Soldier's forum

Sounds like a question for jocko Willink :)

Depends what you mean bravery, as I think there is a difference between managing a dangerous situation with bravery or confidence.

For me bravery is facing danger knowing you are unprepared to manage it and accepting the consequences. Conversely, someone that enters are dangerous situation when they are prepared, trained and confident to manage it doesn’t really require bravery to get them through it.

So if you just want to be able to handle a dangerous situation then you need to be prepared which requires obtaining the necessary skills and information to navigate the situation: learn how to fight, get physically fit/strong (increases physiological alertness), learn the environment you are, know the language, learn EI, have contingency plans etc

I think it is always good not to show fear even if inside you may be extremely uncomfortable or unsure about a situation, at least in my experience living in and visiting various cities.

What’s EI?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is most often defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions. People with high emotional intelligence can recognize their own emotions and those of others, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, and adjust emotions to adapt to environments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

I want to chime in and share how I've developed some social awareness, thanks in part to watching Kurt in action.

One thing I've picked up is the importance of being prepared for potential trouble when traveling. It's made me feel more confident in various social situations. I've also become pretty good at spotting potential danger and assessing whether I can handle it using my wits or, if needed, a bit of muscle.

Watching Kaz's vlog was another eye-opener for me. I've realized the value of staying sharp and being open to different perspectives. Maintaining humility and focusing on positivity has made a significant difference in my interactions with others.

Now, here's something interesting. I've developed this ability to "hear" what people are saying, even when they're not speaking clearly or are keeping their mouths shut. It's like I can see what they mean, even if I can't exactly hear it. It's helped me understand people better, especially in a world where communication styles can vary widely. After being somewhere for a while I can preemptively respond to conflict before it escalates ...

I'm also learning to be quite adept at reading body language, and when I travel to new places, I use general cues until I pick up on the local variants.

One fundamental lesson I've learned is that people all around the world just want their humanity acknowledged. This means not imposing unrealistic demands or expectations on them. For instance, if someone uses deficient speech, I make an effort to speak in a way that aligns with their speech, even if it's not grammatically perfect. It's about making sure they feel understood and respected, unless improving upon their speech will bring clarity.

Kurt has been a fantastic teacher in this regard. He's shown me the significance of being sensitive to context and body language. Embracing people for who they are, quirks and all, can go a long way in building connections. It often makes it easier to set boundaries or address any issues when needed. It makes your EI soar. Then it's just a matter of using it to properly relate to others and get stuff done. So, here's to learning from the best and evolving our social awareness!

Need to get reps in. Remaining unreactive but alert. Displaying comfort in the situation. It helps to do a bit of boxing or mma training also and to get hit a bit and realise it’s not that bad.