Out of Chaos Comes Order – Training with Mack Machowicz

Santa Monica, June 2002. The doors opened at 6:00 am sharp and as I stretched out, I began to ponder how and why I had decided to be here only four days after reading, Unleash the inner warrior.

The last 24 months had been overwhelming! My family went from flying high, eating lobster, and preparing for a lifetime of international travel to a sudden and unexpected catastrophic collapse of our business that reduced our income from over $ 80,000 a month to zero … overnight! ! To add insult to injury, the last sixty thousand dollars of royalty checks I had deposited were returned to me stamped in bright red INSUFFICIENT FUNDS. Meanwhile, the founder of the company fled the country with the money of his investors, including ours and the US marshals who were on his trail. Piece by piece, our home life began to unravel. First the babysitter, then the Navigator and homeschooling our two children. Then, unsurprisingly, the tension mounted and doubts, regrets, and attorneys replaced what was once a happy relationship. There is a common saying among soldiers who have seen live action: “In combat, a man’s brain turns to water and his ears pop out.” I would say the same thing happens during a divorce, especially when there are children involved!

I let go of my left ankle and reached over to the other side. I secretly wished I was in combat, rather than my situation, then I would have something specific to direct my anger towards. I couldn’t stop the voice in my head, my own voice, playing the same 2-3 open-ended questions over and over. “What will become of my relationship with my children? How do I deal with my feelings of betrayal? How am I going to pay for everything?…. Now what genius? ”

As a former world record holder in the sport of weightlifting, I intuitively knew that I needed something physical to regain a sense of control and Bukido, a symbiosis of the way of the warrior (emotional and mental) and the development of combat skills (the physical). ) seemed to resonate with me. I arrived hoping to learn some new techniques that would give me a little more confidence in my ability to deal with violence and a good weekend workout to clear my mind. Instead, I left with an entirely new acting philosophy and a refined set of mental skills that literally changed the direction of my life.

As the first day progressed, we began to analyze the three dynamic elements of combat: 1. Objectives 2. Weapons 3. Movement. Targets dictate weapons, weapons dictate movement. The “target” really sets up everything else, whether it’s dealing with an attacker, building a business, or losing ten pounds. The question is always the same: What is my main objective, what is my intention? Will reaching this particular goal create the results I need right now? What goal, if reached, will provide multiple wins? There can only be one main goal in any area of ​​my life. All other goals, by default, become child goals.

Targets are the fastest way to end a threat and over the weekend we spend hours on each of the three specific targets. Mack showed us how to use a tool called CARVER MATRIX (see the UTWW book) to define which goals create the most impact in any situation. When applied to deal with violence, CARVER eliminated years of training based on mystical techniques and guesswork. He had no doubt that these were the objectives he must master. I methodically practiced each goal and removed all doubts associated with my ability to access them under extreme stress. Speed ​​impresses but precision kills, so SLOW is FAST. Mack not only showed us how to connect with these goals, but he systematically installed this information in our brains as if our lives depended on it.

We studied the application of proportions in terms of hitting the target. The ratio is basically a way of determining how many separate movements are involved before reaching a goal. If person A jumps up and does a spinning kick with the heel towards the head of person B, his sequence has a ratio of 3: 1 (3 to 1), The 3 steps: 1. Jump 2. Spin 3. Kick…. results in a hit to the target, 3: 1. If in response, person B simply thrusts his shin directly into person A’s groin, his sequence has a 1: 1 ratio. Person B’s shin B will reach his target first even if he is moving at half speed because he has a more efficient ratio. This knowledge explains why complexity reduces your ability to achieve a goal.

Proportions apply to everything in life. What is the 1: 1 direct ratio approach for this situation? How can I win a ratio, that is … go from a 3: 1 ratio to a 2: 1 ratio or better? In any situation, there is an optimal way to obtain leverage and ratio. In my mind the Reason of principle is the essential counterweight to Pareto Principle (80/20) because the comprehension ratio not only tells me which weapon is best for a particular target, but also the most efficient movement required to hit the target.

Over the weekend, understanding how fear relates to physical chaos, mental chaos, and every area of ​​your life was a constant component of the training. When fear begins to take over your consciousness, your mind begins to spin. The loop is when you get stuck in a sequence of thoughts like “I can’t believe this is happening to me, I will never get rid of ticking a clock, I will never get out of debt, or I just can’t lose these last twenty pounds.” To stop the loop even when under tremendous stress, Mack developed a simple linear process by which he moves to conquer any fear in his path. It is as simple as linear versus loop:

ACT;

Evaluate – Assess the situation.

To create – Create a simple plan.

Wear – To take action.

Evaluate – Evaluate the results.

As you go through the ACTE process, you will overcome inertia, stop the loop, and take an immediate step to take. Movement creates emotion, not the other way around. Once you are on the move, fear is pushed aside and you can take control. This simple step can happen in 3 seconds, or it can spend days, weeks, or months on a more complex plan.

On the last day, we had to deal with a full mock attack. The attacker was wearing a full body protective suit, so we couldn’t hurt him, but he was coming towards us with all his power and speed. I was able to handle this test easily as we had spent three days dealing with a physical confrontation and I knew I was prepared.

It wasn’t until after everyone had left that I received Mack’s most powerful vision. He took me aside and said, “Brother, I know you’ve been through a lot in the last few months, let’s talk.” I replied, “I understand exactly how I can start toppling goals in my business and physical world. I’m still caught in a loop when I think about the divorce situation and how it affects my children.” Mack spoke clearly and slowly, “You only have two objectives in this area, 1. You love your children and 2. You love your ex-wife as the mother of your children, everything else will take care of itself! “ I felt the tension that I had been holding for the past three months dissipating because I knew he was right and I had reached my ultimate goal for the weekend. I got into my truck and walked away from the workout armed with renewed clarity and energy.

It has been 8 and a half years since I left Santa Monica. Since then I have constantly refined my approach, generating significant results in my personal and professional life. I use the Bukido Performance Philosophy as my fundamental approach to meeting challenges and opportunities. I have built authentic relationships with my children, found the woman of my dreams, and made millions of dollars along the way. I no longer think mechanically about the 3 dynamic elements of combat or the ACTE cycles, they have become part of me and, more importantly, they will live in my children.

Thanks Mack!

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