Fear is simply your body’s way of alerting you to danger. Adrenaline actually comes in three flavors- fight, flight and freeze. The best course of action depends on your circumstances and surroundings.

Fearlessness is a synonym for foolhardiness. A student of mine who had been an Airborne Ranger in Vietnam told me “You never want to go on a mission with someone who doesn’t know the meaning of fear. They’ll blow a lot of people away that they don’t need to and probably won’t complete the mission. Good training allows you to confront danger calmly and react with grace under pressure

A situation that is foreign to the untrained (violence) is familiar territory for the martial arts. Deeply ingrained muscle memory takes over and you do what needs to be done. The actions will seem to flow from you on their own and only afterward will you realize the danger that you have lived through. Then, as your hand trembles. You can afford to feel fear.