In regards to training, everyone has different motivations as to why they do it. For some it’s professional continuing education. For others it’s what they do for fun. Certain people have had a life experience that has spotlighted the need to protect themselves.

I had the good fortune to spend some time chatting with Mickey Schuch of Carry Trainer at the 2019 Rangemaster Tactical Conference back in March, and he asked me what my motivation was for continuing to train…and I didn’t have a good answer for him.

Driving to work the other day, I recalled a conversation that I had with a good friend of mine a few years back. During that chat, he posed the question “If you were to hire someone to provide security for your family, would you pay someone with your current skill-set and abilities?” While I’m more comfortable with my present skill set than I would have been in the past, I certainly don’t feel that my abilities are at a level that would justify charging for services.

I may be the odd man out here. I’m not training to be the hero. I don’t have this scenario in my head about valiantly saving the day from mass killer or a terrorist. I have no interest in Die Hard cosplay. The reason that I train, that I will spend my own time and money away from the family I’ve worked so hard to build, is because of exactly that: I have something to lose. My concern is that I’ll be confronted by somebody that is better than me, and wants something that I’m unwilling to give. So I work to ensure that pool of potential adversaries is as small as possible, to reduce the chances I’ll ever cross paths with one. Because “live and let live” is a great philosophy for life, but it’s a poor defensive strategy.