These were originally written down for a friend to help stay focused at precision rifle match, but they should be able to help nearly anyone.

1. Don’t pull the trigger until you know you can hit the target – the short version is to only break a shot when you are in the best position you can build, get the reticle as settled as much as you can and feel confident in the shot you make instead of accepting “close enough” and whiffing a round downrange.
2. Assess the points possible and plan accordingly – sometimes you might not be able to get an entire stage done in the prescribed time limit, or a shot might be beyond the capability of your rifle system and ammo; so accept that you might only get 8 points instead of 10 on a stage, and plan to get 8 good shots to maximize points instead of rushing and only getting lucky on a few shots.
3. Time doesn’t matter, shoot until you finish the stage or they stop you – if you’re worried about time, you are distracted from shooting and hitting targets. Instead of asking for time remaining (and sometimes getting time elapsed or having to do mental math), focus on breaking good shots until the RO stops you.
4. Make an educated wind guess, don’t rely on everyone else – wind is the great equalizer because it is constantly changing. Take in the signs, use your technology, listen to your buddy or do a wind dance, then make an educated guess yourself on what the wind is doing. After you start shooting the stage, make corrections by observing trace or impacts, and process that information to tweak the subsequent shots.
5. Tripods make a difference – understanding the many uses of a tripod can provide an advantage by being able to stabilize a shooting position that others might have to struggle through. Since it is a competition, if you’re within the rules accept that using a tripod can make a difference, as a few extra points will make a difference in overall placement.