Positive affirmation statements

[FlightyRachel]

I do tend to shoot quickly, manily to avoid the situation of being one of the last on the line. I failed to avoid it this week (with my new bow!) and was in agonies with all those eyes on my technique! You've really given me some food for thought, though, Geoff, thank you.

Rachel
PS I can spell clarify really, I just type too fast.

[geoffretired]

One of the things to think about for next time goes like this; what would I like "them" to see when they watch me shoot the next arrow? Picture the shot as seen by " them". Now do it like that!
Your actual shot may, or may not, be an exact copy, but....... the important thing is you got your mind on the next shot ; not the one before!!
I cant speel poperly eyether wn I tipe two farst.
I dont wurie about it coz life's to shot.
I hav bin told by thoz that no that my speeling is geting mitch batter. Thatz positive thniking for you! Soon I won't need spell checker??

[clickerati]

I've purposefully avoided this thread probably because I have no positive affirmations about myself (hold your tongue, Murray). I know I'm crap, so I just laugh when I shoot poorly. But being glass-half-empty is good sometimes because when you DO shoot well, it's a pleasant surprise! If you know you're always going to shoot well and you DO, I imagine that could get boring after awhile.

Right, now onto the REAL reason I avoided this thread...the title reminds me of a Saturday Night Live sketch called "Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley". He says it more for himself than for anyone else, but he does try to help people in a misguided way. He tells you to look in the mirror and say:

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me!

Of course, then he upsets himself and says something like:

I'm going to die homeless, penniless, and 30 pounds overweight...and that's...okay.


I know most of you won't get it, but it makes me laugh. My own inside joke, I guess. Sorry for the distraction, now we can get back on topic...

[FlightyRachel]

Originally Posted by geoffretired

One of the things to think about for next time goes like this; what would I like "them" to see when they watch me shoot the next arrow? Picture the shot as seen by " them". Now do it like that!
Your actual shot may, or may not, be an exact copy, but....... the important thing is you got your mind on the next shot ; not the one before!!
I cant speel poperly eyether wn I tipe two farst.
I dont wurie about it coz life's to shot.
I hav bin told by thoz that no that my speeling is geting mitch batter. Thatz positive thniking for you! Soon I won't need spell checker??

I'm going to try it! I'll let you know how I get on.

Rachel

[FlightyRachel]

Originally Posted by clickerati

I've purposefully avoided this thread probably because I have no positive affirmations about myself (hold your tongue, Murray). I know I'm crap, so I just laugh when I shoot poorly. But being glass-half-empty is good sometimes because when you DO shoot well, it's a pleasant surprise! If you know you're always going to shoot well and you DO, I imagine that could get boring after awhile.

Right, now onto the REAL reason I avoided this thread...the title reminds me of a Saturday Night Live sketch called "Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley". He says it more for himself than for anyone else, but he does try to help people in a misguided way. He tells you to look in the mirror and say:

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me!

Of course, then he upsets himself and says something like:

I'm going to die homeless, penniless, and 30 pounds overweight...and that's...okay.


I know most of you won't get it, but it makes me laugh. My own inside joke, I guess. Sorry for the distraction, now we can get back on topic...

Moral of that is, NEVER look in the mirror...

I think maybe it's a girl thing. The men beginners seem to be much better at taking their time (and feeling they have every right in the world to spend as long as they like on that line)! Us girls are just so sweet and unassuming...

Rachel

[LineCutter]

Originally Posted by FlightyRachel

Moral of that is, NEVER look in the mirror...

I think maybe it's a girl thing. The men beginners seem to be much better at taking their time (and feeling they have every right in the world to spend as long as they like on that line)! Us girls are just so sweet and unassuming...

Rachel

<sexist> I'd always understood that it was the looking in the mirror that makes you girls take so long </sexist>

On a more positive note, nobody said that your mental rehearsal has to take place in real time. There are times when I need to take a big breath & calm down before a shot, then again there are times when a mental "safety check" can get done in the time it takes to nock the arrow & get to pre-draw while on auto-pilot. If you trawl around the postings here you'll also find that people rehearse their loose/follow through while at full draw, to get it right.

Then again (at yet another tangent) there are times when the auto pilot is better than anything conscious... maybe you just need to do what's right for you at the time.

[Thunk]

Originally Posted by geoffretired

I know a lot of beginners who look at positive thinking as some sort of nonesense. For them, a better technique is what they feel they need. There seems to be some logic in that, too.

I quite agree, Geoff. To get to good technique from a position of bad technique requires a thought process that is mutually exclusive with negative thinking. Accentuating the positive cannot start too soon, even if at the beginning it is only related to one part of the shot cycle.

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by LineCutter

<sexist> I'd always understood that it was the looking in the mirror that makes you girls take so long </sexist>

Ever been beaten up by a girl??? Your time is coming if I find my way down to Daarsit!!

As you all know, I'm sweet and unassuming, but I take my time on the line. I have the same mentality shooting arrows as I do shooting a camera. I have a conversation with myself about the set up, holding steady, waiting for the right moment and then "firing".

Simple, Jim!

[Purple Hugs]

Originally Posted by FlightyRachel

What an interesting topic. As a beginner, I have to say that I feel far too embarrassed to do any of the psyching up that I see people doing on the shooting line. That's not because I don't believe it works or think it's 'nonsense' but I just think how silly I'll look if I stand for ages in a zen trance then fire three arrows into the wrong target. Which probably proves I suffer from negative thinking... I have had evenings when everything seems to flow and you just know it's going to go right. How to bottle that feeling eh? (Better clafiry, I do mean evenings shooting!)

I did get trapped in a nightmare of negativity at a handicap shoot, and it was awful. I was utterly convinced that I would come last, and I did.

Rachel

I've also found this thread interesting..

One thing to remember though.. is someone has to come last!

I'm certainly going to remember to take time to believe in myself as well as working on my form.

[chris]

Originally Posted by Purple Hugs

I've also found this thread interesting..

One thing to remember though.. is someone has to come last!

I'm certainly going to remember to take time to believe in myself as well as working on my form.

yup some one has to come last, its usualy me but not nessaseraly cos i am crap, just happy to do as i feel nessasery at the time.
archery is an interest and a passtime not something to get stressed over ,
i often used to come last on a ride out not cos i couldnt keep up but (usualy becouse i could keep an eye on the new riders at the back and "they" wouldnt be last
chris