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Flip The Switch For Success
Posted on October 28th, 2009 12 comments
Some of you may or may not know that my wife owned a commercial cleaning service for years before she got sick and had to give it up.
I did keep one account because of the ROI (Return On Investment) and the investment was my time. The account is a big church that is near my home and I can knock it out in no time and the account pays very well, all good reasons to keep it.
Last Saturday night my wife was having a good day and wanted to go with me and help with the church. We left out about 7:15 pm and pulled into the church driveway around 7:20 pm.
The sun had gone down and it was a misty and cool fall night. As I pulled into the driveway I noticed a car slowly driving around the church and then it drives away.
As usual I drive around the building and pull up on the right side of the building and under a big shelter that is attached to the building. I park where the entrance to the building is on my wife’s side of the vehicle. She gets out and unlocks the building door. The door is a big steel door with reinforced glass in the top half of the door and it has an automatic lock on it as soon as you shut the door.
She was standing inside the building holding the door open a bit waiting on me. “I’m normally the one waiting.” I’m getting my cell phone out of the seat as I hear a car driving up behind me. The car is the same car we saw before and it goes around the side of me then pulls in front of me at a right angle. Now I’m pinned in on three sides and my wife is about 10 feet away on the other side of the vehicle. This is a situation that I don’t like.
Flip The Switch.
Because of my training I quickly assessed the “what ifs” and prepared my mind to take action. The “what ifs” are all the scenarios that could possibly happen. I did this for fun when I was younger, but now I’ve made it a habit. I feel like “Jason Bourne” at times. I make a game of it with my wife at times when we’re out to dinner or shopping.
As this car pulled up and around in front of me I was standing on the driver’s side of my vehicle with the door opened. I noticed the car was a mid-size and it was black. The windows had some tint, but the way the street lights hit them I could see the silhouettes of 4 people.
They had also parked in the shadows of the building so I couldn’t get a quick look at any of them before they exited the car. I looked over at my wife and she knew that I didn’t like this situation and she also knew that if these guys attacked me to pull the door closed (self locking) and call 911.
Let them think you’re strong when you’re weak and at times weak when you’re strong.
Two guys jumped from the car very fast and walked my way. I reached inside the car and picked up my cell phone and just kept my hand inside the car as if I had something I didn’t want them to see, like a hand gun. “If they thought I had a hand gun…fine.”
As I completely stood up and kept my hand inside the car, they stopped in their tracks. They were just at the front of my vehicle. One guy was a bit taller than 6 ft. at about 198 lbs. dark hair with a long leather coat. The second guy that jumped out was about 5 ft. 7 in. with a dew rag and reddish hair. I knew right away these guys were not there for choir practice.
I was already looking for targets that I could strike that would do the most damage in the quickest amount of time. We train to target eyes, throat and groin as primary targets. I already knew the direction I wanted to lead them so I would have the advantage. I was looking for the most successful route that I could go if I had to engage.
As I stood there face to face with both guys I looked the big guy directly in the eyes. We didn’t say anything for the longest time. I said; How you doing? They stood and looked at me some more for a few seconds, almost like they were trying to find some words to speak.
The big guy started to ask some questions about the church and when would the Pastor be in and some questions that seemed like rambling. I told him I couldn’t help him and they stood there for a few seconds without saying a word, it felt like minutes.
They turned and got back in their car without taking their eyes off me and I never moved, still with my arm inside the car. They drove off at the speed of a snail.
I stayed in that position until they pulled out onto the highway.
The whole event lasted about 2 minutes. That may not seem like much time, but I’ve fought in the ring with 2 minute rounds that seem to go on for an hour. Your life can change within a flash. A flash of violence can be life altering or life ending.
This scene could have had a very bad ending.
My wife in times past would go to that building by herself.
What if she was alone that night? What if I had been away from my vehicle?
What does this have to do with being successful or personal development?
I thought you’d never ask!
1 – When you need to be successful in any situation, you must train yourself to take action!
Most people will never take the kind of action I’m talking about. If your life depended on it you would “flip the switch” and go for it.
If you plan to start a business, call sales leads or just work on your career you will need to “flip the switch” and get moving.
