The Book of Fire – To Become the Enemy
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality”. – Seneca
This isn’t just battlefield wisdom; it’s a lens for training, competition, and life. Fear often masquerades as caution, and clarity in strategy dissolves illusion.
In martial arts, in tournaments, or even in self-defense, many practitioners overestimate their opponents. They see strength, size, reputation, or aggression and instinctively retreat into caution.
This leads to hesitation, reactive movement, and a breakdown of their own game plan. The problem isn’t the opponent; it’s the perception of their power.
Several ideas can be responsible for falling into what are traps. Our brains are wired to detect threats. If something is bigger, louder, faster? Then it must be dangerous. We’re also taught to respect strength, to the point of submission. Emotion can be a driver, especially when we lack facts pertaining to the situation. Without a clear framework, we default to emotion. Then there’s a tendency to doubt our own readiness. As the adage goes, “Nobody is ready for the job to which they are promoted.” And we believe it to be true.
Lesson From History
Around 1063 BC.. The Israelites were at war with the Philistines. The Philistines sent out Goliath, a giant, to challenge any Israelite to single combat. The Israelites held back from Goliath’s mockery for over a month. Enter the shepherd David, who was bringing food to his brothers. David sees and hears the situation and volunteers to fight Goliath.
David hit Goliath with a stone from his sling on the forehead, an unarmored part of Goliath. (A stone from a sling in the hands of a skilled user can reach 155 mph.)
David’s strategy was clear: keep a distance from the giant and use his best weapon. David refused to be swept up in the emotion of the intimidation of Goliath. David used a strategy.
All of this, in part or parcel, creates a distorted lens. We see giants where there are merely well-prepared humans.
However, when react from this cloudy place, we can become passive. We abandon our training, and we can hesitate,
Trust your training
If your skillset, mindset, and preparation are solid, then the opponent’s apparent strength is just noise. Strategy cuts through illusion because strategy is rooted in reality, not emotion.
Stop seeing the opponent as a threat and start seeing them as a puzzle. And puzzles are solved. Fear thrives in ambiguity.
“In large-scale strategy, people are under the impression that the enemy is strong and tend to become cautious. Nonetheless if you have a good army and understand the principles of strategy, there is little to fear.” – Miyamoto Musashi
You may enjoy this past posting: https://www.martialjournal.com/victory-or-regret/
You can reach Kris Wilder here: https://linktr.ee/KrisWilder
He has authored several books on martial arts and self-defense, such as "The Way of Kata" and "The Little Black Book of Violence". Kris also runs the Wilder Karate Academy, where he teaches classes and conducts seminars.
- The Book of Fire – To Become the Enemy - October 15, 2025
- Victory or Regret - October 3, 2025
- Know the Times – To Tread Down the Sword - September 29, 2025
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