This is really nothing compared to Matt's story, but at the time, it was every bit as important to me. I used to shoot 2-4 3D shoots a weekend when I was younger and not married in the early 90's. I managed to win quite a few local shoots. I took great pride in how hard I had worked on my shooting and the results of that hard work. However, the one thing I couldn't manage to do, was "clean" this particular 30 target course. It was less that 6 miles from my house, I shot it every weekend, but I just couldn't get it done. The guy that ran the place always made it more challenging than the other courses in the area, but still I felt like I should be able to do it.
Three of my buddies and I were shooting one Sat. morning and for once everything was going great. It was one of those days we all have when you just feel like you are doing everything right. I cleaned the first 15 without a problem and started off just as hot on the back 15. When we finally got to target 30, a sitting mountain lion, I needed to shoot a 10 for the 300 that I had been chasing on this course. The target was 32 yds. away, in the open, and I felt like it was a chip shot, big mistake. I didn't pick a spot, or do anything I normally do as part of my shot process. I simply drew, kind of put the pin on the target, and punched my release. The result, a big, fat 5! I could have screamed out loud.
That little mental error toought me a few very valuable lessons though.
Shoot every target as an individual target, not as a "stepping stone" to a pre-determined score.
Even "chip shots" warrant 100% concentration and attention to detail.
Once you have established a shot process, stick to it.
Like I said, I was younger and much more cocky. My slice of humble pie was bitter, but I choked it down. I did manage to go back two weeks later and shoot that 300, but it was with much more humility.
As a side note, I was shooting a 3-D course with a buddy yesterday, and when we came up to that same target, I told him that story. Then I proceeded to shoot a very ugly 8 on it. Maybe it's just that mountain lion target.
