Maintaining Motivation and Mindset.

[GardoneVT]

Ive hit a bit of a rut with my shooting, mentally. Nowadays going to the range seems more like a trip to Stats class. I used to just take pure pride in shooting, but now it just seems like shooting is just another metric I need to work on. Perhaps this is a small exaggeration, but there are times ill handle my Springfield 1911 and take more pleasure simply clearing it then shooting 200 rounds through my HK VP9. I may leave the range having achieved better split times, but its a hollow victory as it just seems like another soulless tick on the spreadsheet.

Its to the point where Im considering going full Caleb and carrying revolvers just so id actually experience something new, instead of processing live ammo through my plastic bullet delivery system .Changing guns to either a 1911 or some other setup seems a step backwards in performance and an illogical choice given my personal defense needs-yet consistency has become boring.

How does one build skill in the tens of thousands when the very act of shooting becomes banal ?

[Jay Cunningham]

Try CMP or some other longer range rifle. It's something I'm thinking about trying.

[JV_]

How does one build skill in the tens of thousands when the very act of shooting becomes banal ?

Getting burned out is easy, it's a part of the cycle, at least it is for me. Leave the shot timer at home and find some fun new drills. Or, go pick up a 10-22 or something for plinking.

[TR675]

How does one build skill in the tens of thousands when the very act of shooting becomes banal ?

Competition is what I'm going to try next.

[Mr_White]

Yeah, competition is a good one for motivation. Usually people care how they do, and that motivates.

Trying something novel, whether technique or gear, frequently works to boost interest.

One thing I do, is throw to the wind the principle that you should practice what you are not good at, and do shooting things that are fun and make me feel good.

[NETim]

First of all, I don't like to look bad on the range, so I practice. Even if I screw up, I know I tried to prevent it.

And secondly, I've had enough conversations with that Aprill fella to know guys like this exist:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=C-iQldPiH64

[Alpha Sierra]

Go compete with your pistol. I recommend USPSA.

Sometimes, when I am burned out on the technical aspects of pistol and rifle shooting, I'll grab my decidedly non-tactical 1100 and go bust clay birds (skeet or sporting clays). It's a completely different focus and mechanic with ZERO "tactical" application, which makes it refreshing.

Precision rifle is another discipline to try, but the cost of entry is relatively steep and so is the learning curve. I cut my teeth shooting NRA Highpower Rifle, so the transition to scoped, bipod equipped rifles was relatively painless since I already knew quite a lot about the technical aspects of precision rifle shooting. I shudder to think at the confusion that someone who has never fired a rifle past 100 yards would be in for going whole hog. If this is the way you want to explore, a mentor is well advised.

[LOBO]

Take a new shooter to the range. It's a great experience for both parties involved, and I guarantee you'll leave the range with a smile.

[YVK]

Quite simply, take a break and do something else. Hit a gym, ride a bike, travel if time and money allows. Or just simply put down that gun. I personally find it a better choice for myself, and I end up doing it, albeit with some external help, every six months or so.

[David Armstrong]

Back when I shot a lot, often 1-2K rounds a week if not more, I found it helped if I wouldn't take it so seriously. Yes, a trip to the range was done for a reason, but then when the reason was finished (or before) maybe it was time to try a different gun, or do some new drills, or just play. Stuff like "how far away can I hit an egg with my handgun" or such. Get a friend and have some friendly competition....fastest time to put 20 rounds into a paper plate at 7 yards, loser buys lunch. Stuff like that. It can become work, so make it be fun. YMMV.

[1slow]

Do not let your training become grim even if you are training to deal with fell and grim events.
Make something about it fun.

[Seven_Sicks_Two]

I find that it helps to have at least a passing interest in some other aspect of the shooting sports. I'm not often able to get out the rifle range, so when I do, it is kind of a treat. The same goes for hunting or competition. When all else fails, I buy something fun, whether its a gun or a piece of gear, it doesn't always have to be practical. A few months back, I bought a S&W Triple Lock, lately I've been eyeing a Daisy 22 V/L that fires caseless .22 cal ammo that wandered into the shop. It is easier for me to take the serious stuff seriously once I find another way to get excited (again) about guns or shooting.

[Jared]

At different times I have: shot a different pistol (to hell with capacity or this or that, sometimes a switch is good), spent some time ringing steel with a 22, shot clays with a shotgun, took a couple weeks off, gone back and read through Stoeger's books, tried different drills, played Call of Duty, watched Justified, tried a new holster, and took my wife along. I also shoot USPSA on the reg, but I don't count that as it's one of the main reasons I practice.

