Not to conserned being the best and fastest. Just going to have fun and shoot every match safe and clean
There was an interesting thread on a different forum a couple of days ago, asking what people had as criteria for a "good" match. In other words, when were they happy with a match? Happy with their skills and performance?
Here's what I wrote:
I'm happy with a match when I shoot it to my ability at that time.
I'm not satisfied with my current ability at any point in time.
There is a big difference between those two things.
If I shoot a match consistently at my current level, I did exactly what I was supposed to---the practice I put in paid off, and my discipline was sufficient to make it happen. That's a good match.
My current ability at any point in time can always use improvement. Therefore, I'm not satisfied with my current level, and will continue to work on making that current level higher.
I am happier when I have a match with no penalties whatsoever, and a minimum of D-hits. (Preferably zero.) However, that wouldn't necessarily make me happy with the match itself, unless the rest of the it (speed, efficiency, stage handling, etc) also consistently was at my ability level.
And again---none of that would make me satisfied with my current level of ability.---winning is fun. But if I win but shoot at a level significantly below what I'm capable of, I'm not happy about it. If I don't win, but shoot consistently to what I'm capable of, I'm perfectly thrilled with that.
Some people are driven to be the best, or the fastest---which means that they will always compare themselves to other people. Personally, I want to be the best that
I can manage.
Some people go to matches just for the social atmosphere, a little shooting at new things, and to have fun. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Some people do it to work on goals to get better, and it is just a different way of thinking. (Some people do it to WIN, and that's fine too.)
One of the things that I like about shooting matches is that everyone (with their differing backgrounds, goals, and expectations) can still all have a completely good time.