“A good tool tells the truth. The user must learn to listen.”
I rarely want to listen when my bow tells me I’m shooting like total dog doo, but I have to. User error is the biggest obstacle standing between us and our progress, our personal bests, our performances. I unlocked new levels in my archery game when I learned to point my finger at myself rather than my setup.
This week, do a better job of listening to whatever you feel is causing inconsistency. If you’re pointing the finger at your equipment, turn it around and point it right back at yourself.
I do this with my camera all the time. I’m sure you’ve noticed my content isn’t of the highest production quality. When the audio is off or I’m out of focus, my first instinct is to blame the camera.
The camera isn’t the problem, though. I’m the one who needs to learn to follow the directions and do what they’re programmed to do.
Your archery setup is similar and equally complex. Your body is under a dynamic load, and you’re trying to aim still and move only with purpose, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect the directions and fundamentals of training.
Learn to minimize tension in your training and minimize the tension you’re applying to the bow system. Miss that, and you’ll be off the mark.
Last week, I talked about being in the moment and focusing on what you’re doing in that moment by eliminating distractions. When you do that, your gear will speak up, and the target will let you know how repetitive you are or aren’t being. That’s when you need to listen and learn.
A good archer will shoot well with a bad setup. A poor archer will perform poorly with the best setup money can buy. That’s the truth you may not want to hear, but it’s a good time to listen and learn from it.
Don’t blame the tool. Look at the user error and listen to what it’s telling you.
