{"id":783,"date":"2024-03-04T09:56:53","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T14:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikerouleaumentalskills.optimalmentalgame.com\/?p=783"},"modified":"2024-03-04T09:56:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T14:56:53","slug":"mental-skills-help-breed-consistency-and-improve-performance-a-case-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikerouleaumentalskills.optimalmentalgame.com\/?p=783","title":{"rendered":"Mental Skills Help Breed Consistency and Improve Performance \u2013 A Case Study!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A little over a week ago, my good friend and fellow shooter Doug Parsons punched up from A to AA class while shooting at Kidd\u2019s Place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"549\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikerouleaumentalskills.optimalmentalgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_3478.jpg?resize=549%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104\" style=\"width:376px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikerouleaumentalskills.optimalmentalgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_3478.jpg?w=549&amp;ssl=1 549w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikerouleaumentalskills.optimalmentalgame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/IMG_3478.jpg?resize=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Jamie Byrd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His feat was followed by a flurry of congratulatory emails.&nbsp; One email in particular caught my eye.&nbsp; Randy Donovan had commented that Doug\u2019s having switched to a 32\u201d Caesar Guerini had paid off (full disclosure \u2013 Randy also shoots a CG).&nbsp; Doug commented back \u201cWhile finally getting into a gun that fits me well has been a big plus, my work on the \u201cmental game\u201d is what has really made the biggest difference\u201d.&nbsp; Well\u2026 my heart skipped a few beats out of joy when I read those words!&nbsp; I have referred to Doug in several posts.&nbsp; He really helped me a lot getting the blog off the ground with constructive comments.&nbsp; We have swapped several books back and forth mostly dealing with Sport Psychology.&nbsp; But to hear him attribute his success to the role mental skills played was music to my ears!&nbsp; I contacted Doug and asked if he would mind elaborating on what he found most helpful.&nbsp; He kindly agreed.&nbsp; Here are his comments with just minor edits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for your interest in my thoughts on what has been helping me to perform at a little higher and more consistent level over the past year.&nbsp; Following are my bullet points with a few added thoughts for embellishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>MY GAME DAY PLAN\/PREPERATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Arrive at the shoot a little early and well rested<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Stretch and do a little deep breathing so when it\u2019s my turn in the rotation, I\u2019ll not be stressed<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Set my \u201cgaze\u201d in the distance to rest my eyes and create a sense of soft focus (quiet eye)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Take a couple of deep breaths and relax<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Determine my Break Point, Foot Position, Hold Point and Visual Pick-Up Point<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Go through my PSR (Pre-Shot Routine) \u2013 always being consistent with it<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Plan my shot(s) by (1) picking my \u201cnumber\u201d (a reference to my Coordinated Shooting Method training \u2013 using a clock face position for hard focus on the target) and (2) my shooting method<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Remind myself to SEE IT (Focus), FEEL IT (Movement) and TRUST IT (Faith) as I call for the target<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Stay in the gun until I see the target break<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>If I experience a bad station, quickly put it into my rear-view mirror and move on to the next station with a positive frame of mind<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I also am constantly reminding myself to breathe, stretch and stay loose. Repeating the mantras: Slow is Smooth and Smooth is Fast; DON\u2019T OVERTHINK IT\u2026 just see it and break it; and most importantly, stay with the process\u2026 and the score will take care of itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I know that there is very little, if anything, new here but the fact that I am embedding this process into a consistent mindset has been making a difference for me, especially the reminder to stay with the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and Doug has been cooking up some great stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many thanks to Doug for sharing his thoughts on what has worked for him, and a hearty congratulations on his accomplishments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A little over a week ago, my good friend and fellow shooter Doug Parsons punched up from A to AA class while shooting at Kidd\u2019s Place! His feat was followed by a flurry of congratulatory emails.&nbsp; One email in particular caught my eye.&nbsp; Randy Donovan had commented that Doug\u2019s having switched to a 32\u201d Caesar [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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