Mindset: Awareness

Once you have decided you are willing to use force to defend yourself and the people you care about, you should expand your level of awareness.  Col. Jeff Cooper of Gunsite applied the color codes to personal defense and awareness.  This paradigm is helpful for understanding how to think through and process the world around you.  He breaks it into four categories:

• White: lack of awareness, not prepared for the problem, you're probably going to die when faced with a lethal confrontation.
• Yellow: relaxed alert, there is no specified threat
• Orange: specific alert, you identify a threat that may require action, you have a potential target
• Red: fight! You are putting a plan in action

If you have never read or heard Col. Cooper, then sit down and listen.  While the video is old and grainy, his presentation and illustrative stories are entertaining.  For anyone serious about personal defense, it is well worth your time to watch...