Be Aware Be Ready
Though I offer a wide selection of trainings, my main and favorite is the Situational Awareness. I love teaching others to stay ready, not get ready. It is one thing to teach this over and over, but the other night I got to put it in effect.
I went out with my wife; we had dinner at a restaurant in a casino. There was a guy a table away from us who was seated directly at my 7:00. To those who don't know that's to my left just behind me like where the 7 is on the clock if you're facing 12.
I saw this guy and his friend. Nothing put up a red flag right away but still I want to know who is around me. I don't make this obvious. I simply look around me as if I were looking for someone or at something. What I'm actually doing is taking a mental inventory of all the people around me.
Fast forward, we eat (the service sucked but the food was incredible). We decided to stop at the bathroom prior to leaving. It was quite busy that night and both of the men and women bathrooms had a line. So, I do my thing and am waiting for her out in the little lobby area across from the bathrooms as to not be the creep hanging outside the lady's room. I see the same guy from the table next to us pass by towards the men's room. He slows his pace (red flag) and locks his gaze on me. Maybe he liked me jacket, but I doubt that. He had some interest in just me. He goes in the bathroom, then a few minutes later he is out and though the walkway was probably 30 feet wide he gets as close to me as he can to pass by (red flag 2) and again locks his eyes on me. He slowly passes then sits at a slot machine about 20 feet from me and again looks my way, watching me, not the machine. Doubtful he knew of the extra role I had in a Wesley Snipes movie in 2002, so he probably didn't want an autograph. Jokes aside, he had an unnecessary interest in me. He made it quite obvious. In my class I talk about noticing those who have an unnecessary interest in things that don't warrant much attention.
What he also probably noticed is I was tracking him the whole time. Had I looked away, or worse looked down, of turned my back. Well, who knows what he had in his mind. I knew he was really up to something when he unnecessarily walked too close to me despite there being plenty of room. He was testing my awareness of him. Let's face it, there was zero other reason from him to go that path or be that close. These are ques that you must look out for.
By watching his every move though he saw I knew what he was doing. There was no reason to confront him. In fact, that may have escalated things. But he realized I was not the one. I was not the target he wanted. Not because I'm big and bad (I'm pretty short actually and only bad at math) but because I noticed his actions. I like to use this quote "they don't want a fight; they want a victim."
Humans are no different than animals. We posture. His posture showed me that he wanted to do something. My posture showed him I was ready. I don't know his skill set (despite knowing he had quite a few drinks in him) but I was ready. This included my stance. Where I positioned myself. Knowing what I had on me in way of defense tools. That night he realized that whatever his problem was with me that I wasn't the one.
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I love teaching situational awareness and being prepared. I love the psychology of reading others. I love tactical planning. While nobody wants to be in a situation like this, it was nice to play it back and realize that the skills work.
I'm not the baddest man on the planet like Tyson. But I was ready. And by being ready I was safe. And I'm here writing this right now and the only injury I have is a scratch from my puppy.
Don't get ready. Stay ready...Stay safe.