Motivation gone

Kernowlad

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Me and my son (now aged 9) took up compound archery in January and have both progressed reasonably; he's done pretty well and won a couple of things (usually because he's the only one in his category but he is genuinely pretty decent), I peaked early then have been a bit up and down, a switch to a thumb trigger from a wrist release being my biggest set back - getting used to it and improving but still behind my best wrist release scores (I haven't had it long TBF).
Now I have spent a FORTUNE on kit - probably ?2k this year. Hoyt Ignite (sold for ?150) then a Mybo Origin, ?300 on good sights, ?400 on arrows (a set of 12 ACGs then had a run of losing them so replaced some) plus the bow for my son and his arrows (far cheaper but still a chunk of money).

Our club is brilliant - lovely outdoor range, encouraging to our son, nice people with a new location for the indoor season.

But... I'm really struggling to get enthused. We missed the Friday shoot partly because we just didn't feel like going - it's further away being about a 30-40 minute drive and it's late for my son; starts at 7pm, finished at 9ish. We do a Wednesday shoot at another location (30 mins away) but it's even later.

Not quite sure what to do - I have all this kit, am not too bad overall, have overcome (or am overcoming!) a number of challenges but the motivation is just not there.

Anyone else had the doldrums like this? Any suggestions?

We do a LOT of other activities - I surf a lot, run a lot and all sorts. My son is good at karate and doing well at other things so archery was never going to be a main activity but just something we wanted to learn and enjoy - which we mostly have.

I'm fairly sure I'll never be anything special due to these other commitments but I reckon my son has potential - but the thought of driving him miles away to do a tournament (we did two at our club - one just the club which was good, one inter club which was just far too long) doesn't appeal.

Hmmmm....
 

mbaker74

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If you cant be bothered to go after only starting 9 months ago, I would say you should seriously think about selling your kit and focussing on stuff you have motivation for.....
 

Timid Toad

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Yes. We all get motivational ups and downs. Constantly. For me it's the threat of a looming tournament that gets me out in all weathers. I'm also good with Newtoyitis. If I've a gadget to play with I get a lot more arrows through the bow.
I think I recall you saying you shoot at home too. Nothing wrong with continuing with that while you get it back together. I shoot 5 days a week. If I'm not in the mood it might only be 30 arrows (3 ends of 10) which isn't ideal but it keeps things ticking over. On lovely days I'll do 3 times that and it only takes an hour. If it's raining I shoot 6yds in the house. Maybe the garage is good for you. But it's still getting muscle memory going and is just blank boss. A lot of the indoor season is about ingraining technique out of weather issues so it's a good thing to do, but if you have safe facilities at home it doesn't have to be a drive and a late night.
For your son, a trip to the club once a month if you know he can spend some time with a coach to check on form and give him areas to work on is a good idea.
But archery is about repetition. Lots of it.
 

Rik

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Motivation...
I've been through periods where I didn't shoot much (or at all...). What always brought me back in was just doing it. Not competitions. Not "progress". Just shooting. Even just talking about shooting (this forum brought me back into it at least once).

The question is : do you want to shoot? Not win. Not "be the best" or even "be the best I can be". That can follow later, if necessary. But if you don't want to get out and shoot, then why do it?
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
Me and my son (now aged 9) took up compound archery in January and have both progressed reasonably; he's done pretty well and won a couple of things (usually because he's the only one in his category but he is genuinely pretty decent), I peaked early then have been a bit up and down, a switch to a thumb trigger from a wrist release being my biggest set back - getting used to it and improving but still behind my best wrist release scores (I haven't had it long TBF).
Now I have spent a FORTUNE on kit - probably ?2k this year. Hoyt Ignite (sold for ?150) then a Mybo Origin, ?300 on good sights, ?400 on arrows (a set of 12 ACGs then had a run of losing them so replaced some) plus the bow for my son and his arrows (far cheaper but still a chunk of money).

Our club is brilliant - lovely outdoor range, encouraging to our son, nice people with a new location for the indoor season.

