Dear Hills People,
It is said in different ways, the old excuse for not doing something you know you should. “I don’t have time,” or, “I need to do X first,” or, “It’s not the right time,” or, “I’m not ready.” You probably said one of these or something similar about something in your life. Because we’re here, we’re talking about training in self-defense and firearms for the purpose of defending ourselves and our families.
I’ve heard all the excuses. All of them. I’ve said some of them myself. And I think some of them are even legit.
But mostly we’re just soft and weak, seeking comfort and convenience at the expense of self-improvement and readiness. Our priorities are screwed up for this reason; It’s more important for us to catch the latest episode of whatever than to maintain our health and sharpness of mind. It’s more important for us to feed various appetites than to endure lack of anything.
And we’ll come up with a million bullshit justifications so we can live happily ever after without doing anything hard. So let’s examine some of the more popular excuses.
“I don’t want to train, it’s just not for me. I’m not a fighter or a guardian; it’s not my role.”
Totally fair. You know who you are and your place in the world. And you have the integrity to live it. Not everyone is called to be a citizen defender, so this post isn’t for you. Pass it on to anyone who says any of the following:
“I need to train, I just don’t have the time.”
Bullshit. You’re lazy and you suck at time management. Own it and fix it. You have plenty of time, but you waste it and you’re lying to yourself about it. Shut down your screens, start telling people “no,” and get yourself where you need to be. Stop working so much that you turn into a marshmallow – life needs balance. Stop focusing so much on others to the detriment of yourself. Balance starts with you.
“I need to train, I just don’t feel like it.”
You’re a product of a culture that wants you to believe in the primacy of feelings. It’s wrong, and it’s killing us. Stop being weak; stop “feeling” so much. Do what you know needs to be done. Avoid the things you know are bad for you. Feelings come after, and they’ll be good.
“I want to learn some self-defense; I just need to get in shape first.”
This is like saying, “I know I need to go to school; I just need to learn social skills first.” You don’t need to be in shape to start training. You can do that as you go.
“I’m just not ready for that.”
Whether it’s fitness, defense, firearms, kids, or some other “big” step in life…guess what? You’re never ready. Even if you *feel* ready, you’re not really. It’s the doing that makes you ready. So do it.
“I should have started years ago.”
You and everyone else. Get over it and get to the good work of forging the best version of yourself possible. You deserve it, and we – your fellow citizens – need you.
Paradigm Shift
The world many of us grew up in is now gone, and we’re unprepared for what lies ahead. We will need resilience, strength of mind and body, critical thinking, moral character, and many various skills. We’ll need each other. You will find all of this and more in training.
If you wait until conditions are perfect, you’ll never begin. Instead, BEGIN. Realize you must learn to be content with imperfection – it will make you better. Seek out discomfort – it will make you adaptable. Do hard things – it will make you resilient. Prioritize your own betterment over entertainment – it will make you strong.
Light your inner forge and get to work.
