Change Your Mind

Let’s talk about mindsets.

We’ve all seen the quotes. “A negative mindset will never give you a positive life”. “Your mind is the limit…” “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” And so on and so forth.

A mindset is a very important aspect of daily life, and it is true, looking positively at things will make them more positive. But this isn’t a lifestyle blog. This is a defense blog.

So how does a self-defense mindset look?

• Decisive, alert, aware
• Believes that the individual is worth defending
• Is willing to act upon this belief
• Realizes that criminals and violent individuals do not adhere to the same social paradigms as him/herself.

Let’s look at that last one.

Have you ever felt like smashing someone’s head in in anger? Have you ever considered simply hauling off and cutting someone to pieces with a chainsaw or machete? Sure, everyone gets angry. But there’s something in your head that stops you, that tells you reasonable people don’t do that kind of thing. You’re not a psychopath, you’re a normal person. You believe in certain things. You see the world in a certain way.

Violent criminals and psychopaths DON’T. They see no problem with gutting you to get to your wallet, your wife or your television. Most of them will enjoy hurting you.

Your mindset has to allow for this. You have to understand that these people do not think like you, and therefore won’t act or react like you, or like other, reasonable people, because they’re not reasonable people. They’re criminals, sadists, psychopaths. Your mindset will give you the appropriate reaction to a person like this. People assume that getting angry when faced with a guy in your living room holding a panga is normal. Yes, fine, it’s normal, but it’s not the best option. You, as a reasonable and “normal” person simply are not capable of the level of explosive, senseless violence that a violent criminal is. Trying to outdo his rage is going to be near impossible, especially if you have not had any kind of training. It takes time for your anger to reach the same level of violence that he came to the fight with.

A strong mindset will help you to remain calm under duress, will enable you to think clearer and make better decisions, and will make your actions more decisive and therefore more effective.

That is why having a strong, positive, prepared mindset is a powerful weapon, whereas the general, “I assume everyone thinks like I do, I can’t believe that anyone would be so violent against me, I’m a nice person” mindset isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Change your mindset. This is South Africa. Yes, it’s a wonderful country. It’s beautiful and vibrant and the people are awesome.

It’s also violent, unstable, and the people are mindless and swept up into rampages and uncontrolled rage, ready to boil over at the slightest provocation. Sometimes without provocation.

Your mindset needs to be ready for this. You cannot wait for someone to come and save you; you have to be ready for when it happens – because it will happen, sooner or later, crime will affect your life.

How to achieve this mindset

• DECIDE that you, as a human being, has value
• DECIDE that you will not let others harm you or your family
• DECIDE that you and yours are worth defending
• ACT on these decisions by DISCIPLINING yourself to TRAIN your situational awareness
• ACT on these decisions by taking ACTION and participating in self defense training, whether it be hand-to-hand, martial arts, firearms, etc.
• BELIEVE that you are worth protecting.
  

  

You know that sarcastic saying, “Yeah, keep telling yourself that” – that’s what you do. Keep telling yourself you’re worth protecting and your life has value until you believe it – BECAUSE IT IS TRUE.

And then, when you believe it, ACT. Take action. Step up and do something. Don’t wait around for others, you don’t need them. You need you.

And don’t take too long about it, either – none of us are guaranteed a crime-free tomorrow.