Self-defense>Mental aspects>Window of opportunity

↩ Back

Window of opportunity

Intro

There are many ways in which an attacker may be diverted or made to hesitate and thus open a window of opportunity for your defensive actions. These may be external (such as from your actions) or internal (from the thoughts of the attacker). Either way, the attacker becomes preoccupied and, as a result, no longer focused on you; this gives you a window of opportunity to either escape or mount an attack.

External factors

Some external factors that influence an attacker are:

• People approaching.
• Lights that suddenly turn on.
• Loud noises
• Noticing a security camera.
• Dogs barking.
• A passing police car.
• Your expressing self-confidence that creates doubt or indecision.

Internal factors

Some internal factors that influence an attacker are:

• Overconfidence.
• Too relaxed.
• Thinking about the attack.
• Mustering up the courage to act.
• Having second thoughts.
• Being too cautious.

Creating windows of opportunity

Mindset + Window of Opportunity = Victory

In the animal kingdom, windows of opportunity are not usually created but are instinctively understood and acted upon. For example, the cobra has but one adversary, the mongoose. The mongoose knows that a cobra strikes in one direction (forward) and with total commitment, so it maneuvers itself in such a manner to instigate a strike. Once the strike is initiated, the mongoose scurries behind the cobra’s neck and attacks. This is a good example of an "attack by drawing." Our human instincts are less developed so we must create our windows of opportunity.

Your mindset (coolness, confidence, anger, killer instinct, etc.), helps keep you one step ahead of an attacker because it helps you control the mindset of your opponent. Your mindset helps you to create and react to windows of opportunity.

 

↩ Back