But... I'm really struggling to get enthused. We missed the Friday shoot partly because we just didn't feel like going - it's further away being about a 30-40 minute drive and it's late for my son; starts at 7pm, finished at 9ish. We do a Wednesday shoot at another location (30 mins away) but it's even later.

Not quite sure what to do - I have all this kit, am not too bad overall, have overcome (or am overcoming!) a number of challenges but the motivation is just not there.

Anyone else had the doldrums like this? Any suggestions?

We do a LOT of other activities - I surf a lot, run a lot and all sorts. My son is good at karate and doing well at other things so archery was never going to be a main activity but just something we wanted to learn and enjoy - which we mostly have.

I'm fairly sure I'll never be anything special due to these other commitments but I reckon my son has potential - but the thought of driving him miles away to do a tournament (we did two at our club - one just the club which was good, one inter club which was just far too long) doesn't appeal.

Hmmmm....
Mmm, you've discovered that you can't BUY skill. Now its got hard and you're thinking "I didnt expect to have to put in any EFFORT". Yu've reached the point that separates the "here today, somewhere else tomorrow" archers from the "still here and working hard at improving" archers
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
Me and my son (now aged 9) took up compound archery in January and have both progressed reasonably; he's done pretty well and won a couple of things (usually because he's the only one in his category but he is genuinely pretty decent), I peaked early then have been a bit up and down, a switch to a thumb trigger from a wrist release being my biggest set back - getting used to it and improving but still behind my best wrist release scores (I haven't had it long TBF).
Now I have spent a FORTUNE on kit - probably ?2k this year. Hoyt Ignite (sold for ?150) then a Mybo Origin, ?300 on good sights, ?400 on arrows (a set of 12 ACGs then had a run of losing them so replaced some) plus the bow for my son and his arrows (far cheaper but still a chunk of money).

Our club is brilliant - lovely outdoor range, encouraging to our son, nice people with a new location for the indoor season.

But... I'm really struggling to get enthused. We missed the Friday shoot partly because we just didn't feel like going - it's further away being about a 30-40 minute drive and it's late for my son; starts at 7pm, finished at 9ish. We do a Wednesday shoot at another location (30 mins away) but it's even later.

Not quite sure what to do - I have all this kit, am not too bad overall, have overcome (or am overcoming!) a number of challenges but the motivation is just not there.

Anyone else had the doldrums like this? Any suggestions?

We do a LOT of other activities - I surf a lot, run a lot and all sorts. My son is good at karate and doing well at other things so archery was never going to be a main activity but just something we wanted to learn and enjoy - which we mostly have.

I'm fairly sure I'll never be anything special due to these other commitments but I reckon my son has potential - but the thought of driving him miles away to do a tournament (we did two at our club - one just the club which was good, one inter club which was just far too long) doesn't appeal.

Hmmmm....
Mmm, you've discovered that you can't BUY skill. Now its got hard and you're thinking "I didnt expect to have to put in any EFFORT". You've reached the point that separates the "here today, somewhere else tomorrow" archers from the "still here and working hard at improving" archers.

If you keep moving on to a new thing everytime it gets in the least little bit hard, you will eventually find something that you're really just naturally good at, even if its knitting for the over 80s.

Also, you say your son has potential, but does HE have the doldrums, or does HE ENJOY his archery? If so, have you been a bit unfair to your son? You introduced him to this sport and now you appear to be saying "I've got the tshirt son, lets go and play at something else now"
 

Kernowlad

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Mmm, you've discovered that you can't BUY skill. Now its got hard and you're thinking "I didnt expect to have to put in any EFFORT". You've reached the point that separates the "here today, somewhere else tomorrow" archers from the "still here and working hard at improving" archers.

If you keep moving on to a new thing everytime it gets in the least little bit hard, you will eventually find something that you're really just naturally good at, even if its knitting for the over 80s.

