The sport of archery is an endeavor characterized by attentiveness. An archer must remain keyed in on the task at hand under a wide array of circumstances and be unaffected by any and all forms of outside distraction. This laser-sharp focus is often all that stands between an archer’s success, and faltering accuracy.
For most archers, this level of focus did not come naturally at first. On the contrary, the vast majority of those who have become proficient in the sport of archery, honed this level of ability to perfection over the course of months, and even years.
While many with at least a basic knowledge of archery realize the role that intense focus plays when learning to shoot a bow, far fewer individuals understand the benefits offered by this new found ability in one’s day to day life.
The following are some of the most significant ways that archery enhances one’s ability to focus.
Archery Teaches Patience
One of the most prominent characteristics of those who possess the ability to remain ultra-focused on a singular task, is that of patience. Patience is a virtue that all archers are forced to learn in relatively short order. It takes little time for a new archer to realize that rushing a shot, whether when target shooting, or shooting at game, never presents a favorable outcome.
Instinctually, an archer begins to exhibit a greater level of patience with the passing of time. This patience also bleeds over into other areas of an archer’s life. Shooting a bow has a unique way of teaching an individual that good things come to those who wait.
Archery Teaches Problem Solving
The sport of archery is not always easy, and an archer quickly learns to adapt to ever changing circumstances. As an archer studies a particular shot, whether in a target shooting or hunting scenario, they begin to subconsciously adjust for the situation at hand. This level of instantaneous problem solving can be make or break when a shot turns out to be rather difficult.
In this case, the rapid fire problem solving that is required of a proficient archer quickly becomes ingrained in multiple facets of their life. This trait can be of extreme benefit in both the personal and professional segments of one’s life, as you become solution oriented, rather than problem focused.
Archery Teaches You to be Goal Orientated
The sport of archery, at its very core, is goal oriented in nature. Archers set self-imposed goals, toward which they constantly work. Maybe the goal is to become proficient when shooting at a greater distance than you are typically used to, or maybe you set your sights on going afield and successfully taking a particular game animal with archery tackle.
This can be of immense benefit to an archer on a day to day basis as well. This natural tendency to set goals, toward which you strive, does not cease to exist simply because you have put down your bow. Instead, many archers find themselves setting numerous personal goals in their everyday lives.
Archery Teaches You To Overlook the Bad
It is human nature to become easily discouraged when something does not go our way. This often holds us back from proceeding on the course which we had previously traveled. Archers learn to shed this mentality, as not every day at the range will end with an overwhelming sense of success. Instead, most archers ward off discouragement, knowing that tomorrow will be better.
This, in turn, is a principle that a significant number of archers apply to every aspect of their life. Through this newly achieved resolve, continual growth in a number of life’s endeavors can be experienced. Through this focus, there is no limit to what can be achieved, and little will stand between you, and the success for which you strive.
Archery Teaches You To Self-Evaluate
One of the first things that a new archer learns is how to self-evaluate various aspects of their form and release, especially when their shooting efforts seem to not be going as intended. The sooner a problem can be identified, the sooner it can be corrected. This level of self-awareness and evaluation gets you back on track quickly, and enables further progress toward proficiency.
A significant number of archers learn to carry this propensity for self-evaluation from the range, and into their personal and professional lives. This can be quite valuable, as there is always room to grow in all that you do. Self-evaluating yourself forces you to come to terms with what is in need of improvement.
The Focus Minded Archer
The sport of archery is quite unique in its ability to teach its participants skills and abilities that they can use outside of their time spent with a bow in hand. However, few are of as much benefit or value as that of focus. In the sport of archery, focus yields efficiency, much the same as in everyday life.
Archers quickly learn to be patient, solve problems, set goals, keep a positive outlook, and evaluate themselves in a constant bid for self-improvement. All of these characteristics are cornerstones of a highly focused personality, and all can be used to find success in different avenues throughout life.
