#ooda loop

I recently learned about the "OODA Loop" while trying to explain the bridge between training and survival. Training establishes instinct and muscle memory. This is coupled with genetic memory, and feeds your analytical and logical side. These are all the parts of the "OODA Loop". Instinct is that "spidey sense". When Instinct starts tugging at you, you are almost compelled to listen. Something in your subconscious has been flipped on. You may not know why yet, but you listen. Maybe it's telling you the best way to egress, set up an ambush, or just that a situation may become untenable rapidly so prepare accordingly. Maybe it's telling you some genetic memory stuff like, Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn or fear of locations where spiders or snakes might normally be, even if we have no had interactions with those animals before. Human memory is hardwired with a bias to prioritize, store, and recall information that is relevant to survival over most other functions, because survival becomes "Function Number One".

Equally important, is muscle memory. Muscle memory, in my experience, once established, is faster and more reliable than instinct. Muscle memory moves faster than the brains decision making process can, initially. The prefrontal cortex fires the first electron spark of the thought about "X" situation and that is all that is needed for muscle memory to assume control and start making complex movements. Muscle memory can do, or at the very least start the action for often complex tasks with little to no conversation between the brain and the motor function happening. Sometime, morbidly, over the threshold of life and death for a short time.

Training also help strengthen your analytical and logical side. Training has told your mind and body: "Be ready for, be on the lookout for, expect for 'X' situation all the time." Your analytical and logical sides have been forewarned that "X" is almost certainly going to happen start forming a plan now.

We already fed this information into instinct and muscle memory. Now training is informing your analytical side that it’s going to be breaking complex information into smaller components that are all connected by relevance to understand "X"'s rapidly evolving, chaotic filled situation.

While also helping your logical side to understand its place in developing a structured, rule-based, or cause-and-effect reasoning to reach a valid conclusion to those same rapidly evolving, chaotic filled situation. And in the process, on a back burner, we need you to figure out, in conjunction with analytical side, how to violate, circumvent, move over, under, around or through all of the structure, rules-based, and cause-and-effect reasoning you just worked out, just in case. Oh and I need, say six different ways, to execute all those plans, simultaneously, piecemealed together form all the plans and 2 others we just made up on the run, and we'll be needing that 10 minutes ago. So go, get to works.... Times a'wastin'!

Instinct and muscle memory have lit the spark of thought and movement. Your analytical and logical sides are looking at the every evolving situation of "X" and they are putting together a plan of attack based on a structured set of rules that has been broken down into bite-sized links of information that can be stacked up to cause one thing, or decoupled as the situations requires in real time.

As all those things come together, they have all informed each other into the  impenetrable shared reaction, that is beyond argument because of their shared opinion is the inly logical conclusion.

Practice Situational Awareness Because There is No Safe Place:

Many people are NOT "Situationally Aware". They walk around with their head up their a**, their ears plugged with earbuds and nose stuck in their smartphone. Three Things You MUST do to be Situationally Aware (18 minutes into this PodCast):

Decide to make a habit of "paying attention" to everything going on around you. You must make a continuous and conscious act of paying attention before it becomes an unconscious act (habit).

Vanquish Denial - don't assume that popping sound in the food court is fireworks; assume it is gun shots.

Trust Your Gut over modern sensibilities to suppress your instinct.

Apply the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide and Act); a four-step approach to decision-making that focuses on filtering available information, putting it in context and quickly making the most appropriate decision, while also understanding that changes can be made as more data becomes available. What Could Make You a Target? The "outside" world is insane. Situational awareness and heeding warning signs are key to understanding circumstances and options that can reduce the risk of becoming a victim. What are people doing? What threats are in the area? What resources are available for personal safety and defense? Take out the earbuds and stop looking down at the smartphone. Look people in the eye as you pass them by. Pay attention to what's going on around you and think of "what-if" scenarios where you are at any given time. Your safety is your responsibility. Know What's Happening Elsewhere: Situational Awareness is not limited to our immediate surroundings. We must also be aware of what's going on around us locally, nationally and internationally. [Resource Link] [Reference Link] Related Resources: Identify Pre-Attack Indicators

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Index]

Awareness: The Cornerstone of Self Defense

Anytime you leave your home, you should "flip the switch" to yellow. Being relaxed but alert could save you from dangerous situations.