Training, equipment and overall preparedness are important factors in carrying a concealed weapon. History and studies have shown us that no matter how much you practice, how good your equipment is the determining factor during a potential lethal conflict is the human mind.

 

The subconscious mind is not used on a regular day to day basis and is not very well organized. Sometimes, you may have noticed, the subconscious is activated by a smell, noise or maybe a song. Why? Memories are brought up from the subconscious if a stimulus activates that particular thought. This happens by stimulating an emotion. Emotion is what makes memories stick. During a stressful lethal conflict you will be functioning in the subconscious. You will function as your subconscious directs you.

The Human Factor

Human Factors are what drives success or failure during a high risk situation. During a potential lethal conflict everyone drops into the subconscious for decision making. Your experience, type of training, your personal values and attitude will determine weather you can maintain situational awareness and be successful during a lethal conflict.

Developing these human factors to the extent that you can function in the subconscious and be able to utilize your training, experience, understand your personal values and attitudes is the goal for anyone involved in having to make quick critical decisions.

How do we develop the Human Factor?

Gain experience. If you carry concealed, carry everywhere and all the time. Talk to others that carry concealed. Read about the ins and outs of concealed carry.

• Train as you fight. Train to meet concealed carry goals. Practice under stress. Shooting targets for score, shooting from a rest at 25 yards is fun but of what value for concealed carry? Once you have mastered handgun fundamentals work on moving and shooting, speed and smoothness in presentation, low light conditions and other real life scenarios. Stress develops emotion and emotion makes training stick.
• Know yourself. Look deep into yourself. Why do you carry? Can I really take another life? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Are you overweight or are you a tri athlete. These questions will determine what you need to work on to make progress. You must come to terms with yourself before you can understand why you behave the way you do.

 

Extreme Stress

Stress is not fear but fear can cause stress.

Knowing your stress reactions are a key component to understanding yourself. Everyone reacts to extreme stress differently but primary stress reactions are:

Physical

Heart rate increases

2. Respiration rate increases
3. Profuse sweating
4. Muscle tremors or twitches
5. Nausea
6. Failure of body functions

Mental

1. Disordered/confused thinking
2. Loss of orientation to time and place
3. Harder to access memories
4. Changing beliefs to match your actions
5. Transformation of detail or expectation error (seeing what you expect or want to see, instead of what is actually happening)
6. Tunnel vision (decreased awareness)

 

Behavioral

 

1. Irritability or emotional outburst
2. Nervousness or erratic movements
3. Change in usual communication patterns (excessive use of humor, excessive talking or becoming non-communicative)
4. Regression or action tunneling (reverting to simple tasks or freezing up)
5. Panic (losing control of all normal behavior)

 

Recognizing these reactions is important in understanding yourself. High stress training can introduce you to your stress reactions and build immunity to the adverse reactions. This will build positive subconscious memories which will help you maintain awareness. You will be able to draw on these memories when you are confronted with a lethal conflict decision.

Attitudes

Understanding attitudes is another area of the Human Factor that can impact your decision making under stress.

Healthy attitudes include strong work ethic, respect for your fellow man, integrity, character and a never say die philosophy.

Hazardous attitudes include anti-authority, macho façade, complacency, sexist, racist, and impulsiveness.

Healthy attitudes will increase your ability to function under stress. Unhealthy attitudes will become daily barriers and will decrease your ability to make clear decisive decisions under stress.

To develop experience, training and yourself, you must move these factors into the subconscious. This can only be done by creating emotion. Emotion makes these memories stick. This may be difficult but it is essential, in creating subconscious memories that you can use when you are stressed and must act to save your life.

Advanced training and experience is hitting the target, developing the human factor is hitting the 10 ring.

About the Author:Comments and questions to: DAN@carryconcealed.net Dan Battreall International Training and Consulting specializes in training US and international high-risk organizations in the art of leadership, human factors and decision making. Dan has also been on the training staff at Mission Centered Solutions, Franktown Co. since 2000. MCS works with high-risk organizations in creating Operational Synergy by developing skills in leadership, decision making under stress and rapid teambuilding. Dan lives with his wife of 36 years in a remote area of the Sierra Nevada in California.