DID YOU WORKOUT TODAY?

What have you done today to improve your ability to defend yourself? What have you done today to make yourself smarter, stronger, and more resilient? What have you done to satisfy your fundamental human need to feel safe and secure? What new habits have you adopted since the last self-defense seminar you attended or article you read?

***** The 80-20 Rule *****

This article is about "THE 80-20 RULE OF SELF-DEFENSE" The 80-20 Rule has been used in just about every field from selling to personal relationships to time management. 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers. 80% of your problems come from 20% of the people in your life. 80% of your results are produced from 20% of the activities you schedule into your day. Catch my drift?

In self-defense, the 80-20 relationship is between "Theory & Practice." Your ability to defend yourself is determined 20% by what you know and 80% by what you do.

***** The Myth of Knowledge *****

Reading a book or article on weight lifting will not make your muscles grow. Learning proper exercise mechanics from a personal trainer will not ensure life-long fitness. Sitting through a lecture on chess, understanding it's history, the name of each piece and its' pattern of movement will not make you a competent chess player. Knowledge is inert until you convert it into competence through practice.

***** The Myth of Styles & Programs ******

There are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists. Whether you consider yourself a martial artist, a kick boxer, a street-fighter or just someone who wants to "get fit and stay outta sh#&!"... there is no best self-defense package out there. There are no quick fixes, magic techniques or secrets.

People can spend a lifetime waiting to find (or blindly following) the "right" self-defense system, the best seminar, or the ultimate book. There isn't one. People often select the system of their favorite martial art celebrity or even action movie star. They are missing the point. Anyone who is good at anything is good because of the 80-20 rule. They are good not because of what they know but what they have done with that knowledge... they got good by balancing theory with practice.

80% of the benefits of a good book, article or self-defense seminar results from what you DO with that knowledge AFTER exposure to it. Don't get me wrong, feeding your brain with valid, realistic, self-defense knowledge is crucial... essential in fact, but it's what you do with that knowledge that impacts your ability to protect yourself.

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"Protecting yourself" is not isolated to warding off violent attacks. The benefits of self-defense training include protecting your physical health, your mental health and your emotional well-being.
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***** The Myth of Guru's *****

Don't defer your knowledge, opinions or skills to a guru, instructor, master or coach. YOU are solely responsible for your personal safety. YOUR knowledge and competence is all that matters. YOU must think for yourself, evaluate the merits of new information and decide how to incorporate it into your life. Seek out the best instruction you can find but realize that it's what YOU do that makes the difference.

***** Put The "SELF" in Self-Defense *****

Why do you think we call it "SELF" defense? A good instructor (or self-defense resource) is the 20%. He or she can't think for you, train for you and won't be there to defend you. Accept full responsibility for seeking out valid sources of self-defense info and instruction (the 20%) and discover or design training and practice methods (the 80%) to "buy and pay for" the benefits of such knowledge.

So... I'll ask you one more time... Did You Workout Today?

The focus of the Protective Strategies is NOT to provide you with inert, nice-to-know self-defense information. It is to supply you with the 20% and encourage you to accept responsibility for the 80%. The quality and validity of the information you are given is important but what you do with it is crucial.

Here's an assignment. Acknowledge that the path of self-defense training is a never-ending cycle of 20% learning followed by 80% practice. You are never finished. Ask yourself, "What can I do today, right now, to contribute to one of the Seven Components Of Self-Defense?"

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If you don't remember what the "Seven Components Of Self-Defense" are, refresh your memory by re-reading an article at: http://www.protectivestrategies.com/components.html
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I'll give you some specific examples of actions you can take within each of the components in *** Part 2 *** in the next newsletter.

Take care, train smart and stay safe.....

Randy LaHaie
Protective Strategies

Randy LaHaie is the president of Protective Strategies and has been teaching reality-based self-defense for over 30 years. He is the author of several "Toughen Up Combative Training Guides" (www.ToughenUp.com) Subscribe to his Free Self-Defense Newsletter at www.ProtectiveStrategies.com

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Copyright © 2006 by Randy LaHaie. All rights reserved.