On The Firing Line
Impossible? I’m Possible!
We face many obstacles along the journey towards ultimate performance. Many obstacles come in expected ways and from expected places. Some obstacles come in unexpected ways and from unexpected plac- es. There is a third source of obstacles — and this catch- es us by surprise. The obsta- cles that cause us the most problem are the ones that originate inside ourselves. Usually when I ask a
young athlete or group of athletes
what is holding
them back in their shoot- LQJ WKH W\SLFDO DQVZHUV DUH KHDUG 3RVLWLRQV FHUWDLQ JXQV RU HYHQWV KROG WULJJHU LQJ ´PHQWDO JDPHµ ZKDW ever that is — it’s like saying “physical game” — whatever WKDW LV
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5HFHQWO\ , KHDUG D YHU\ GLI IHUHQW VHW RI DQVZHUV FRP LQJ LQ UDSLG À UH VXFFHVVLRQ from an exceptional group of young athletes. Here is their list: • Ego • Laziness • Passiveness • Worry about failure • Impatience • 1R FRQÀ GHQFH • Staying in comfort zone • Trying too hard for results
• Worry about score and outcome
• Worry about what other people think
• Fear of failure 58 What a remarkable list
for such young athletes! We FRXOG ZULWH D EORJ SRVW RU DQ HQWLUH ERRN FKDSWHU RQ HDFK of these topics. Elite ath- letes know the importance RI WKHVH WRSLFV DQG PDQ\ RWKHU UHODWHG LVVXHV VR LW is good that this group is already learning about and working in these areas. Too many athletes fall
short of their goals and dreams because they do not overcome these obstacles. They feel that the goal is im- SRVVLEOH ,QVWHDG WKH\ QHHG to think “I’m Possible!” and ZRUN WKURXJK WKH SDLQ IHDU IUXVWUDWLRQ DQG DOO WKH RWKHU challenges they face. Are
you committed to
your goals and plans or only involved in them? Are you committed to your
work and effort or only in- volved and therefore merely going through the motions? Are
you committed to
your self-improvement or only involved? It is easy to say we want
to achieve something or that we want to do some- thing. That which has value also has a cost. How often do we make the investment QHHGHG" 'R ZH GR WKH ZRUN and make the effort or do we just go through the motions? $IWHU DOO PRVW SHRSOH ZLOO QRW JR WR WKRVH H[WUHPHV and they ridicule us if we do. That allows them to feel EHWWHU DERXW WKHPVHOYHV
USA Shooting News | March 2016
because we are no longer H[FHOOLQJ SDVW WKHP \HW LW LV at our expense because it holds us back from what we WUXO\ ZDQW WR DFKLHYH 'R ZH ZDQW WR À W LQ RU GR ZH ZDQW to stick out and excel? 7RR RIWHQ ZH DUH LQ
volved in doing something yet we do not fully com- mit. What is the difference between involvement and commitment? Consider the bacon and eggs breakfast. The chicken is only involved. 7KH SLJ RQ WKH RWKHU KDQG is committed. +DSSLO\ ZH GR QRW KDYH
to commit to the level of the pig to enjoy and excel in RXU DFWLYLWLHV <HW ZH PXVW JR IDU EH\RQG LQYROYHPHQW take personal ownership for our own happiness and suc- cess and commit to what we are doing. 7KLV YLGHR ´%H %OLQG µ (
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=aYrmKlAR0g0) speaks to these and related topics. Turn up the volume (don’t hur
(don’t hurt your ears or dis- turb other
Then p a few
times and listen again on’t catch it
or dis-
turb others) and listen – ally listen – o the narration. it again a f
and listen – re-
ally listen – to the narration. Then playlay it
times and listen again and ou
WKH À UVW WLPH RU WZR EHFDXVH the images will distract images will you.
distract How hard are you
willing to work? How much are you willing to work? How
again. You won’t catch it all VW
much are you willing to push yourself? How adaptable are you to working on the right things in the right way at the right time? How hard are you ZRUNLQJ RQ À QGLQJ WKH ULJKW high performance coaches? Where are your priorities? Is your focus on the important things or the easy things? Believe that “I’m Pos- sible!” and commit to your journey of learning and work!
area,
%DVHG LQ WKH $WODQWD *D JP O’Connor (email:
MSRF#DFP RUJ and blog: http:// MSRFRQQRU ZRUGSUHVV FRP ) is involved in shooting as a com- SHWLWRU RIÀ FLDO DQG FRDFK +H LV D IRUPHU $VVLVWDQW 1DWLRQDO &RDFK
² 86$ 3DUDO\PSLFV
6KRRWLQJ 7HDP DQG ,66) -XGJH VHUYHV RQ WKH 1DWLRQDO &RDFK 'HYHORSPHQW 6WDII LQ ERWK ULÁ H & pistol, and is Coach Emeritus RI WKH 1&$$ ULÁ H DQG LQWHUFROOH giate pistol teams at the Univer- VLW\ RI 1RUWK *HRUJLD +H HQMR\V working with a number of pistol DQG ULÁ H DWKOHWHV DQG MXQLRU club teams from around the country,
ranging DW from begin-
ners to the highly advanced, in training sessions, clin- ics, and one-on-one SULYDWH FRDFKLQJ
By JP O’Connor
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