BehindBlueI's
Grandmaster
- Oct 3, 2012
- 26,608
- 113
So the biggest reason for not taking training classes is ME. I am to blame, it's my fault, nobody else. If I can change my mindset and stop making excuses, then I can and will/would attend training classes. So how do I change my mindset? I haven't figured that out yet...............
-Travis-
There are several mental tricks you can use to help change your mindset. Recognizing you want to is the first part.
1) We do not have an internal "what X is worth" in our brain. We only have a comparison tool in our brain. If I ask you to price a bread machine, for example, you'd likely have no idea. However if I showed you three bread machines of various capacities, ease of use, etc. you'd have little issue deciding the relative value between them. So, do the comparison in your brain. "This class costs $100. That is 1/5th of a new handgun. What do I value? The ability to defend myself. The ability to shoot well (say the joy of seeing a smaller group on a target at 10y). Etc. Will $100 toward a new handgun get me closer to what I value, or will $100 of training get me closer to what I value?" and then really run the comparison. This will make it more concrete and is much easier than evaluating the cost of training in a vacuum.
2) Remove temptation. If you are buying handgun magazines, stop. They are one big advertisement written by people who understand how to sell you a new gun. Take a break from visiting the LGS while you save up. Avoid Gunbroker and the like. Avoiding temptation and avoiding envy (that guy's got a cooler gun then me, I'm losing!) will go along way. If you find that you simply can't avoid envy (and it's one of the hardest things to overcome), start watching some incredible shooters and revisit #1. Which outlay will make me more like this guy, a new gun or more training?
3) Remind yourself why you are happy with what you have. I do this with my truck every time I drive it. I'll do it out loud if I'm by myself, but since I don't want to appear nuts I do it in my head when I'm with others. I remind myself of the things I like about it. I like the power, I like the looks, I like how quiet the cab is, etc. I then compare it to INFERIOR things I've owned in the past. This is so much quieter than my old Super Duty. This pulls so much stronger than my old GMC. The stereo sounds so much better than my old Dodge. It sounds silly, I know. I'm as happy with my truck today as I was when I bought it 3 years ago. It's a treat every time I drive it. Do the same thing with a few favorite guns. Being more satisfied with what you currently own reduces the temptation to buy something new and dramatically reduces rapid cycling.
This works for many things. It's how I talked myself into putting 10% of my salary back for retirement, how I avoid debt, how I save up for medium term goals like vacations, etc. Comparison, temptation and envy avoidance, and consciously enjoying what you have goes a long way in making better use of the resources you have.