPSC'er]

I've been training. I did some time trial stuff and compared it to last year's data. The verdict....I'm a better shooter than I was this time last year

...perhaps "comparing" and arriving at a "verdict" are seperate concepts. Comparing can be objective measurement, a "verdict" is however a judgement.

The itch to ask others what they can do so that I can compare my times with theirs is pretty strong. I'm fighting that temptation because I know what others can do has nothing to do with me. To compare myself with others is limiting.

...although a trite and cliche example....popular wisdom said that it was physically impossible to run a mile in under 4 minutes---once it was done, it was done by many in a short time. The "comparison" in that case wasn't "limiting" but expanding, was it not???

Time is limiting. Let go of time. Keep shooting. Keep training. Let the shooting define itself. Don't try to define the shooting.

...although passe to you current competitors, it never hurts to keep an historical perspective, to wit---the roots of your/our activity go back to the Big Bear Leatherslaps which were all mano-a-mano. In this case there was no objective measurement apart from comparison. Even at the 1979 IPSC Nationals, we Section Coordinators had to petition Jeff Cooper to seperate the shoot off from the other events. His idea was that the entire match was only a precursor to dictate who would be allowed to compete in the man against man shootoff, and that the shootoff would ALONE determine the national champion. Had that not taken place, Mickey Fowler would not have been the 1979 champion.

I guess my point is that comparison is not in and of itself counter to growth, developement or the zen of shooting. Assessing and judgement based on that comparison may be however.

JMO.

[Pittbug]

I still have a long way to go (just qualified C in L10), but I think comparison is natural and healthy for someone at my level. I like to use it as a tool to help me understand how much more work I have to do and where I should set my goals.

When I compare my times against established shooters, and then beat them, I get a kick, that's the reward for me. Comparison is the competitive spirit defined.

Comparing my own training times against previous stats is just one data point and only helps me understand how much I've improved in a given time period. But since I compete against other people, then I have to compare myself with others to know where I am in the field. Ideally I want to improve at a greater rate than everyone else I'm competing against. That's the only way I'm going to win.

Perhaps at some point, I may change my opinion as my needs and goals change, but for now I like to compare.

[Chills1994]

Jake wrote:

I don't think pride is really a bad thing. Arrogance is pride's evil twin.

I agree on the arrogance thing, which is what I think was really being referred to with this next line:

Pride comes before the fall.

If you are being arrogant and you think you are on your way up, well that just puts people off...so another good saying is:

Be nice to people on your way up the ladder. You just never know. You might meet them on the way back down.

[Fergus]

I am relatively new to the sport and find myself at times in an information void. By that I mean asking myself what is a fast reload, target transition, or split and not knowing what the answer is for production or standard which are the two divisions I shoot in. So gleaning information on what others are doing helps fill the void and helps me set realistic goals for a given month / year or event that I'm going to take part in.

So go ahead and dare to compare; use the information wisely such that personal goals you set are realistic and challenging. You can feel good about your own progress without having to look else where.