No regrets just focus - Ole-Kristian Bryhn

"It’s better to regret the things you have done, not the things you haven’t" - Ole-Kristian Bryhn

 With the sun rising in Olso at 8:48 and setting at 15:22 the days are short and cold. At around -2 degrees on average at this time of year, motivation to get out of bed let alone get down to the range must be hard work. As a professional shooter with a full time job as a fireman, Ole-Kristian Bryhn does just that, training hard to win medals and stand on the podium. Here’s Ole-Kristian’s story…

I began shooting in 2001 and I have loved every moment of it so far. The reason I love the sport is pretty simple… shooting is a sport where you have to give 100% focus for every shot in order to succeed.

When training and competing I like to be in the “zone”, having total control over my body and mind helps me to perform well. When I’m performing at my best I feel unbeatable - which is the greatest part of the sport for me. I strive to get this feeling when I’m training and competing as it helps to motivate me.

I like to have a specific goal in mind. Knowing and understanding what I am working towards helps my focus. An example of this is making the final in the World Championships, taking every Gold medal in the Norwegian Championships and getting Gold in the Olympics.

The very last thing that really motivates me is when I do well in a competition I feel great and want to replicate that as often and as soon as possible!

Sometimes however it doesn’t always go my way and if my training session has not gone as well as I would like or if I didn’t medal in a competition I try to forget it as soon as possible and move on. I think it is important to always think positively and focus on the things that you have done well. Focusing on what you are good at, understanding how you can improve and knowing what you have to do next time to succeed is the recipe for success.

For me, the best way to forget displeasing results is to reset my mind and start from the beginning. I try to do simple things well and practice those to get my focus back, and I’m back to my old self in no time at all.

It also helps that I have a lot of friends in shooting sports that I enjoy spending time with both on and off the range. They motivate and inspire me regularly.

Do I have any regrets? I can categorically say no. There are of course things that I could do better but I always learn from my mistakes and do things differently the second time around. After a competition or a training session I try to remember clearly what went wrong and think about what I could do better the next time.

In the winter months many shooters do lose motivation. My tip to overcome this is to see it as a challenge and not an obstacle. In Norway when it is cold and dark outside, I shoot shorter distances instead of shooting 50 metres at every session. Instead of staying at home, get to the range and try something physically challenging and really use the facilities, remembering that dry firing / training is always an option and there really is no excuse!

When I am training, I do it because I want to be the best shooter in the world, so no matter what the weather I turn up at the range. When I shoot well I can put it down to practice and this is a great feeling, something which I want to repeat over and over again.

My biggest driver and motivation at the moment is to get a Gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 3x40. In order to achieve it I know I have to exercise a lot, give training 100% focus, take control of my mind and hope for just a little bit of luck!

- Ole-Kristian Bryhn

This entry was posted in news on 30th November 2015 by ELEY Ammunition.

Posted by Thom Erik Syrdahl

Source: http://www.eley.co.uk/the-bulletin/no-regrets-just-focus-ole-kristian-bryhn/