Confidence

[Mr_White]

I felt like this was an underlying issue in the Carbine vs handgun thread located here: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ne-vs-handgun& But it's also a larger issue unto itself and I thought warranted its own discussion. Just trying to stimulate discussion with a blast of questions...

Confidence. How important is it? Why? How do you build it? How do you build it for people who are not going to amass experience because it is not their job to do so? Is there anything you avoid, to keep from fracturing confidence? Is there anything you avoid, to keep from having an unfounded confidence (false bravado)?

[voodoo_man]

How about we deconstruct Confidence into its building blocks in terms of pistol implementation.

Self-assurance of ability from repeatable results

Appreciation and understanding of your own limits

Reliance on your specific and unique qualities



For pistol implementation, specifically, my personal observation is that once you show someone certain level of function and accuracy is possible, and then that person takes the steps required (training/burning good reps) to see a gain in that specific area, then that person's confidence will go up.

A person who is confident in their ability with a pistol will not take chances they know are beyond their limitation where as a person without confidence may "hail mary" a shot - the guy shooting his snub at 150y and has never shot further than 10y with it, as opposed to the guy with an RMR'd G17 who regularly shoots 200y shooting at 50y.

Building confidence in pistol implementation stems from proper training, good repetition of relevant fundamental skill sets and continuous self-assessment through more difficult standards.

A person who is not going to put the time into developing a skill set, or only has a very specific time allotment for training should follow a very specific protocol of training laid down from a competent instructor.

A person who puts the time into training will only fracture their confidence if they allow ego or emotional attachment to their skill sets to invade their realistic ability.

Easiest way for a person to prevent false bravado is to put their money where their mouth is and test out new methods of skill development and see how it applies to them while keeping an aggressive base standard.

A base standard which has aggressive precision intertwined within it will make for a competent and confident person in regard to pistol implementation.

[JAD]

It might be useful to define 'confidence' -- in the dynamic context which I think you intend here -- as the absence of novelty. Mr. Hearne has a pretty useful chart regarding activities which remove novelty.

[Tom Givens]

I have said this for years.

"Practice builds skill. Skill builds confidence. Confidence prevents panic. That wins fights."

When teaching, I often shoot a bowling pin from 75-100 yards out with my carry pistol to illustrate what is possible with a little bit of skill and a service handgun. I then tell the students that the point is if you can make that bowling pin shot at 80 yards, and you know it, that 15 yard shot on a man is not daunting to your subconscious.

If you can learn to keep your wits about you and apply your skill, you can win.

[BehindBlueI's]

I have said this for years.

"Practice builds skill. Skill builds confidence. Confidence prevents panic. That wins fights."

When teaching, I often shoot a bowling pin from 75-100 yards out with my carry pistol to illustrate what is possible with a little bit of skill and a service handgun. I then tell the students that the point is if you can make that bowling pin shot at 80 yards, and you know it, that 15 yard shot on a man is not daunting to your subconscious.

If you can learn to keep your wits about you and apply your skill, you can win.

Serious question, how do you see a bowling pin at 100y good enough to hit it? I mean, other than "have good eyesight" is there any tips there on how to focus?

[okie john]

I felt like this was an underlying issue in the Carbine vs handgun thread located here: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ne-vs-handgun& But it's also a larger issue unto itself and I thought warranted its own discussion. Just trying to stimulate discussion with a blast of questions...

Confidence. How important is it? Why? How do you build it? How do you build it for people who are not going to amass experience because it is not their job to do so? Is there anything you avoid, to keep from fracturing confidence? Is there anything you avoid, to keep from having an unfounded confidence (false bravado)?

The issue is confidence, but the question that defines it is “How well will I be able to handle an armed encounter?”

To me that’s a lot like the question, “Am I a good parent?” In my experience, if you’re asking the question, then you’re checking yourself for flaws and that’s the first step to fixing them, so you probably are a good parent. If not, then you probably aren’t.

For me, confidence in my (potential) ability to handle an armed encounter comes from constantly improving my Mindset, Situational Awareness, Tactics, Training, and Equipment.

Mindset is refusing to lose a fight. In my case, it comes from patriotism, love of family, etc., PLUS an abiding hatred of anyone who threatens those things. Entirely too many people fear the challenges of life, so they hide their heads as the ship sinks rather than face the need for action. Jeff Cooper pointed out that fear and rage are very similar physiologically, and that it just takes a small mental shift to move from cowering in fear to conquering in rage. In the Age of Fear, that’s a handy bit of information…

Situational Awareness is staying aware of the people around me, PLUS staying aware of the locations of escape routes, cover and concealment, and any weapons I might improvise. The Gunsite Color Code is helpful here. Part of me argues that Situational Awareness is a part of Mindset, another that it’s part of Tactics. If nothing else, it’s certainly the bridge between the two.

Tactics is a knowledge of how to shoot, move, and communicate in support of a response characterized by speed, surprise, and violence of action. My foundation in that comes from military experience, but of all the areas I’m writing about, this is where I need to improve the most.

Training involves knowing how to use whatever gear I have at hand. For shooting, this involves understanding that there are no skills but basic skills, and that I must be ready to execute them at the Super Bowl level on demand. I need to improve this area almost as much as I need to improve my ability to improvise and execute tactics.

Equipment and its manipulation are the least important factors, but they get the most attention. Competing in action pistol matches now and then can help improve these areas, but that’s another thread.


Okie John

[Tom Givens]

Blue- Although I'm in my mid-60's I am lucky that my corrected vision is still good enough for precision shooting. I have an optometrist who is a student of mine. We use a red gun to align the sights while looking through his device that determines your prescription. I have my prescription set so that I can't see to read small print with my regular glasses, but I can see my sights. Hope this helps.

[SLG]

Blue- Although I'm in my mid-60's I am lucky that my corrected vision is still good enough for precision shooting. I have an optometrist who is a student of mine. We use a red gun to align the sights while looking through his device that determines your prescription. I have my prescription set so that I can't see to read small print with my regular glasses, but I can see my sights. Hope this helps.

What do you do about reading small print? Seperate glasses?

[Dagga Boy]

Confidence is also built through repetition and constant testing. It is very difficult to create solutions to force problems with new or untried techniques or skills, and most suck at trying to make stuff up in the middle of a fight. We try to build on proven solutions. Much of what Tom teaches and emphasizes is in line with our stuff and it is a formula that works. The key is for people be trained to meet a realistic standard and be confident enough to apply that standard at any time under any circumstance.

[Tom Givens]

SLG- If I want to read fine print, I read it over my regular glasses, take my glasses off, or switch to reading glasses. All 3 options work for me.