Matthew details how a perfectly innocent and well-meaning piece of advice has meant he has even less time on his hands.
Pre the pandemic I was looking to create some ‘me time’ – for those of you who have had any sort of life coaching you will appreciate this is sometime during the week where you just focus on you.
Some people play golf (I used to and really didn’t enjoy it...), some people don the old lycra and pop out on the bike for a quick 50 miles or so – not for me. I didn’t know what to do, and then I remembered, my wife had got me a Gift voucher for Christmas to go and try clay pigeon shooting.
I used my voucher for Northumberland Sporting Clays and loved it! After several more lessons, application for my shotgun license and an element of serendipity due to a new neighbour – I really got into it.
Then we had the pandemic – hey ho – stay in the house.
I was introduced to a very, very good shot who also happens to have a shooting ground. He asked me a question – what do you want to do? I replied, a bit of everything – let’s face it, you don’t know what you don’t know! Anyway, I know now.
I want to stand anywhere and kill 80-85% of all the clay pigeons thrown in a 100 sporting competition and enjoy it.
I started in the sport to get some 'me time' – I’m now struggling to fit it all in!
My ‘me time’ has moved on – I now wish to be competitive. But I just wanted some ‘me time’…!
I’ve always liked competing doesn’t matter the activity – but I just wanted to have some ‘me time’! Just a bit of fun!
In short, I didn’t find shooting, it has found me – albeit, in my opinion, rather late in the day.
So, in conclusion – a couple of points.
Be careful what you wish for – my ‘me time’ solution has led to an obsession with a sport I can genuinely say that I love as much, if not more than the first time I picked up a rugby ball as a 5-year-old!
The downside being that I’m in my 50s with failing eyes and not enough time on my hands.
I must add at this point and mention my long suffering wife who has been incredibly supportive of my new ‘hobby’ and never complains when I up and off for 12 hours or pop down to North Yorkshire on Monday to shoot a competition, or travel down to Essex for the now annual 2 day pilgrimage to shoot the Essex masters - I could go on and on and on…
My final point is this – why can’t I just enjoy it and not bother with competition shooting?
I’ve asked myself the question over and over. It’s simple – I want to win.
I like winning. I know that you can’t win all of the time – I’m Welsh and support NUFC!
I also know that in life as in business there are certain factors that you can’t control – you just have to work with.
My final thought is this - If you love it and you enjoy doing it crack on and make the time!
