Approach 2. I'm going to shoot this match and kick Joe's behind. Whatever he does at each stage I just want to be a little bit ahead of him, every time, and in the end I'll beat him. This direct mental approach is aimed straight at Joe.

Approach 3. I know I'm not going to win, but I'm going to try to make the fewest number of mental mistakes, sight correction mistakes, equipment errors or oversights, and so on. When I go to the line I'm ready, every time, and if I shoot an eight or a nine, or whatever it is, it doesn't matter. It's a focus on the external, in a manner of speaking. You're making process more important than execution.

Another option is to go with the mental approach of rehearsing each shot. I shoot every shot in my mind before I fire it standing, always.

At 600 yards I go with the approach that I'm not going to try to chase the wind flags or chase the target spotter; I'm going to dope each shot individually. I'm going to slow everything down and try to make each shot the best shot I can. I'm here to work on my wind reading skills, mirage reading skills, or both.

Another option is to have "experiment days." I'm going to try something different at each event. I'm going to wear a different set of glasses, shoot my sling a notch or two looser or tighter. I'm going to change my sight aperture size a little bit or shoot my trigger heavier on a particular day.

Of course, these things should first have been done at the practice range, but I always find that shooting in a match and shooting practices are different--things happen differently at a match.

Add to these ideas for yourself because you're the one who can determine what you have to work with and what you need to work on. The point is to get yourself out of the rut of doing only as you have been doing in match conditions.

Find ways to focus more on process and ways to focus more on result. The focus can change. These are all ways to get better.

Everyone has a Joe who beat them last week. Everybody has a day when they think, "I'd like to try this..." A lot of High Power shooters don't get to practice; they only shoot matches. This is a chance to use match time as practice to ultimately get better.

The answer is not just in more shooting. It's in different shooting. At some point everyone has to break it down and do something. Changing the way to approach or think may be the easiest and it's effective.