Dan Schindler's Blog
Successfully Dealing with Pressure
02/21/2025
Successfully Dealing with Pressure

“Our game has an uncanny way of endearing itself to uswhile at the same time revealing every weakness of mind, no matter how well hidden.”― Timothy Gallwey (Paraphrased)Think of the pressure we put on ourselves playing clay target games. We don’t just want that target to break…we need that target to break. When it doesn’t, our pride takes a hit. After all, folks are watching. At least in our mind, we just failed. This creates even more pressure to break the next target. To do well. To stop the embarrassment. Unfortunately, as the craving to succeed intensifies, more targets escape untouched, the inappropriate mental input is spoiling what we want to ...

Lost Target. What's Next?
02/07/2025
Successfully Dealing with Pressure

While definitely not getting our vote for favorite pastime, I think it’s fair to say, missing will be with us for a while longer. The good news is, we all miss and no one likes it. One difference is how each of us reacts to the disappointment.  Not happy with OXXOOX? Welcome to our club. Admission is free. The question now is, how are you handling each miss? Is your reaction important? Yes.Occasionally missing targets is part of the shotgunning experience.  Beyond the fundamentals of good shooting, we’ve also learned that the key to enjoying more hits is productively managing the disappointment of missing. A miss rightfully draws the shooter’s ...

Truths Part II
01/24/2025
Successfully Dealing with Pressure

Here’s the long way around to improving. Load the cart with a flat of shells, some hope and a trial-and-error approach to each target. Unfortunately, all this will do is reinforce our old, inconsistent habits that we’ll later want to change. Been there, done that. There’s a better way. Thankfully, it’s not complicated. To advance a skill, consider this commonsense order of progression:Correct repetition of a reliable method builds critical familiarity.Familiarity creates competence.Competence creates confidence.Confidence creates trust.Trust creates XXXXXXXX. Our previous Truth article generated a lot of positive feedback, requesting a follow up.At the top ...

Truths
01/10/2025
Successfully Dealing with Pressure

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day…but, if your technique is wrong,then all you become very good at is shooting the wrong way.” -Michael JordanBasketball, football, golf, shooting…look no further to understand where inconsistency comes from. To end the mystery, confusion and inconsistency in the shooting box, my three books, shipped around the world…nearly 200 published magazine articles…and these newsletters…all were written to share a bit of knowledge on what truly does work out here. On time. Consistently. Specifically, what can be trusted. Not sometimes. All the time.What I offer you comes from decades of difficult, often ...

Building Confidence Through Muzzle Awareness
12/27/2024
Successfully Dealing with Pressure

Imagine knowing exactly why each shot connects—or misses. Muzzle Awareness (MA) unlocks this critical insight for shooters of all levels.Finding the Right BalanceIn the simplest of terms, muzzle awareness (MA) means keeping the gun muzzle in our “peripheral” vision, before and during our swing. Seeing this target/barrel “relationship” allows us to a) know where our gun is actually pointing and b) intentionally guide our gun movements with XX precision.Each shooter’s MA will differ slightly. Most are comfortable with 95% or more of their visual focus on the target and a small but important percent peripherally on the muzzle. While these are rough ...