The concept of situational awareness should pique the interest of anyone who has seen The Bourne Identity. Jason Bourne, at one moment early in the film, is trying to figure out who he is. He is troubled by the way his own mind has been conditioned to function. He explains that within minutes of entering a bar, he has assessed the weight and strength of the other customers, memorised the number plates of the cars parked outside, identified the exits and even noticed that the bartender is left-handed.<\/p>\n
Intelligence officers and military personnel receive this type of training. It's called \"situational awareness\", and it means being able to quickly and effortlessly recognise critical details about your surroundings.<\/p>\n
However, situational awareness is important for everyone, especially for those who want to develop a warlike attitude. Situational awareness enables us to recognise potential risks more quickly and avoid or neutralise them. It enables us to act quickly and efficiently when circumstances require it and ultimately allows us to protect ourselves and others.<\/p>\n
The problem is that most of us are busy with other things, such as our work, Angry Birds, debt, relationships and the girl at work who wears a short skirt.<\/p>\n
How can we reactivate our minds and start paying attention to the things that are important to us and the people we care about?<\/p>\n
The OODA loop<\/strong><\/p>\n Brett McKay explains a tactic used by Air Force fighter pilot and military strategist John Boyd in his great article on the art of manliness. The OODA process is a four-step process that guides us:<\/p>\n