Also, you say your son has potential, but does HE have the doldrums, or does HE ENJOY his archery? If so, have you been a bit unfair to your son? You introduced him to this sport and now you appear to be saying "I've got the tshirt son, lets go and play at something else now"
Sorry but you have misjudged me completely. I put a LOT of effort into the sports I do - that's why I'm still a very competitive runner and surfer at the ripe old age of 42, have come 1st in a National surf comp, a triathlon and a local running race, ranked 4th in the country (briefly) in my weight for kickboxing, why I can still do all sorts of weird gymnastic stunts - because I still train hard. I haven't got to a stage of thinking" been there done that" just struggling a bit with enthusiasm. I'll speak to my son; he's still keen but I can see the motivation has dipped a bit too.

So no I don't move onto the next thing when it gets hard - quite the opposite actually.
 

Timid Toad

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Keep seeing the glass is half full bit.
I learned to shoot at uni, but didn't have time to continue once real life got in the way. 14 years later we were looking for something we could all do as a family. Him Indoors had also shot at uni, so we dusted our bows off from under the bed, and it didn't take long to get into enjoying it again.
All my girls shot at one time or another. One was 3rd in the UK at one point, the other represented her country, neither of these two shoot now. But it's a skill they'll always have if they need it. The other of my girls picked up the bow again just in time to go to uni. She immediately had a club to go to and like minded people in a city of strangers. Don't ever knock the social side of archery. It is ok to just turn up and fling some arrows. That might not fit with your mind set, but don't dismiss it.
 

Kernowlad

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Keep seeing the glass is half full bit.
I learned to shoot at uni, but didn't have time to continue once real life got in the way. 14 years later we were looking for something we could all do as a family. Him Indoors had also shot at uni, so we dusted our bows off from under the bed, and it didn't take long to get into enjoying it again.
All my girls shot at one time or another. One was 3rd in the UK at one point, the other represented her country, neither of these two shoot now. But it's a skill they'll always have if they need it. The other of my girls picked up the bow again just in time to go to uni. She immediately had a club to go to and like minded people in a city of strangers. Don't ever knock the social side of archery. It is ok to just turn up and fling some arrows. That might not fit with your mind set, but don't dismiss it.
Your posts are so much more helpful than ahem, some others...
By "social side" do you mean the more casual "turn up when you want" archer (rather than the side that drinks beer at the pub?!)?
There are a few in the club like that; always seem happy. Maybe we're just taking it a bit too seriously?!
I'll make an effort to go this week - its a shame the sessions are now so late (for my son - he's had to bail out of a few indoor evening sessions because he's knackered!) compared to the outdoor season shoots (which start at 5ish - we're usually heading home by 7); makes it a bit tricky for little ones but it's probably worth it once in a while.
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
Most if not all archers will go through this, we plateau reaching a standard and then not seeming to progress. We judge ourselves by the rate of improvement we have already made forgetting that this rate of improvement in scores cannot be maintained. You added a fairly major change which caused and still is causing you problems. I think you were very wrong to go to a hand held, but the choice was yours. Now as I see it you have three options.

One, carry on with the hand held and keep at it till you start to be happy with your results and shooting becomes fun again. Don't worry about scoring just shoot one arrow at a time learn to tell the difference in feel between a good shot and a bad one, get rid of as many of the bad ones as you can.

Two, I would bet a pound to a pinch of pig droppings that you are like me, you like to be in control of the process( The stroke the board or whatever.) and if your are not, you feel that some thing is not right. and with the hand held you are not .It'll go off some time is not good enough for you. ( I know it wasn't for me.). So go back to the wrist release and enjoy being in control again.

Three, put all the gear ebay.
 

Timid Toad

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Your posts are so much more helpful than ahem, some others...
By "social side" do you mean the more casual "turn up when you want" archer (rather than the side that drinks beer at the pub?!)?
There are a few in the club like that; always seem happy. Maybe we're just taking it a bit too seriously?!
I'll make an effort to go this week - its a shame the sessions are now so late (for my son - he's had to bail out of a few indoor evening sessions because he's knackered!) compared to the outdoor season shoots (which start at 5ish - we're usually heading home by 7); makes it a bit tricky for little ones but it's probably worth it once in a while.
And with the darkening hours, outdoors gets more restricted. I would definitely wait till your boy is 10 or so before introducing him to beer (joke!!! JOKE!!!!)
Yes, I meant the occasional shooters who just enjoy chatting and pinging on club nights. You'll have to let your expectations slide a little, but sometimes it can be just what you need to get the feeling back. No reason you have to shoot while your lad does, too. If he's getting some coaching it is often helpful for a coach to be able to show you what's needed and another pair of eyes is always good. If you psych yourselves up to a once a month at the club commitment, along with home practice, it'll soon be something to look forward to.

