Street smarts for the Common People

The Survival Mind Set.

Last week I talked about the advantages of carrying a Stun Gun. Some of them look like flash lights, or pagers, some look like Stun Guns. Today I want to share with you a few of my thoughts about what I call the Survival Mindset. Now when I was a training officer for the Lee County Sheriff's Office, I always taught my trainees through actual or simulated situations. BUT, there were some situations that just were too difficult to simulate. Oh they could have been simulated, but time, and expense was always a factor.

Take a bank robbery in progress situation. NOW, I do hope you as a citizen never walk in on a robbery in progress, but it has happened! The training process here is to play out the situation in your mind. Lets call it Roll Playing. The training can take place by your self or with another partner who may coach you. If you do this often enough, in your mind, you will revert to it in a REAL situation.

In my classic bank robbery scenario, a Patrol Officer would be pulling up to the front of a bank to cash a check during a break before lunch. Three guys wearing ski masks come running out. They are carrying shotguns. Its not snowing and they are not wearing skis! And its not hunting season! Is the officer really going win in this scenario? NO WAY! He is out gunned and out numbered.

Throw the car in reverse and get the heck outa dodge, NOW! Use the radio, call it in, give descriptions of the bad guys and their get a way car. Follow at a safe distance until more officers are close by. If this is practiced in your mind, this is what you will do. Of course on TV, Dirty Harry Callahan would single handedly take out all three guys with his 44 mag.

Sure.

Plan for the various situations you might encounter. Act them out with a friend or at least in your mind. If in the above situation what if the officer reacted just like he had seen his TV heroes do it? He would be DEAD. And the bad guys would escape.

OK, lets get down to what you as a citizen might encounter. You are leaving work or shopping late at night. As you walk to your car, you sense someone following you. Lets backup a second. How come you were able to sense someone? You have already experienced this in your mind! As you came out the door, you thought, its dark, its late, the parking lot is almost empty. There is a van parked near your car and you were the last one to leave. NOW, do NOT be the typical little ole lady stooped over and shy looking, as you shuffle along. Walk up right, head held high. Do not keep turning around to look, that shows fear. Keep walking at a normal pace, while being aware through your peripheral vision, of who and what is around you.

A Bad guy is just like a predator. Have you ever watched a cat stalk his prey? If the pry runs, the cat will pounce! Already have your weapon in your hand, turned on. Have your car keys in the other hand. What if as you walk outside, there are plenty of cars, plenty of light, plenty of other people around? BE JUST AS PREPARED! The practice will make you a survivor with a survival mindset.

Being prepared will also play a BIG part in making you less of a target. Why don?t body builders get mugged? They do not look like easy prey! If you can?t look like a body builder, at least act like one. Again, work with a friend or partner and have them watch you, advise you if you look like a mouse or a lion, as you walk towards your car. Now after practicing all this, do NOT let all this cause you to LIVE IN FEAR! That will take you right back to square one as you shuffle towards your car, glancing around head bent low, shoulders rounded, all in FEAR.

NO! Get a survival MINDSET! As you practice your survival mindset, it will come naturally and you will not live in fear.

PS: Actually there is a lot of the survival mindset that takes place BEFORE you ever park your car! Check in next time to learn more about THE SURVIVAL MINDSET! Keep Happy thoughts!

Paul Foreman