Do you have fear? We all have some fear, whether it’s a fear of snakes, heights, or public speaking. Or, maybe you have a fear of archery? 

This fear I’m talking about is the fear that holds you back. The fear that keeps you from trying something new, like 3D archery.

I had it, and I think that if most people would admit to it, they also had some level of fear when they first started. 

When my husband first mentioned trying 3D archery, I thought, yeah, right. Even though I bowhunt and killed a deer, I still wasn’t confident I could do this 3D target stuff.

I certainly didn’t want to go and be laughed at for looking silly or missing a target. I didn’t even understand the archery lingo he and his friends were talking.

I was afraid because it was something new, something different. My mind kept telling me all kinds of negative crap, putting so much doubt in my mind that I began to fear even trying.

You know how it is when you get something stuck in your head, and it won’t let go. Things like, I’ll never lose weight, I’ll never find a job I like, or I could never do this or that, so we don’t even try.

Let me tell you, a negative mindset is a powerful thing. To overcome it takes time, patience and a lot of work.

Excuses I used for not trying

• fear of looking silly and being embarrassed
• fear of making a bad shot or missing the target
• fear of having other people watch me shoot
• fear of having to shoot in front of a bunch of guys 
• fear of competition
• fear of failure

Do any of these sound familiar? I know how you feel, and you are not alone. I have been there, and sometimes I am still a little intimidated.

This fear kept me from learning how to shoot 3D for a while. It was a powerful emotion that played with my mind, and it was hard to control.

But, I’m happy to tell you this fear can be controlled, managed, and overcome.

It’s okay to have a little fear – it motivates us to take action.

It’s when we let fear become so overwhelming that we freeze and do nothing that it becomes a problem.

So, how do you overcome your fear of archery?

I wanted to try 3D archery and knew I had to overcome this obstacle. If you’re struggling to get past your fear, try these seven tips; they worked great for me:

• start practicing in the backyard with your spouse
• ask a zillion questions until you understand, play the “what and why” game (my husband loves this game, lol)
• keep practicing and learning (knowledge is power, right!)
• first couple of times, team up with someone you know
• shoot with a small group of 3-4 people
• start taking advantage of warming up at the practice targets
• have a pep talk with yourself before starting

As you get to know other people, ask them how they overcame their fear. I’m sure they’ll tell you that they’ve been there too, that they’ve all missed targets and lost arrows, that no one is perfect, and that the most important thing is to have FUN!

So many of us think of archery as a physical game, but it is very much a mental game. If you tell yourself you can’t, you probably won’t. Start thinking positively. You can do it. I know you can.

I guarantee you’re going to love 3D archery.