More of a challenge...

It's the weirdest concept. How often I hear someone say 'I shoot (insert appropriate bla bla here) because it is more of a challenge'. But they aren't World Champions, they aren't National Champions... They're average... Often below average achievers.  So how does one define a challenge? When there is a bench mark and you haven't gotten there one would suppose one is still 'challenged'.

In Barre they often say if you find this easy then try this and challenge yourself. Archery hasn't struck me as any different. The guys who hold the world records don't say oh that's easy I give up... They usually step up and push for the next challenge. Someone asked Clint Freeman what he would do if he shot 1440 and he said he would probably complain it wasn't a perfect X count... May be just a rumour..I've never asked Clint if it was true, but it sounds good :)

And often the one's who say this bow is more challenging than that... Never achieved all that high with either... Medals in a division of one or where the level is so poor as to make amateur an exaggeration. Or backyard braggarts who can shoot a legendary score in their own company, but never seem to pull it out when it counts. Always gives me a giggle when some braggart as naive as any brash child steps up and shoots a ten first arrow at ten metres and announces 'this is easy!'. Oh child let me show you the error of your ways...imagine the Olympic sprinter had given up running after winning their first race and so never makes the Olympics... How many wannabes became never was-es after announcing 'it's too easy'. So easy they never achieved anything.

So I say step up or shut up. You get to say it's easy when you have achieved all there is to achieve. Before that you're making excuses and seeking the easy option where you don't feel pressured to show achievement because it's 'harder'...otherwise you're doing it because you just enjoy that option more and are too spineless to stand by your choice. I don't find much easy. I'm smart but not that smart. I'm coordinated but not that coordinated. I find everything presents challenges if you want to be good.

So glad I'm a girl. I get to shoot because I like shooting and don't need to make excuses for it :)