Having worked with both competitive and noncompeting shooters in various programs over many years, it is a fact that proficient competitive shooters operate at a far higher level of proficiency than their peers when it come to shooting under pressure. This translates into superior hit probability. It also translates into superior control, speed, processing, movement skills, and a host of other beneficial skills.
This is one of the single best things that competition shooting will do for you. When you have to go against the best on a regular basis, peak performance becomes a way of life. You have to be ready to take on all comers, to develop the toughness of spirit to risk failure while striving to do your personal best. Learning to walk the tightrope between too fast and not fast enough. You have to be able to do what it takes to do as well as you can without shrinking from the possibility of failure. Feed your will!If you learn to conduct yourself in an ethical manner while competing you will become stronger mentally. Performing will in an ethical manner will make you tougher. You won't need "props" to help you win. You will develop a strong sense of self worth, which will help you when the going gets tough. You won't need excuses why you didn't do as well as you can but will instead examine your mistakes and come up with solutions to problems yo are facing. Honest feedback will yield true skill.
Being able to observe, orient, decide and act quickly and decisively is what will give you the edge in a lethal force situation. Competitive shooting represents a superb way to increase your mental processing speed and ability to task focus under high stress conditions. Imagine driving a race car around a complex track at speeds varying from 120 to 180 mph. Now imagine how much more awareness and control you will have when you return to more "normal" speeds. In the sport of International Practical Shooting (IPSC) competitors "race" with guns. Competitors routinely have to multi-task during competition. High speed mental processing and situational awareness while being able to focus on the task of hitting targets precisely and extremely fast is one of the many benefits that can be yours. This will help you on the street when you are faced with a tough situation that requires mental agility and the ability to focus on tasks under pressure.
One of the biggest benefits of competition comes from developing your skills in dealing with stress. Competition is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. Putting your ego on the line can be a threatening experience. Overdoing things and making big mistakes by trying too hard is also a common experience. Through regular participation combined with proper coaching, competition will help you deal with your biggest competition and that is YOU.