Overcoming Shooters Performance Anxiety: How to Perform When Everyone Is Watching
An important distinction exists between being able to perform a skill and being able to access that skill when the moment feels important. If you cannot consistently perform a drill during ordinary practice, there may be a technical skill problem to solve. If you can perform it all day long until someone starts watching, the technique may not be the first thing to fix. You may need to train the performance environment.
Practice being watched, being timed, shooting for a score when you only get one attempt. Practice noticing that you are nervous without treating those sensations like an emergency that makes you want to run and hide. Practice acknowledging a mistake, resetting, and giving the very next shot your full attention. Those annoying feelings of frustration, anxiety, self-consciousness, and doubt are real. Acknowledge them, learn from them, because they will likely be with you into the next round. Give them a metaphorical high-five, tell them to hold your mag, and get back to work.