The common theme is that all of this stuff is stuff that gets me excited to go out and work on it, or to set up the dry fire stuff and work on it. Some of it is admittedly silly. Like watching Justified, that one was an accident really, but I just can't watch more than one episode before I wanna go shoot some Mozambique drills (dunno why, just is what it is).

Switching the drills up is huge. Back in the Spring, I was really burnt on stand and shoot type stuff. So I spent a little time just doing some essential stand and shoot drills, like less and 50 rounds, then switched over to a lot more movement oriented work. It worked great. When I get tired of working from my USPSA Production setup, I work on concealed draws with my Dark Star holsters. If I just ain't feeling the Beretta that day, then I'll shoot the G34, or a 38 snub, or whatever.

And if the handgun thing just ain't gonna happen, there's the shotgun and clay thrower. There's the 10/22 and the steel swingers.

Ultimately, for me, burnout comes from becoming demotivated due to a lack of positive progression and frustration. Doing the same Bill Drill (for example) over and over and not moving the bar burns me out hard. So I put that drill down for a while, pick up another one hammer on it for a while, and then go back to that Bill Drill, almost always with positive results. At the end of it all, that helps the most, seeing forward progress.

I would ask this though, how often are you practicing and what are you doing for practice? How often do you dry fire? How often do you go to the range and shoot real bullets? What do you work on when you are practicing? What drills? What skills?

[JM Campbell]

I find backing away from shooting paper and running hard and fast on steel is tons of fun and a great way to break up the normal routine.
If there is a 3gun match in your area I'd recommend that as well. Got to spice it up sometimes to stay interested.

[LSP552]

Before I retired, staying motivated wasn't an issue. Older now, I find that I need to "enjoy" my range time more. Shooting steel with your carry pistol is a great way to have productive fun. I love shooting a TX Star with my G17 or 19.

Every now and then, I will do a strictly play range day, usually with DA or SA revolvers. I also break out the SIGs on occasion, even though I don't carry them any more.

I'm a FIRM believer that ANY trigger time is better than none. Having a great shooting partner goes a long way towards staying motivated, especially if you are competitive.

[BigT]

I would suggest finding your local USPSA club and get started. Importantly get competitive don't make excuses about shooting "tactically" get your ego involved in your results. I will be it does wonders for your motivation to improve and keep focused.

[Alpha Sierra]

I would suggest finding your local USPSA club and get started. Importantly get competitive don't make excuses about shooting "tactically" get your ego involved in your results. I will be it does wonders for your motivation to improve and keep focused.

Agree. Play to win with no excuses. Imagine that, just like a gunfight.

[JRB]

I've found it incredibly refreshing to 'reset' from more serious shooting by enjoying a relatively inexpensive and interesting milsurp/C&R firearm.
Since they're not 'working guns' you can often buy a relatively cheap, old & interesting firearm and put a few boxes through it just to enjoy shooting it. That's also nice just because you don't need to approach it like a 'working gun' and plan on buying thousands of rounds of ammo, spare mags, holsters, slings, lights, mounts, optics, etc. to go with it. Just buy a weird old roscoe and a few boxes of ammo and see what you think.

When bill drills from my G19 get old, shooting steel gongs at 300+ with an ex-IDF K98 is quite enjoyable, as is bouncing soda cans around a dirt backstop at 50 yards with my S&W model 17. If the itch strikes again, a Romanian or Yugoslavian Tokarev will probably be the next 'weird' pistol for me.

[Kyle Reese]

Once I lose focus and interest in pistol shooting I simply delve into other facets of shooting. I love C&R firearms, and am developing a taste for shotgunning.

I'm interested in Swiss rifle matches, and will be taking my K31's to the range as the weather gets colder.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I take multi-month breaks from shooting when I tire of it. If your motivation is personal defense, how's your boxing? How's your grappling? What's your general physical condition like? Can you bang out a two-mile run in an appropriate time for your age? Can you bench your weight? Squat 1.5x your weight? Deadlift 2x?

People get fixated on the shooting aspect of personal defense (not unreasonably, at pistol-forum.com).

