Our brains are wired to focus on the negative. This can be a major hurdle for athletes who aspire to excel in competitive environments like skeet or sporting clays. But the key lies in flipping this tendency on its head. When faced with a disappointing performance, it’s vital to find the positives amidst the negatives.

This isn’t just feel-good advice; it’s a practical strategy for mental resilience and improvement.

Instead of succumbing to negative thoughts, try reframing your experience with a positive spin. Phrases like, “Just could not find my rhythm today, but I got it back about halfway through,” or “While I did not score as well today, I did some things really well and will be able to build on my mistakes,” can profoundly change your outlook. It’s about recognizing that every experience, good or bad, holds a lesson.

The ability to extract positives from a negative situation is a skill that needs to be honed, just like any shooting technique.

Remember, it’s not just about how you perform on the field; it’s also about how you process and remember those performances. As the saying goes, “It is what it is. It becomes what you make it.”

Embrace this mindset, and watch as it transforms not only your performance in shooting sports but also your approach to challenges in life. It’s about creating a habit of positive thinking, ensuring that this mindset kicks in automatically, even in the face of disappointment.