If you’re struggling with your shooting skills, you need to check out Joel Turner and his Shot IQ process. The dude is a wealth of information. Below he shares a solid word on thinking through the shot process.
“Thoughts aren’t thinking.”
What a profound statement.
These words were told to me by my good friend, Ben Maher, on a recent hunt in New Zealand. He uses this statement on a regular basis while supervising the many employees that are under his watchful eye. This statement struck me with such authority, that I now apply it to nearly everything I do and teach.
Let’s dissect this statement as it refers to an archery or firearms shot.
Your thoughts are what you hear, your thinking is what you say. Most people shoot their shots with thoughts alone. They may sound like, “Geez, I’m really shaky, why can’t I get my pin on the target, or don’t punch the trigger.”
Those are thoughts. They are not thinking.
We are all going to have thoughts, especially during high stress events like hunting or tournaments. However, we must be able to differentiate thoughts from thinking. When we find ourselves in thought, especially negative thought, we must override those thoughts with thinking.
How do we do that, you may ask?
Remember, thoughts are what you hear, thinking is what you SAY. Thinking is rooted in speech or language. So, if you find yourself having thoughts about your aim, change that into thinking about more important things like your shot activation movement by self instruction.
Not self talk, but SELF INSTRUCTION. They are not the same. Self talk can sometimes be negative. Self instruction is a script towards an outcome.
What you say must be louder in your head than what you hear.
Said another way, your thinking must be louder than your thoughts. “Oh my gosh, that’s a huge buck,” must be overridden by, “Draw and aim, address the trigger, HERE I GO, PPPPPPUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLL.”
Let’s start thinking through these critical moments in a very organized manner. Understanding the Mental Game Equation of knowing when, where, and how to direct your conscious mind into a specific task at a specific moment is the key to your control.
Not only can you experience control in your shooting, but your life as well.
Find out more about the science of shot control here.
