Anger

When dealing with life, Bobby McFerrin in his hit song says "Don't worry. Be Happy." When dealing with an attacker, a better mantra would be “Don’t worry. Be angry.”

What has anger got to do with self-defense? It makes you want to stop the attacker instead of capitulating. If not controlled, it will only rob you of control, power, and speed, because you will not be thinking clearly and your body will be tense.

Without training, confidence, and a desire to survive, fear or anger will cause you to freeze-up or do the wrong thing in a confrontation. With proper preparation, the body will do whatever is necessary to escape and preserve its life, naturally and without hesitation. Every ounce of its strength is focused and directed toward one thing—survival.

We all know what anger is and we have all felt it, whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-rage. Anger is not a fault. It is not a defect in our genes. It is a part of our human psyche. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion.