The Power of One

Always looking for pearls to become a better shooter? Occasionally, Divine intervention shows up with an amazing lesson.

Here's a game-changing tactic that can significantly improve your consistency in the shooting box and add Xs to your scorecard. This isn’t about equipment...it’s about mastering a simple, powerful mindset that will keep distractions at bay and help you break more targets. 

This is a truthful story from my younger days. The Pennsylvania State Archery Championship was looming. I was in the midst of practice, though, to be honest, it felt more like I was flinging arrows aimlessly into the ether. My buddy Ron…who happened to have a girlfriend who once shot for the US Olympic archery team…wandered over and watched me quietly. As for his opinion on what I was doing? Well, let’s say Ron’s word carried some serious weight. 

After yet another arrow failed to find its mark, I trudged back to my shooting spot, frustration brewing. Ron, in that calm way of his, asked me a question I wasn’t expecting: “What are you doing?” 

Say what? I thought…what does it look like I’m doing? I’m trying to hit the bullseye, obviously. I said as much, but all Ron did was smile, nod slowly, and say, “Yeah. That’s your problem.”

Wait, what? Is putting the arrow in the bullseye my problem?

Ron handed me another arrow and asked, “Dan, once that arrow leaves your bow, even by a fraction of an inch, how much control do you have over the outcome now?”

“None,” I replied.

“Exactly,” Ron said. “So why not put 100% of your attention on controlling the arrow before you release it?”

That was an excellent question. After a moment to collect myself, I drew back, focusing on calming every tiny movement, every subtle shift in my stance. I was a rock. That arrow flew true, dead center in the target 10-ring. It buried the X. I lowered the bow, stunned. What just happened? And more importantly, how could I do that again?

I had just learned a golden lesson: focus on what you can control. And there’s the pearl, folks…right there.

A few days later, I stumbled across an article in an archery magazine. The author, an Olympic coach, asked, “How many arrows do you shoot in a FITA round?” The answer seemed obvious…thirty arrows. She answered, saying, “If you said 30, you’re wrong. The correct answer is one.” I thought, no, Ma’am, that can’t be right.

And then…my wake-up call. Ron’s advice suddenly made even more sense. It’s not about thirty arrows…it’s about the one in your hand right now. The only one you can control.

At the State Championship, that mindset became my mantra. Truthfully, I completely let go of the competition and the scoreboard…I thought only about ONE arrow. I was in the zone. Steady. Precise.  A machine. It worked. No mistakes, one perfect release at a time. The last arrow found the X. HOA. Thanks, Ron.

The Danger of Expectations 

Speaking of distractions. Expectations can sink a performance faster than skating on the pond in July. Expectations pull our minds away from what we need to do and send our attention out to the target where we have zero control. 

This is where that intense “trying to hit the target” leads us astray. All the determination in the world won’t help if our focus isn’t in the right place…on our swing. To make it precise. It’s about keeping our minds on our basics. One shell…one target…one good swing. No more. No less. Repeat. Start thinking beyond that, and we’re sunk.

Let’s be clear…I’m not saying you should overthink or micromanage every swing movement. Whether it’s a racket, a club, or a gun, a good swing comes from focused attention on what you’re doing right now, not on what you hope will happen. Those “results” are out there, beyond your control.

And one last thing: to those who disagree with me and tell you to trust yourself, let it flow, and the target will break. Sure, maybe sometimes it will. But real trust should come only after you’ve built and reinforced the skill until it’s second nature. Then, and only then, can you let instinct take over without risking the loss of swing precision.

Thanks for sticking around and letting me share this with you. Remember…one target at a time.

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If you wish to break more targets and shoot consistently, you may wish to purchase Dan Schindler's books Take Your Best Shot and To The Target, available on the Paragon website. Unfortunately, Beyond The Target is currently out of stock. Schindler's books are an investment in good shooting and offer invaluable insights, serving as a roadmap for shooters of all levels. Take Your Best Shot and To The Target are available on the Paragon School of Sporting website and shipped worldwide. Schindler's 3 books offer a simplified and uncomplicated approach to shooting, laying a solid foundation for breaking more targets and achieving consistently higher scores. These books offer invaluable information and are the next best things to taking a lesson with Dan Schindler. There's a wealth of information and blog posts on the Paragon website. 

 "Dan Schindler is truly a world-class Sporting Clays and Wingshooting instructor capable of taking complex action and breaking them down into simple, repeatable pieces . . . and good heavens doesn't sport shooting need more of that!"

Michael Bane, Host of Outdoor Channel's Shooting Gallery

Dan moves shooters — all skill levels (Never touched a shotgun to Master Class) — forward fast. He teaches the step-by-step Paragon Shooting SYSTEM that he meticulously designed to take the mystery out of breaking targets consistently, providing shooters with the solid foundation to continue moving their game forward. Shooters leave their lesson with crystal clarity, which removes the mystery of why the target broke (or didn't break). No more feeling lost, confused and frustrated.

Sign up for the Paragon Newsletter  Click Here

Please share the links with your fellow shooters. Thank you!

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About Dan Schindler

Dan Schindler is one of only 60 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK) and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan is an NSCA Level III Instructor (since 1995) and founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. Dan Schindler helps shooters alleviate a lot of their frustration by taking the mystery out of breaking targets, calling their own misses, and make their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!  

Dan Schindler's Books

"Recommended for shooters of all skill levels, Coaches, Instructors

and parents of youth shooters."

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition is THE Gold Standard Primer It's all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This book is used by high school and college shooting teams, recreational and competitive shooters from around the world. Solid, valuable, concise information that has helped thousands of shooters shoot more consistently with higher scores.

To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing.

Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels. It is filled with valuable information and clay target truths. It is entertaining and a culmination of three decades of Dan's life's work as a teacher, competitor, published writer, and much more.

Here's what Shooters, Coaches and Clay Shooting USA saying...

 Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition

To The Target (Book II)

Beyond The Target (Book III)    Currently Out of Stock