Give yourself every opportunity to hit your target

Jim Benoit during firearms instruction

I have noticed students in class not perform to shooting levels at which they are capable. Why is that? 
I believe their mind is not in the right place. These students worry more about what will happen when they miss instead of focusing on the task at hand. 
I tell my students that their imagination and visualization must come into play during firearms training. Imagine that your paper target is a bad guy trying to hurt a love one. Now, get your head on straight and see yourself stopping the bad guy quickly and efficiently and do it! I know it sound easy, but the student must see themselves wining the fight every time. If you see yourself being killed or injured, it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Train hard and train often. If you never miss your target you are not pushing hard enough.

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