Trust Yourself

This lesson is at once scary and liberating and seemingly hard to remember. In the beginning, archers are warned not to change their sight (the tool that lets them aim) until they can shoot a meaningful group. In the beginning, this meant you could shoot twenty, thirty, forty arrows before you could know enough about your shoot pattern to move your sight. Then you get better and learn more and guess what--you shoot groups in a lot fewer arrows. Then you move your sight after ten or so. But then you get to the next level, where I found myself today.

In preparation for the World Indoor Team Trials, I had to practice shooting at the vertical 40CM face. That means three circles in a row. I shot at the bottom circle--the arrow is low and to the right. I shoot at the middle circle--again low and to the right. I move my sight. I shoot at the top circle--right in the middle.

How many times did I not move my sight until that last circle today? Too many to count! What I did I learn? Stop second guessing myself. If I shoot a good arrow, if everything felt in place, trust it and move the damn sight right then and there.

Sometimes when we grow or change it is tough to let go of who we used to be or what we used to do. Part of making change permanent is to accept it--allow yourself the privilege of letting the past go. This week I am going to trust myself and give myself permission to succeed. I can do this. We can all do this.