A friend of mine suggested that missing the first target too many times is usually because, "your eyes were not ready for you to call pull. You have to take your time and reset your focus at the start of every move." I tend to rush (everything) and I bet that I call for the target within a second or so of mounting the gun.
My friend told me about watching Harlan Campbell shoot at the Illinois State Shoot a few years ago and how he counted 3 seconds between Harlan shouldering the gun and calling for the target.
I remember working on this in the spring but somewhere along the way it got lost and forgotten. Probably after I shot a good score and figured I had trap shooting all figured out.
Here is a good article on the quiet eye and how it relates to trap shooting. I appreciate someone taking the time to help me, maybe this can help some other shooters as well.