,

As I'm putting together the elements of the new program, and not just the elements and lessons that'll be a part of it and why... my mind has drifted back over the years to not only what my initial goal was when I started...

...first in the martial arts itself... and then in Ninjutsu.

I found myself thinking about why, as a military policeman dealing with both soldiers engaged in criminal activity and big time criminals heading up black market and drug rings... and even counter-terrorism operations in what was then West Germany when the old-school, European terrorists were blowing up shite for their causes...

...through different situations that I had to face, attacks, and saving others from harm on and off the job.

But then, mind minded drifted to something else; something that made me realize that I had so "blown" through and past those original goals of being able to stay safe on the job as a police officer and undercover investigator - from being the protector my wife and kids needed me to be...

...to things like:

• being selected to teach self-defense and survival skills to military police units I served in, all because leadership saw the way I used this art to quickly, easily, and professionally handle myself and dangerous situations on the street.
• Being invited by local and regional organizations to be a part forums and panels on safety topics, such as the ones put together in the wake of the Columbine School shooting incident.
• Becoming a workplace violence consultant, resulting in being a co-author on two books on the subject - invitations where the editors reached out to me because of my background... again, all because of what I learned and have been able to apply over the years in the way of protecting and saving others.
• Big hired to speak and national and international conferences in places like Baltimore and Dublin on topics like protecting medical professionals from violence.

The list goes on and on, not counting the number of students I've been able to help - who have used this training themselves (I'll share a couple of their stories next time), but...

...the point is that this art and the teachers who made sure that I had the right lessons, coupled with having a career that required that I learned it correctly because of the realities on not just the street... but the realities in this world that most people don't want to think about...

...DEMANDED that I learned them correctly in order to stay out of jail, the ER, and the morgue!

What about you?  What's not only your shirt term goal but...

What is your ULTIMATE goal from your training?

Talk to you again soon!

Ninpo-Ikkan!

Dai-Shihan Miller

PS - If you haven't grabbed it yet, I discuss more about the errors in training that keep serious students from taking their skills from the dojo and making sure that their street-ready in my book: "3 Massive Mistakes..."  Download it here while I'm still offering it as a gift.