Our society tells us to can our emotions. Don’t show your emotions or people will think less of you. I think emotions are a gift and enjoy them. Love, happiness, joy and contentment are all emotions I enjoy. Fear, anger, and motivation I like to use to my advantage. The first set is easy to see how fun emotions are, but the second are things most people don’t think about.
Most people don’t like the emotion fear. I do. It keeps me from doing really stupid things and getting hurt. It also gives me a heads up when I’m doing something I probably shouldn’t. And if you stay in-tune to it, it becomes that little voice in the back of my head that tells me when someone is going to attack (like how you know when someone is looking at you). One of my favorite books “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker
talks about how fear can help keep you alive. The book explains that your subconscious brain can take in far more information then your conscious. That’s the sixth sense, mother’s intuition, or gut feeling some people talk about. Your subconscious brain is trying to tell your conscious side there is something to be afraid of. Now that our society has become “civilized” we ignore these feelings. I say embrace the fear, it can help you when the chips are down. Read the book for an outstanding explanation and examples of when fear has worked and when it was ignored.
Motivation is the favorite of the Marine Corps. If you ever hear a Marine talk, somehow the word motivation always comes out. It’s probably because the Marine Corps lives on it. It’s an emotion that keeps you going when your intellect tells you to stop. It’s that emotion you see when football players run through the tunnel and start jumping into each other. They are just so excited that they can’t contain themselves. The way to get this emotion is find a reason for what you are doing that is more important then yourself and then work yourself into a frenzy by telling yourself how excited you are.
I also use anger to get through things that are physically impossible. If motivation fails to get me through I’ll get angry at the situation. I try not to get angry at people, only at what is happening. When I was in the Marine Corps we did impossible physical things. I got through times that I should have never made it by getting angry. I got angry at having to be on this impossible situation, got angry at myself for not being able to continue, and mad at the Marine Corps for putting me there. I would get steaming mad and be cussing everything to get through. It works!
In a self defense situation use these emotions to allow you to survive. The fear will let you know you are in danger and give you time to react. Motivation will let you continue through the fear that you are now in danger. Look for those reasons to prevail, like your family, friends, loved ones, and it’s the right thing to do. You’re the good guy! If you are attacked get angry. Get pissed! That person is trying to hurt you! That person wants to take you away from your family, put you in the hospital, and will kill you for what is in your wallet. Don’t let them! Get pissed at the dirt bag and let your rage empower you to fight back.
One last piece of advice about emotions, they are contagious. If you get motivated the people around you will get motivated. If you are afraid, people around you will become afraid. If you get angry at someone, they will get angry back at you.
Stay Safe,
Ben