In another thread I made the comparison of shooting to sports. And shooting is a sport, so that makes sense! But the essence was that you can be excellent by any objective measurement, and still pale in comparison to the pros. However, some people are just “naturals” and others…well, have to work a lot harder. Likewise, some people will NEVER make elite status no matter how much time and money they invest. The common mantra is that with enough time and effort, anyone can reach any level at anything they want, but is that really true? I know it isn’t PC to tell your kids they likely don’t have the chops to go pro in their favorite sport, but it is probably realistic and for the best a lot of times. I don’t think I do myself a disservice by recognizing this.
I think it is safe to say we all feel we could improve our skills, and I definitely know I am steadily improving, but for one reason or another, we are held back. Right now, for me, it is time. I am busy with work and studying and other social endeavors, so I only get to the range every few weeks. If I won the lottery and could dedicate 100% to the shooting sports I would be the happiest guy alive, but still doubt I could reach that top level. And for me personally, that is fine. So I guess you could say motivation is also an issue because I am content to steadily improve and continue besting myself. I consider myself proficient with my carry guns. At some point would like to start in competitions but more for fun and experience than to “compete” per se.
So what about you? What holds you back? The poll is just for curiosity. I am fully aware that there is overlap. For instance, “time = money” and no matter how busy you think you are, you could make time for practice if you had more motivation. Likewise “if I had more money I could probably buy better equipment,” et cetera. Also, please don’t flame me for having a “defeatist” attitude or anything like that. I don’t think it is defeatist to be realistic. And I still strive for improvement all the time. That said, I don't think we should flame anyone who says they just shoot for fun and nothing more.
I think it is safe to say we all feel we could improve our skills, and I definitely know I am steadily improving, but for one reason or another, we are held back. Right now, for me, it is time. I am busy with work and studying and other social endeavors, so I only get to the range every few weeks. If I won the lottery and could dedicate 100% to the shooting sports I would be the happiest guy alive, but still doubt I could reach that top level. And for me personally, that is fine. So I guess you could say motivation is also an issue because I am content to steadily improve and continue besting myself. I consider myself proficient with my carry guns. At some point would like to start in competitions but more for fun and experience than to “compete” per se.
So what about you? What holds you back? The poll is just for curiosity. I am fully aware that there is overlap. For instance, “time = money” and no matter how busy you think you are, you could make time for practice if you had more motivation. Likewise “if I had more money I could probably buy better equipment,” et cetera. Also, please don’t flame me for having a “defeatist” attitude or anything like that. I don’t think it is defeatist to be realistic. And I still strive for improvement all the time. That said, I don't think we should flame anyone who says they just shoot for fun and nothing more.