I teach street self-defense, it looks and is violent at times. I tell women in my class “you must have the ability to flip that switch and commit to doing as much harm as you can as quick as you can.” Do not leave it to chance. Just as in business you have to commit and never leave success to chance.
2- Always learn and practice what you learn. In successful martial arts you have to fight and spar to test your skills. In business you have to test your skills and learn from your failures. When you know what you can do and what your strengths are you are better prepared to act on your plan of success.
3- Learn to make successful judgment calls through practice. In the martial arts we need to practice over and over to get our distance and timing down. We learn to make the correct judgment and that saves us from getting hit.
A successful business must also practice through assessment and judgment to determine the success of that business.
4- Study, Practice, Assess Then “Flip That Switch” For Success!
To Your Success!
Lynn Lane
Lane Resources Inc.
Business, Confidence, Motivational Add new tag, Business, martial arts, Motivation, self-defense, Success12 responses to “Flip The Switch For Success”
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You handled that situation well lucky everything turned out fine.
Regarding business practice is important to make a skill second nature.
Jose Escalante
http://www.joseescalante.com -
Lynn,
Good to see your years of training & practice pays off!
Reading this blog post is like watching a gang movie or a reading a novel. So unreal and yet so intriguing.
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion -
This was a great post, I want to explore this subject in more detail with you for the readers of my blog…
you did an excellent job of retelling this story as it happened to you.
Seize the Day,
RobSimple Survival Tips For Disasters and Emergencies
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As I read I couldn’t help but realise how unprepared I am for such an event. I’m glad you both got out of it safely.
Keri Eagan
Alternative*Insight -
Lynn,
That was a riveting post. I’m glad things turned out fine for you and your wife.
What would you recommend as the best type of martial arts training for surviving and winning real-life violent confrontations?
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
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Lynn
i certainly can relate to you story. I got lost in San Antonio once and ended up in a similar situation. Amazing how my combat/police training kicked in as i prepared to defend myself. in street or business survival situations, being prepared can get you through.
Don Shepherd
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R. Lynn Lane October 30th, 2009 at 01:17
Darryl,
Thanks for the comment. I get ask that question at least once a week it seems. I tell people to train in an art that compliments them. For me that would be an Ed Parker style of Kenpo Karate. It is made for the street.
Jeet Kune Do is also great.
Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee) and Kenpo (Ed Parker) are fitted to you like a custom suit, then it becomes your own style that you can fight with.BJJ is very popular and it is useful in the ring were you have a ref, time limits, rules, soft mats and only one person to deal with. People ask me do I train to fight on the ground? Well, my ground fighting is to know enough to get back up.
It all comes down to what you think would fit you.
Darryl, with your size and I bet you also have speed, you would be very hard to handle if you study Kenpo for stand-up and multiple attackers then add a little ground game just because you may slip and fall or get knocked down.
Lynn -
Lynn,
Riveting story of what must have been a adrenaline raising experience. I’m glad everything worked out for the best.
I loved the way you tied everything to success because things really are interrelated.
Steve Chambers, Body Language Speaker
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Wow Lynn, what a great article (and what a horrible situation to find yourself).
Your advice about mental preparation is superb; I find myself mentally rehearsing things that I might have said in meetings. Whilst it can be frustrating to realise that I could have phrased something better, it’s good brain work to figure out how you will do better next time.
Sorry I haven’t stopped by for a while – I’m very glad I did!
Philip
Consumer Behaviour Expert
[The Consumer Behaviour Research Resource] -
Hi Lynn,
great story telling. riveting indeed. and what a great illustration of the warrior spirit and the need to be prepared.
Some churches, how they were dressed, some are members. But their whole demeanor would have been different. They would have parked the car and introduced themselves and cited the pastor by name.
Hi heel back on instep, go for eyes. groin is often protected. I’m not significantly trained, just I grew up around NYC and read a few things to do. Hold keys like brass knuckles at face and go for the eyes.
If you want to be successful…
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert -
Dude Im glad they went on, for there sake!
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Lynn, this was a really scary situation. I’m so glad that you and your wife are ok. I think my heart was beating faster just reading this. Thank goodness that you know what you know.
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitter in your area
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Jose Escalante October 29th, 2009 at 06:10