The Art Of Fearless Fighting

Observing the Secrets of Battle With All Your Heart; From Your Wandering Brother-in-Arms

Sep 14, 2022

There is a German proverb:
“If you fail to practice your art, it will soon disappear.”
It holds true. Though—

Practice should not be done for its own sake. Practice should be… practical!

If I were so inclined, I could practice tying my shoes all day long, everyday—

But it would never make me a better shoe-tier! The goal of practicing something is to reach a point where one can do that thing without consciously thinking about how and why, without any doubt whatsoever.

Lately, I have come to suspect we’ve lost sight of what we're doing here, at least partially. What are we training for? We'll know once we've reached that point—but before this comes to pass it is crucial that we focus ourselves onto what is pertinent, and discard what is irrelevant or inexpedient.

It's important to have a clear sense of purpose before beginning one’s work. Otherwise, there will inevitably be wasted time, and wasted, pointless effort expended… all in vain pursuit of an objective which does not exist. This principle holds true even if one works alone at his task. In order to accomplish anything worthwhile with efficiency and speed, it's essential first to understand exactly what needs accomplishing...

If we don't know what we're supposed to be doing, we only make crude motions in its direction, thus we cannot possibly achieve anything worth achieving.

One must always maintain a proper perspective. One’s vision should be broad enough to take in the whole picture, but narrow enough to keep from being blinded by the sheer detail. This is why I continually remind myself: "Never forget what you stand for."—when secured in conviction, the boundaries of this field of vision become exactly what they need to be.

The ultimate expression of this rule is: "Don't ever try to be someone you're not."

If you set yourself up as someone you're not, you'll end up fooling not just yourself, but others who would elsewise offer support and respect. To earn respect, you must first establish yourself as someone who is capable of what he claims to be able to do—and then go on to actually do it.

There's no point in merely professing what you mean to do. It's necessary to believe in what you say, to intend it. Only then will others be willing to believe in it… and you.

It is far easier to get others to accept you, than it is to change yourself. Once people recognize you as a certain type of person, they'll expect you to act according to the standards of that type —regardless if you are, or not.

If you're not what you seem, no one will trust you.

People tend to judge their friends and enemies by comparing them with themselves. But in judging themselves, they're usually far too charitable. And that kind of 'charity' keeps them from properly recognizing their faults and shortcomings, which they come to habitually blame on other people.

So long as you let your actions speak for you, your words can never harm you. After all, it's the results you produce that determine the value of your words.

If one does not like what you see in the mirror, don't look into it unless one intends to learn how to improve oneself... and for most, that way lay madness and misery.

The real key to success is self-control… discipline. Without control over ourselves, we cannot hope to gain control over anything or anyone else. Control comes through understanding our limitations, knowing our strengths, learning to focus our energy, accepting responsibility for our mistakes, and developing the ability to vanquish the problems and obstacles along the road ahead.

A man has little chance of becoming truly great if he lacks confidence in himself. He may possess every quality needed for greatness, yet lack sufficient will to overcome whatever difficulties lie between him and success. Such men often fail because they think more highly of themselves than they ought to. They feel entitled to victory, while remaining bitter about how difficult winning really is.

The wise know how close defeat can come, and prepares accordingly. Their attitude toward life is determined less by fear of failure, and more by acceptance of risk.

Successful warriors understand that fortune favors the bold. Boldness means taking action despite uncertainty regarding outcome. When facing unknown dangers, it indeed sensible to avoid unnecessary risks and proceed cautiously. Yet caution itself can become dangerous when taken too far.

Overcautious warriors treat time like it is in limitless abundance—curating every facet of circumstance toward their advantage, only willing to fight on terms of their own making. As a result, such armies are easy prey to those who act rather than react.

Alternatively, the rash and reckless throw away opportunities in search of quick victories—wasting time trying to force favorable outcomes, rather than simply seizing them as they show themselves.

A good general doesn't waste time worrying whether his army is strong enough to win against superior foes. Instead, he focuses on preparing his troops to seize the initiative whenever and wherever possible. This requires flexibility within a framework of well-structured discipline.

A disciplined soldier follows orders without question, yes, but discipline alone does not guarantee victory. At times events require deviating from standard operating procedures. A capable commander must have capable subordinates who can be trusted to handle emergent situations appropriately, who do not require stiff micromanagement.

No matter how carefully designed, even the best plans cannot account for every conceivable contingency. There are simply too many variables involved to guarantee flawlessness. Therefore, the wisest course is to plan for the worst case scenario and prepare contingencies based on the assumption that everything will go wrong. Then, once things begin going right, adjust one's strategy accordingly: it is easier to lessen a heavy load rather than take more on, in an attempt to exigently compensate for the unforeseen.

Warriors need patience above all. Patience allows one to remain calm amid confusion, to endure hardship amidst adversity, and to endure during periods of stagnation. Great warriors understand that sometimes the hardest part of battle is waiting patiently until the stars are ripe for decisive action.

