Cowboy Action Shooter Thanks Lanny for his Success

Mr. Bassham, I'm glad to finally be writing this letter. I knew I would get to write it...I've written it mentally several times during my visualization and rehearsals.

I am a Cowboy Action Shooter from Anchorage, Alaska. Not exactly a hotbed for the sport but we have a pretty active shooting community. I have been the State and Territorial Champion 6 times and have had some success when I travel to the "lower 48" to shoot. A couple of years ago I attended an Evil Roy school in Bend, Oregon and bought your CD's and book. Gene and I became pretty good friends and he encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a National Champion.

After a couple of years of top 10 finishes, I was feeling like time was running out for me. I'm 50 years old and not getting much younger. Last October, I won our Regional in Washington and decided that it was time to get serious or get out. Using your system, I began working and pursuing my dream with a real passion. I spent countless hours alone in my garage dry-firing and doing gun-handling drills and sitting in the dark rehearsing in my mind every stage of the match. Winter in Alaska isn't very friendly for shooting outside but I still managed to make sure I was live-firing at least once a week and more when weather permitted. I never missed a day of reading my directive affirmation and writing entries in my journal. I even got up out of bed several nights when I had gone to bed and then remembered that I needed to make entries and read my affirmation. I knew my opponents were going to big matches and shooting every weekend throughout the Winter. I couldn't leave anything to chance.

Finally, March came and I was off to Phoenix and the Ben Avery shooting facility for Winter Range, the National Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting. I was smooth, fast and clean just like I had told myself I would be so many times. I just got out of my own way and let it happen. After three days and 12 stages of shooting, I was called to the podium to receive my trophy. I could finally say the first and last line of my directive affirmation after the fact, "I am the SASS 2008 National Champion in Frontiersman."

Your system worked for me and I just wanted to thank you and let you know that it made a difference in my life. It was the final piece of the puzzle for me.

Sincerely,
Michael D. Phillips