According to some news reports, more and more Americans are getting out of shape. We can all probably think of someone we know who can make all kinds of excuses as to why they don’t exercise and get in better shape. We may even see that person when we look in the mirror. It’s really all about taking responsibility for our own situation.
The same situation can be found when personal defense is the topic. There are folks who say they would practice more if they had the time — if the shooting range wasn’t so far away — if ammo didn’t cost so much — if, if, if. And they would actually take training classes if the good schools weren’t so far away, or if they didn’t cost so much.
Whoever told you that life was fair, lied to you. We all face obstacles in life and improving our personal defense situation is not an exception. Let me give you a couple of examples.
I have a friend who is wheelchair bound due to MS. But you’d be sadly mistaken if you thought he was an easy target. He practices enough that he can shoot an attacker right where he intends to — and plenty fast, too. Instead of whining about being wheelchair bound, he has worked out ways to carry his concealed handgun that makes it quickly accessible. Most especially, he has developed an attitude that he is going to deal with his situation, find ways to make things work, and not be an easy target.
Some years ago, I attended a Gunsite class with a fellow who, due probably to birth defects, didn’t have very many fingers on either hand. I also think that one of his feet was artificial. They had to put him in a one-on-one training situation because he couldn’t run a 1911 like the rest of us — for instance, he had to holster the pistol in order to do a magazine change. By the end of the first day, he had blood all over the front of his t-shirt because he was mangling his hands while trying to run the gun.
It so happened that our week at Gunsite involved a lot of wind and blowing dirt and sand. It was hot, too. We all wanted to whine a bit, but then we’d look over at our buddy and realize that what we really ought to do is shut up and get with the program — just like he was doing.
No, life isn’t fair. But that crook who is about to shoot you isn’t going to be moved by your whining or your excuses. Get busy and get better — whatever it takes. When you decide that you aren’t going to be a willing victim, you’ll develop a fighting attitude and, more importantly, you’ll do what it takes to develop the skills to make that happen.
