One of the things I love so much about the world, is the diversity it offers. I have been to well over a dozen countries, lived, trained and interacted in a variety of cultures - and met a wide variety of vastly different human beings. Awesome. We are all different; we are not the same; and this brings me to my topic … I am not going to talk about ‘inclusivity’ … but rather, ‘exclusivity’; yes, there is another side to the coin! Human beings need to ‘exclude’ others, on occasion. Top tier special operators, for example - exclusive. This group of people should not include people, just for t ..read more

The black swan theory is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise and has a major effect. We cannot tactically prepare for Black Swan events but we can perhaps prepare strategically … Each has their own perspective - the turkey sees thanksgiving as a black swan event - but the mother shopping for thanksgiving does not.  We can prepare for predictable catastrophes - but how to prepare for the unpredictable catastrophes? Sure, we can have an emergency fund (I highly recommend this); we can even prep with supplies; etc - but often the ones who do best when the Black Swa ..read more

We are all unique. Some ‘more unique’ than others, yes; but we each live within our own set of circumstances. We each have to make choices with our education, in what we want to do with our lives, in who we will spend our time with, be with - or even marry. We each have to choose where we’ll live, how we’ll spend our time; in pursuit of which thing we want, which goal, trait or purpose. All of these choices interact with one another to form the tapestry of our lives.  When we intersect with others, our tapestry might well improve - and with certain others it might well be damaged; but t ..read more

I know about effort. And the ‘faces’ of effort can vary; there is physical effort, mental effort, emotional effort …even then these different kinds of effort can be further’ sliced’ … sustained physical effort (aerobic) or short burst of physical effort (anaerobic). Essentially, effort is about ‘directing our resources’ toward a specific task. The thing is, resources are limited/finite. Successful people (or animals) are always making sure that the reward for our effort, is worth it.  Consider a trout who swims right across the stream, fighting the current, to eat a tiny insect off the ..read more

When we are on the wrong track - or when we are still trying to work something out - our explanations of it are usually overly complicated. When we understand something well, the explanation usually becomes much more simplified. This is one metric I use, to know I am making progress with something. As my understanding deepens and becomes more thorough, I can explain it to others in simple terms; and much more easily. In art, I prefer those works that convey a feeling or an idea in a few strokes. I have a preference for minimalism. Here’s a snap I took at a Salvatore Dali exhibition in Sassi ..read more

I have taught a lot of classes - far more than the average martial arts instructor - well over 25,000 - of you need a number. Over the course of these 25,000 experiments (as it is my nature to view experiences as experiments) I have come to learn a number of useful things.  On elf the things I see, on the Combatives martial arts landscape - is the ‘over-use’ of lecture/style instruction. Usually, when the instructor is coaching, all the students sit or stand, unmoving, and listen to what that instructor has to say. More often than not, the instructor takes far, far too much time, expla ..read more

It’s easy to buy into a proven idea or thing … but buying into an idea, a thing or someones ‘vision’ in it’s formative stages, can be a ‘visionary’ move in itself. Paradigm shifts are often initiated by the first wave of ‘followers/believers’ rather than by the visionary him/herself. Having the vision, to see the vision - that’s the real trick ..read more

Agility is a critical attribute. Technology is evolving more and more rapidly, each year. Governments and large organisations are struggling to keep abreast of the developments taking place in the public sector. This is clear. The speed at which developments are taking place in the blockchain (crypto) space - is startling. In a not-too-distant future, I think middlemen of all sorts, will be ’blockbustered’ into non-existence. Governments everywhere are just beginning to realise the broad and lasting changes that are coming - from the public sector - and they are struggling to keep up, just ..read more

I left Australian shores as soon as I finished high school. I revelled in the ‘unfamiliar’; in the strange, in the vast cultural chasms that I experienced in a number of countries and continents. I never sought the familiar in these unfamiliar places; in fact, I sought the exotic, the different, the adventure. The natural inclination of most, is to seek the familiar; to eat the same foods, to hang with the same kind of people, to holiday in the same locations each year, etc.  Seeking the familiar - and avoiding the unfamiliar, was a basic survival trait that resulted in our ancestors ..read more

Engagement is key - and I am not talking about ‘student engagement’. As professional trainers, we need to remain 100% engaged and in a constant state of professional development ourselves, if we want to remain at the front of the pack.  Elite-level trainers need to spend as much time working on their own development as they do in ‘delivering’ to others. A highly-engaged, very excited, motivated and continually evolving trainer - is an effective trainer. Enthusiasm is contagious. At the other end of the spectrum, we find that trainer who merely goes through the motions, the ineffective ..read more