Musings of the Rookie Part 2: Making a Plan
Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie
Last time, I talked about goal setting. It’s darn near impossible to achieve your goals if you don’t know what they are, but it’s often said that a goal without a plan, is just a wish.
This is going to be a longer submission and my goals are probably not your goals, but I hope my plan can be a template for your plan. To “shoot better than I do”, was a little vague. Since I enjoy the exhilaration of competition, I set a goal of “punching” up one class in NSCA competition and earning the next class in CNSCA competition. That’s ambitious, but there was no deadline pressure. Then, once achieved, it’s time to set new goals and figure out a new plan.
I start with a SWOT analysis like I would use in a business plan.
Strengths
- Instruction – past, present and future
- Equipment – even that old pump gun fit pretty well
- Shooting friends – knowledge and positive attitude
- Great home club facilities and more nearby
Weaknesses
- Time available
- Limited skills
- Long targets
- Consistency on easy targets
Opportunities
- Wise use of limited range time
- Periodic revisit professional training
- Balance training, practice and competition
- Not “where did I miss” – but “why did I miss?”
Tactics
- Shoot one gun
- Train weaknesses (X4)
- Practice application of training (X2)
- Competition experience (X1)
- Dry fire drills – flashlight – three bullet – visualization
My plan goes deeper, but this might get you thinking about how to get you where you want to be.
Rob Ridley
Rookie!