1. A Warrior Is Not Devoted to Any One System: Although he has a foundation in a particular martial art, he tries to glean techniques from other styles and create his own hybrid system.
2. A Warrior Believes in K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid): His techniques must rely on gross motor skills. If a move is complicated, it will fail. Simple techniques that are fast and hard-hitting will keep him alive.
3. A Warrior Trains Hard So He Can Fight Easy: The harder he pushes himself in training, the easier real combat will seem. Training hard is accomplished only by training realistically in scenarios he is likely to face.
4. A Warrior Trains in the Clothing He Fights In: For the sake of realism, he chooses to train in the clothes he is most likely to be wearing during actual fight-whether it's a business suit, jeans or pajamas. If he is on a SWAT team, he trains with all the essential equipment he'll be carrying on a mission.
5. A Warrior Keeps a Positive Mental Attitude: He is familiar with the mottoes and sayings that have inspired his peers to never give up: "Who dares, wins" (British SAS), "Rangers lead the way" (U.S. Army Rangers) and "Always go home at night" (law enforcement).
6. A Warrior Is Adaptable: In training and fighting, he doesn't just do what he wants to do. Instead, he adapts to the circumstances and the fluidity or battle.
7. A Warrior Evaluates Everything: He always examines his techniques and tactics, asks questions and seeks new ways of building on his existing knowledge. He never says, "This is the only way to do it."
8. A Warrior Maintains Good Physical Condition: Although his mind is his primary weapon, he knows that being in shape will help him execute his techniques properly, increase his self-confidence and enhance his "command presence."
9. A Warrior Is a Quiet Professional: He stays low-key. He does not brag. He views combat merely as a necessary part of his job.
10. A Warrior Never Stops Training: He always seeks better training methods and techniques-even if it costs him money. Whether the potential for conflict is in his job description or his private life, he is like a sponge, absorbing any good training ideas he comes across. As someone once wrote, "Many have the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win."
