“There is no weapon more deadly than the will.” - Bruce Lee

Emotion. It’s both extremely valuable if harnessed correctly, and extremely damaging if allowed unchecked by reason. Decisions born of emotion are rarely correct ones, and physical and mental acuity are negatively impacted by strong emotions such as anger or fear. Our reactions to events, especially in the moment, should be dispassionate in order to be effective.

What emotion is valuable for is giving us motivation and determination. Giving us our “why” for our priorities and actions. We can use emotions to feed our will, and will is an incredibly potent thing. Will enables us to overcome the odds and triumph when the weak-willed would surrender to their emotions and give up. Will is what enables people to perform seemingly superhuman feats of heroism. People like my life-long friend Ryan Ahern, who held off overwhelming odds and kept his team alive until QRF arrived, or another friend Jared Reston, who was shot seven times, including once in the face, and still killed his attacker.

Will matters as much or more than technique, than fitness. I’ve seen technically proficient and highly fit operators crumble under the pressure of combat. Use your emotions to build your will. Rule your emotions and put them to good use rather than serving them. Cultivate an unshakeable desire to achieve and win. Make no mistake, skill matters, as does physical preparation, but without a fierce and indomitable will, they are useless in conflict.