I commonly hear stories of my student shooting a station very well, or a course very well, and suddenly concentration is gone. Result: 00 or worse. It is frustrating and usually occurs without notice. Why does this happen?
First, it's simply a matter of our attention moving somewhere else, away from the task in front of us. It can happen when we are distracted, or when we take a target or pair for granted. Our attention moves or our focus intensity slips.
The difference between involvement and commitment? Riding in the passenger seat of a car is involvement. Driving the car is a commitment. Dating is involvement where marriage is a commitment. Good shooting requires that we be committed to the shot before the gun closes, not just involved. Commitment means your attention is fully present—all of it—before you call for that bird.
This is why a Pre-Shot Routine is so important. I think of your PSR as a toll booth of sorts, one you must go through mentally before every call. Going through that booth, every time, on purpose, safeguards that your attention is present and accounted for—and your commitment to the shot is firmly in place.
