The Combat Mindset

LoadMaster Systems on Remington 870

The decisive moment is when you realize you have failed. That moment when you understand you have been in denial all this time. You failed to get ready because you thought you were ready. People always over estimate their own capabilities because they cannot face the truth. You are not physically prepared just because you think you are. You believed you had instinct when instinct is nothing more than a learned reaction. You must be taught how to react, how is it you would know how to counter an attack if you never encountered one before. You thought it was part of the will to survive. Your only defense is wishing you had trained and listened better. Even if you do survive the situation, you have shattered your confidence. You have just seen your true self, reality hurts, and it may ruin you. You feel shame and horror and worst of all you feel helplessness.

It Is a Mindset

First, no matter how good you are in combat situation there is always someone better. Someone faster and better trained someone who will never underestimate the enemy. Someone who knows they will always rise to the level of their training, training that goes on every day. They do not speculate on how good you are. They naturally assume you are as good as they are so they never take anything for granted. They are efficient and they do not think about the mechanics anymore, muscle memory takes care of that. They fully understand their own capabilities they will never be in a situation where they are left wishing they had trained better. They live because they come to the fight prepared mentally as well as physically.

Anyone can train but it takes a combat mindset to use that training. You have to be able to pull the trigger at the critical moment. Hesitation is fatal, your life and the lives of others are in jeopardy if you hesitate. Training gives you the mechanical skills to use a weapon but you need to be able to pull the trigger mentally.

People

There are predators, humans that prey on other humans, ones that have no empathy for the suffering of others. They attack without provocation and never have remorse for their actions.

There are those that would rather avoid confrontations, they have never struck another human being in anger. They go to work every day and they hope they never meet a predator because they know they cannot defend themselves against such aggression. These upstanding citizens see the good in everyone and many if not most will never have to deal with a human predator.

Then there is the person who does not seek out others to hurt but will do what it takes to defend themselves and their families. They will confront a predator, a killer, at the risk of their own lives to save the lives of family members or even strangers. They help balance the scales and most others never realize this type of person even exists. They must have a capacity for violence but also have a love for their fellow humans and will avoid hurting anyone without a good cause, a combat mindset. They know when to use lethal force and when not to, there is no hesitation. There is no desire to hurt just for the sake of causing pain. They train, and they know they will do what it takes when the time comes, because they can pull the trigger mentally as well as physically. They do not question themselves they just do what has to be done.