Oh, and ignore Del, if it ain't a bent stick he does like to mock.
 
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Rik

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And with the darkening hours, outdoors gets more restricted. I would definitely wait till you boy is 10 or so before introducing him to beer (joke!!! JOKE!!!!)
:) funnily enough, We made a point of getting our eldest to taste what we were drinking from age 6 or so. Result seems to be that he's not much interested and mocks his school mates who go out and get drunk... He actually looks surprised when he tries something and find he likes it (now 17, I should say).

As to bows: they are all bent sticks.Just some are pretty hi-tech bent sticks...
 

Berk

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I'm kind of with you on the late nights. We moved indoors last Friday, 7-10pm, by 9pm I was done. I think I only shot about 7-8 dozen arrows in all, a Portsmouth and a few random plinks. Didn't really enjoy it much anyway, the sports hall we use was loud and echoey, and it just didn't feel great.

Sunday morning I was back up the field with another couple of the longbowers and a recurve. We shot a York, started at 10am, finished at 1pm, 12 dozen arrows and sighters and I felt great and could have probably carried on. We had a great morning, a good few laughs and all left smiling.

Sometimes it's just the company and location that can make the difference.
 

Kernowlad

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I'm kind of with you on the late nights. We moved indoors last Friday, 7-10pm, by 9pm I was done. I think I only shot about 7-8 dozen arrows in all, a Portsmouth and a few random plinks. Didn't really enjoy it much anyway, the sports hall we use was loud and echoey, and it just didn't feel great.

Sunday morning I was back up the field with another couple of the longbowers and a recurve. We shot a York, started at 10am, finished at 1pm, 12 dozen arrows and sighters and I felt great and could have probably carried on. We had a great morning, a good few laughs and all left smiling.

Sometimes it's just the company and location that can make the difference.
I think this is a big part of it - switching from hoping the weather is good (shooting outdoors in nice weather is just great) to now wanting it to be poor - not sure about others but being indoors when it's lovely weather is near torture for us; we're very outdoorsy - hence spending 6 weeks a year in a camper (well most outside of it) roaming around Europe!

I thought the lack of worrying about the weather would be a good thing; not quite feeling it yet. I also feel a bit guilty bringing the lad along when he tends to burn out by 8ish.

We'll see - maybe shoot less for the indoor season. I do have a 545 Portsmouth to try and beat though...
 

bimble

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on the up side, it's not like archery equipment goes off... if you want a break (indoors is boring after all), it'll all still be fine when you pick it up next.
 

Marcus37

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I know were you are coming from, I have had days when I just could not get motivated to go shoot, but it?s never more than once in a while.

May be you need to try and re-find the fun in the sport, a different target face like a dart bord and play 501 darts with your bows or something along those lines to give you that feeling of ?fun? again.

My dad went through the ?I might quit because I?m losing interest? faze and After a 2 week break he was back at it, some times a short break can re energise your self.

My problem is I?m too motivated, I would shoot every day if I could.
 

ben tarrow

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Sorry but you have misjudged me completely. I put a LOT of effort into the sports I do - that's why I'm still a very competitive runner and surfer at the ripe old age of 42, have come 1st in a National surf comp, a triathlon and a local running race, ranked 4th in the country (briefly) in my weight for kickboxing, why I can still do all sorts of weird gymnastic stunts - because I still train hard. I haven't got to a stage of thinking" been there done that" just struggling a bit with enthusiasm. I'll speak to my son; he's still keen but I can see the motivation has dipped a bit too.

So no I don't move onto the next thing when it gets hard - quite the opposite actually.
Sorry for misjudging you. I've just known a number of archers (and they always seem to be compounders) who spend spend spend and then get "bored"
 
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