In the search for the elusive holy grail of consistency in sporting clays, we often only look at results. We judge our progress by how close we came to getting a punch, or how well we were shooting till the next to last station. We look at how many targets we lost on the first two stations or any number of other situations.
We would do ourselves a favor if we’d take the time to just reflect on everything else going on in our lives, and how that just might influence how we shoot, or how we’re looking at our progress or lack thereof.
When we look at reflection as a process that enables us to take time out and check in with our progress as an athlete, then we’re able to separate the highs and lows in performances and keep our perspectives focused on the long-term goals, and be less affected by both good or poor performances.
As a shooter, you’re bombarded with $10 worth of free advice from your shooting buddies, or after you read the latest article about the mental game. Because everyone knows as soon as you have shot in the low 80’s then your problems are all mental. To continue improving, you must be able to know and interpret all the data in your shooting history to grow and develop, and appreciate how far you’ve come and why.
Periodic reflection has a way of creating harmony in your complete person: mind, body, and inner spirit. Like our friend and All-American client said, “You got to have your family life, your business life, and your personal life in order to be able to be all there on tournament day!”
There will inevitably be things that come into your life that you don’t really notice, and these affect your priorities. In the end, your performance is a result of your priorities, not your abilities. Your performances will have ups and downs and periodic fluctuations, and much can be gained by simply reflecting on what is going on in your life away from shooting! You should work to have a continuing understanding of the relationship between your personal and athletic lives.
Ask yourself these types of questions:
1. Have you had an increase in financial responsibility?
2. Has there been a death or a loss of a close relationship?
3. Has your social life taken on new dimensions?
4. Has your family grown, bringing an increase in responsibility?
5. Have you become involved with new interests or hobbies?
6. Have you experienced unusual stress at work or home?
7. Have you had any weight gain or loss?
8. Has your interest in sports changed in any way?
9. Have you been excessively ill or injured?
10. Have you experienced changes in sleep patterns?
Answering “yes” to one or more of these questions could suggest that your personal life is affecting your physical capabilities and your attitude toward your sport.
It will help for you to know and be comfortable with where you are, where you came from and where you’re going. This means that you must adjust your goals, both long-term and short-term, to be able to eliminate the frustration that inevitably comes from stagnation in performance.
Perhaps the biggest thing for your shooting is that, upon reflection, you won’t try to fix something that’s not broken!
Everyone wants to get better, but few, if any, are willing to put in the time to actually make a positive difference in their results. They keep wishing they could shoot better scores and become more consistent. But more often than not, when we do a 25 or 50-minute phone consultation and begin asking the above questions, our clients become aware of just how much their priorities play a role in their ability to perform on the sporting course.
So, before you go out and buy a new Krieghoff or new chokes or glasses check in with your priorities. You might find that things are not quite as bad as they first appeared.
