Seven Habits Of Highly Successful Archers

The first habit of a highly successful competitive archer is that she is ready for anything, including the unexpected. You might, for example, want to have packed with you extra clothing in case the weather turns foul. Surprises during competition can wreck your concentration, so you need to be prepared to deal with the unexpected in order to keep your focus at its highest level. Be self aware enough to be able to pinpoint your mental errors as well as technical flaws. Think positively and concentrate on nothing else except your shorts. You will want to have a mental stream of consciousness that you have created for yourself that automatically tells you what to imagine or conceive of. You want to enjoy yourself and your competitions.

The second habit is the ability to just forget about past mistakes. All champions in all things, especially something as mental as archery, have this capability of forgetting about things they have done wrong before. They learn from their mistakes but they don't hold on to them. You need to think about and visualize making good shots, and they will come about. Visualize your next shot as hitting the mark. Feel good about yourself when this happens successfully. You're allowed to be proud.

The third habit is called "shooting your average". This means that as an archer it is very important for you to be consistent. Don't try too hard to shoot better and don't go constantly trying out strange techniques. Your arrows will be slung all over the place that way. Stay relaxed when you are winning and don't press when you fall behind. Just keep shooting your shots in your way. Take your contests one shot at a time.

The fourth habit of a highly success archer is that he thinks positively about himself and his abilities. You have to use your deeper mind to guide your actions. Think "I can do it" and visualize what a great shot looks like. Always stay focused, and if your mind begins to wander bring it back to your target and your visualizations. Allow your concentration to gather. Keep your mind tuned to the task at hand.

The fifth habit of a highly successful archer is loving the pressure of competition. Pressure, stress, and nervousness are all part of normal competition. Archers have a saying: "Shooting while nervous is like shooting in the rain." You are not alone in your jitters; your competitors feel them too. The pressure has actually heightened your awareness and made your physical reactions quicker. You have not prepared to fail, so why would you expect to? Stay relaxed and focused and have a good time.

The sixth habit is that of having a mental programming that keeps your mind busy so that you don't have time to be distracted by wandering thoughts. Develop this to be in tandem with your techniques as you shoot.

And the seventh habit is very simply discipline. You have to practice diligently and consistently. And during matches you need to discipline your mind to remain focused on your shots and nothing else.