The greatest strength a leader can possess also acts as his biggest weakness. A charismatic figure inspires followers to follow him, regardless of logic or reason. A leader whose cause seems justified commands far greater loyalty than an aloof strategist who reliably succeeds in executing his sound plan. Successful leaders therefore retain their confidence, but they must also cultivate self-vigilance and defer to the advice of others when appropriate.

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him.

If a situation arises where one is forced to decide between courage and prudence, choose courage. When this choice is made, though, stick to it steadfastly. Courage demands conviction; nothing else sustains a warrior's heart in times of danger.

The essence of bravery is neither bravado nor recklessness, but simple, honest faith in oneself. The best of the brave do not seek out danger; though they refuse to run from it when it confronts them.

The world is filled with fools, and many of these are brave. Fewer still, though, are both intelligent and brave. It is rare to find an individual of genuine valor and thoughtfulness. If one finds such a person in the course of life's ambitions, make them your ally, and keep them close. Their worth is 1000 times a individual who is merely intelligent, or someone who is merely brave. To pursue a noble goal despite receiving continual discouragement and ridicule takes great courage. Those who undertake such endeavors demonstrate wisdom beyond their years.

The path of virtue is seldom smooth. The truth is that few have the fortitude required to live virtuously in a society dominated by vice and lies. The majority of mankind has fallen victim to base desires, succumbing to temptation at every turn, always diverting themselves toward the path of least resistance.

In this life, there is choice! The importance of this cannot be overstated—every person stands at the crossroads of destiny at all times, whether they wish to recognize it or not. Ironically, the very act of refusing to acknowledge the choices we are offered constitutes a choice in itself: we either embrace the challenges presented by life or we deny them. Our actions thereby define us.

The weak-willed shrink from choice—from conflict—preferring to cower in a corner. Their cowardice is apparent to everyone around them, and they're unable to hide their shame… causing the very disgrace they had hoped to avoid, making themselves into a sad mockery.

The strong, on the other hand, have no qualms about standing up for what they believe in—even when doing so puts their status, wealth, or even their very lives in jeopardy. They know there is no room for compromise in matters of honor... that there's no point in living if one loses sight of what life actually is.

In the end, it's the strong that prevail.

The difference between a hero and a villain lies in their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. Heroes give their lives for their friends. Villains destroy their comrades for personal gain.

A true hero sacrifices himself for others and finds power, while a true villain gives up all others for empty pride and self-agued gratification—a childish fantasy that profligate men imagine power to be.

Wealth is a useful tool for survival. However, A rich man who does not know how to use wealth properly is doomed to poverty of the spirit. A poor man imbued with heroism, on the other hand, can always find happiness among his folk.

The strongest weapon wielded by the feeble against the mighty, is doubt: "They're too powerful. What chance do you have?" A true hero knows that the only thing more terrifying than death is an empty life. He must choose to be a warrior.

A wise warrior never seeks to prove himself, for to try would be foolish indeed. If he's worthy of respect, others will know.

A brave warrior should always strive to achieve the impossible. It is better to die in a glorious struggle than to spend one's life mired in gutless ease.

A great warrior understands that a single moment of hesitation will mean difference between life and death. He remains cool in the face of peril; his actions flow from a clear mind and firm purpose.

He always keeps in mind that he fights for his people, for his family, for his friends, for his tribe—for the honor of his ancestors. It is said that a true warrior must know how to die, but in actuality, he must know how to live.

The battlefield is no place for the faint of heart. It is a place where the weak, the cowardly, and the greedy go to seek vain fortune. Their fortunes they do find... though seldom what they expected.

Bravery is the most valuable of all virtues—it is the foundation for all other virtues.

It is important to understand that courage is a skill, like archery or swordsmanship. It can be learned! And it is a skill which can be mastered through practice and repetition, just like any other form of expertise.

The first step to becoming a master of any skill is to train one's body and mind to become accustomed to it. In order to become proficient, one must not only develop the necessary physical skills but also hone the mental faculties which are the root of all mastery.

Courage begins with discipline. Discipline lies in choosing the right choices: the ones that are most consistent with the nature of the Will. It is through discipline that the voice of the Will becomes stronger… and through strength, that the Will's will be done.

When one is really committed to the pursuit of a righteous cause, there is no fear. When one is able to move forward with complete confidence in the worthiness of their cause, the "Fear of Death" is overcome.

A warrior must learn to love battle, but must not become intoxicated with the glory of the fight. When the glory of victory clouds the senses, hubris and arrogance soon follow, and defeat is never far behind such folly.

Warfare is the ultimate test of character. Only those who can rise to the occasion and meet the challenge are truly fit to rule.

Remember: being merely alive is not living. To live is to risk death with a joyful heart.

To be fearless is to know fear... to know it, and to face it with dignity.

To be fearless is to be free from regrets.

To be fearless is to accept death as a natural part of one’s life.

To be fearless is to accept the inevitability of failures and losses... but not to fear trying again tomorrow.

To be fearless is to know that there are no guarantees in life, but that you can still be victorious in ways that defy imagination.

To be fearless is to be willing and able to fight for what is right.

To be fearless is to be true, and to tell the truth.

Those which are true are strong...

Those that are false-
are weak.

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