(by Adam)

1. Having a lack of Awareness

When you’re out and about living your life, look around and pay attention to where you are and what you’re doing.  Even pay attention to who you are with.  The number of people who don’t do this will surprise you. The benefits of staying alert are to numerous to list here, but an obvious one would be avoiding a group of people who are out for a fight.  You don’t need to be around for that.

2.  The Fear Vibe

… or as I like to call it blood in the water.  If you look like a victim you will be treated like one. Figure out what you’re afraid of and deal with it as best as you can.  Replace your fear with calm coolness of mind.  Have an “almost bored” expression instead of one that wreaks of fear.  You will be thankful that you did.

3. Bluffing

…NEVER BLUFF!  If you find yourself in an unprevoked encounter where you’re being threatened, never make threats or bluff.  Get out or take them out.  Those are the choices.  Getting out includes using phychological tactics to end the situation, not necessarily physical skills.

Standing there and woofing it up with some would-be attacker is not only a waste of time… it’s also stupid and attracts unnesesary attention to the sistuation.  Just don’t do it! Let your “Run” be “Run” and your “Go” be “Go”.  Everything else, aside from psychological disarms, is a waste of time.

4. Tough Guy Posturing

Looking good and actually being good. Do not fall for the ego lie that says you must always look like Superman in front of  the boys or some girl/wife ” there is always a bigger stronger faster guy”.  Aim for being the best you you can be.  The macho man attitude can get you killed. Avoid looking tough – just be tough!  Mama always said ” an Empty can makes the most noise”

5. Boundary Violation

Just keep your walls up and keep people at a distance in public places. Look around and never let someone behind you if you don’t trust them. Do your best to keep people at arms length. Cultivate a body bubble and make it clear when someone get inside it, by moving or asking them to move back, or shifting or  put something between you and them etc.

Do the 5 things until they become a habit. Until next time train hard.

I want to get across the point of pre-conflict and making up one’s mind. How far are you willing to go to protect yourself and your loved ones?

The importance of having made up your mind before you ever have to use what we train each week cannot be over stated. I want you to think about all the people who love you. Make a list if you like, list all the people who count on you.  Being sound in body and mind, use this list to motivate your training. Make up your mind that there are people who love you and need you then ask yourself just how far are you willing to go to protect yourself? Because they need you! This understanding should reflect in your training.

I would rather bleed in the classroom than on the street. We have never had anyone hurt in our training sessions, by the way. I will not let my ego get out of control.  People care for me and love me.  They need me to be healthy so I can work, play and take care of them. My training reflects this, Yours should too.

I have a set of morals and values that I hold very close to my heart. I have come by them honestly and with a few hardknocks as well. I often find it unnerving to see others put there morals and values onto someone else, who clearly does not share them. Not everyone values what you and I do. Heck, I may not value what you do. What I am willing to fight for might not be what you are willing to fight for or over, things like a parking spot? or a shopping cart or a spilt beer, or a bad glance at me or my company in a public place , or a bump in a mall or sidewalk by a passerby?  You get the point.

I am polite in the real world. If I get the vibe that things are going to get hairy… no matter where I happen to be… I simply leave with no questions asked. I have made up my mind that it is always better to have a busted ego than a busted body. I simply don’t care what a stranger thinks of me.

I am reminded of a quote:

“Never spend more time on an enemy then you would on a friend “

I just walk away. There is a line … and should anyone cross that line I will say to myself, “enough is enough”, but that line is very far away. I don’t have a short fuse. I don’t have a quick temper and I am not interested in saving face.

I know what I am capable of. I know that with the burden of what I know, I can more than protect myself.  I’m able to end someone’s life if need be.  Any of our students could do the same.  You don’t need to train in any system of Martial Arts to hit someone with a car , or stab them with a knife, or … in a fit of anger… slash out with a punch and knock a person to the ground where they hit there head and die.  Again, you get the point.

Carry your loved ones with you everywhere. Carry them in your heart. Let all your actions reflect their love for you and your love for them. I no longer train to protect only myself, but to protect my loved ones as well.

I train against my ego, I train against the inner voice that says what other people think of me, who I have never met.  I train for what I hope never happens. I train hard,with my loved ones in my heart because I have made up my mind exactly how far I’m willing to “go” depending on the scenario.

Take sometime and think about these things . Take as much time as you need. Feel the weight of your personal power, and your responablity to the people who care for you, and then make up your mind. Settle the issue inside yourself long before any encounter ever happens.