But I am a huge believer in Craig's "criminal assault paradigm" stuff which strongly suggests to me that if you don't have the skill to take a solid surprise hit without going horizontal, go hands-on and get to your gun mid-fight while someone tries to prevent you from doing so...worrying about shaving a tenth off your mag change is kind of pointless. I mean not if you compete and you need that tenth to win your sport; that's cool. But if the goal is personal defense, there's LOADS of other stuff to do further that goal.

[Clobbersaurus]

Setting goals for some of the more common shooting tests, like the F.A.S.T., motivates me.

I also change up pistols more often than I probably should, but it keeps me motivated. I love wallowing in the little details that are needed to shoot different platforms well. It probably slows my overall progress, but I've yet to come away from a platform change without a significant positive learning experience.

[KevinB]

It happens to everyone.

I second the Skeet/Trap shooting aspect - Wobble Trap is fun - and the quick transitions help other shooting.

WRT Handgun shooting -- change it up -- shoot for groups, shoot long distance, shoot movers.

However finding a shooting partner to challenge you is great - Plate Racks, Texas Stars and Popper at various ranges are all great to keep it fun.

[Kyle Reese]

It happens to everyone.

I second the Skeet/Trap shooting aspect - Wobble Trap is fun - and the quick transitions help other shooting.

WRT Handgun shooting -- change it up -- shoot for groups, shoot long distance, shoot movers.

However finding a shooting partner to challenge you is great - Plate Racks, Texas Stars and Popper at various ranges are all great to keep it fun.
Bull Run has an awesome wobble trap range.

[KevinB]

But make sure your shotty has a 23" or longer barrel :rolleyes:

They are rather anal about barrel length - I am not sure why, but...

[Malamute]

But make sure your shotty has a 23" or longer barrel :rolleyes:

They are rather anal about barrel length - I am not sure why, but...


My dad was shooting shotgun quite a lot a few years ago. When I wanted to bring my short guns, he'd tell me to wait til it was just the group of friends, most of the guys at the public ranges that took clays very seriously didn't like the noise level of the short guns, and probably not the look of them. Some things the friends would do when together at private places would be to pass guns with the guy to your right to shoot for a bit, or play follow the leader. First guy would call the shots for a while. It could be start with an unloaded gun, or laying down on your back, have the bird come from behind you, surprise pull (puller does it when they want, not an the call of the shooter) or anything you come up with at the moment. I liked a flurry of birds, if my gun would hold five, I'd call for five at whatever speed and interval the puller wanted, or a fast five. That's fun on a skeet range where the birds can come from different sides and angles.

If anyone hasn't tried sporting clays, it can be very humbling. Some pretty good trap and skeet shooters often start out with a run in the 40's, after being in the high 90's in the other games. I always liked the low fliers, and the rabbits rolling on the ground fast, any irregularity makes them jump high.

Theres quite a lot of good suggestions here. Keeping it interesting can mean different things for different people. If out at a place that you can do it, just plinking at various targets of opportunity can be a lot of fun. Going with someone else, you can take turns calling what the shot will be. I like shooting grass stems, yucca stems, empty shells, little stones, sticks and whatever we find laying around, or natural feature targets picked out from the area. Using different guns is fun also. I haven't shot much competition, but when I have, I've tried to keep it fun by using different guns also. I carry single action revolvers a fair amount in the hills, so have used them in some steel plate shoots where reloads weren't a part of the program.

I really like having a good target quality 22 pistol. Being able to hit tiny targets at absurd ranges is very satisfying. If you can stock up on 22 shells, being able to shoot 500 or 1000 rds just goofing off, and not worrying about the cost of finding brass is nice also.

[TR675]

Just shot a 2-gun match. I am now extremely motivated to buy a more accurate pistol, because I KNOW I could have shot better with a more accurate pistol :).

[cclaxton]

Just a couple of thoughts on maintaining motivation:
1) IDPA or KSTG matches add a whole new aspect to shooting. You will find it challenges you mentally and skill-wise. USPSA is good too...just putting in a plug for a more defensive type challenge.
2) steel challenge is another interesting and challenging shooting sport.
3) swapping out your pistol with something different. I shot my CZ75 for 1.5 years, then went to the Glock 34 just to prove I can learn to shoot it well. Match bump proved that and was rewarding.
4) practice with a smaller/shorter gun or BUG gun for a while..like a few weeks. I have found it helps improve my longer pistol shooting.
5) fitness training and Iron Mind gripper workouts to improve fitness and grip strength.
6) sporting clays at a great range.
7) 3gun...the final destination.
8) mental conditioning. Read and embrace With Winning In Mind.

Cody