Are you paranoid?

“Are you paranoid or something?”

This is a question I often get from people. Before I address the question, let’s understand where it’s coming from. As you allknow, I am a Self Defense Instructor. My focus is in Krav Maga, but I also teach Firearms, Kali, and MMA. At my school, FearLess Nation, we focus on “by any means necessary” quite a bit. We understand that some threats are too great for just our hands and our feet. Some threats call for an equalizer to be deployed.

What am I driving at? The only thing that stops a bad guy is a good guy willing to do worse than the bad guy is. We’ve all heard that “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” Well, that is true, isn’t it? Take our most recent travesty at Orlando’s Pulse Shooting as an example. Ask yourself what ensured the finality of the situation? A SWAT officer managed to take out the shooter…a good man with a gun stopped a bad man with a gun.

Now, this is not a gun advocacy post. Rather, this is a post to address that question, “Are you paranoid or something?” The answer is NO, I am not paranoid. I am prepared. I know that I am the only thing standing between my life and the reaper. In some cases, I am the only thing standing between the lives of others and the reaper, as sad as that is. People who don’t train themselves are no better off than an infant. Look at the graphic below and think about it for a minute before continuing.

Let me ask you, do you have insurance on your vehicle? How about your home? Yes? Are you paranoid? No? Well, neither am I. I train in Self Defense on all levels, not because I am paranoid, but as my insurance for survival. I train in hand-to-hand combat in my Krav Maga and CQC programs. I train with Edged and Impact Weapons in my Kali program. I train in firearms every other weekend. I don’t do this because I am expecting to get attacked – I’m a pretty nice guy. I don’t have enemies, at least none that I know personally. However, I do this for the possibility that it can happen.

You drive, not expecting to get T-Boned, but knowing that it is a possibility. Therefore  you have insurance. There really is no difference. Should my life, or the lives of those around me, be threatened, I am there to protect it. Unfortunately, waiting on police to arrive and handle the situation is a bad idea that often renders you even more a victim – just ask the police themselves.

Now, I told you that this is not a gun advocacy post, and it isn’t. However, what it most certainly is, is an advocacy post for Self-Action. Knowing how to protect yourself and your family is PARAMOUNT! How could you not be prepared for that. I ask my students often, but probably less often than I should, “Close your eyes and envision just one person, more if you’d like, that you could not fathom leaving without you here to be their support.” We all have that person. It can be a significant other, a parent, a child, a best friend, etc. “Now, open your eyes and ask yourself what you’re doing to ensure that you’ll be there for them. A diet is great, and staying fit is fantastic, but none of that matters if you get attacked and have no idea what to do.”

I hope you understand what I’m saying. I’m not condemning anyone, but I don’t know how else to get the point across. We need to be preparing ourselves for the likely potential that we could be next. Everyone thinks, “It’ll never happen to me.” until it happens to them. Please share this post with your friends and ask them if they’re paranoid like you and me.


Be safe, everyone! Walk in peace!

Instructor Phil
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To see my video on this subject, click below:

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