Sacrifice or Regret - Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company

Take your pick. Every choice you make comes with this price tag. Do you sacrifice something of lesser value for something of greater value or do you let the opportunity pass you by. Every time you say NO to something you're saying YES to something else. NO to studying means YES to failing. NO to working out means YES to being a fat shit. NO to training means YES to being vulnerable.

When I was a kid and I had to leave my friends to go to practice my dad would say, you're true friends would always be there. He was right. Later as friends were joined by girls, it was a little tougher but after practice, after the sacrifice the world looked a little brighter, things tasted a little sweeter, heck even the air was a little crisper. My sacrifice made me appreciate the things around me that I normally took for granted. (Girls like me more too!)

After the sacrifice came the rewards of success: admiration from peers, family and a good education. Later when my efforts turned towards martial arts and self defense, I had success in the it was the knowledge of knowing that I could protect myself and the people around me. Knowing that whatever task I was given, I would be able to accomplish that task. Oh and yes, girls liked it too and my family and friends were equally impressed...did I mention the girls?

Later I would discover how to adapt those sacrifice skills to my professional life and family life. It was easy and the rewards have been many. I would like to say I'm lucky, but luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Preparation comes from sacrifice.

Hey, not taking action is easy and it's easy to make excuses...they FEEL REALLY GOOD!!! The easy way always does. Like the saying goes "Hard work pays off in the future but laziness pays off NOW!" . But the payoff of hard work is infinitely better and more profound than laziness could ever dare to be.

It's never the perfect time. It's never the perfect time to change jobs, never the perfect time to get married, buy a house, have kids or go back to school. Any major decision comes with this feeling of the time has to be perfect. It's never going to be perfect. The perfect time is an illusion, it doesn't exist. To make change you have to take one bold step to start the wheels turning and the momentum moving. Like Newton says, a body at rest tends to stay at rest, but a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Once you start making decisions and taking action, things begin to happen.

The most successful businesses, the most successful training regiments, hell the most successful anything didn't start on a Monday at 9:00am and it sure as hell didn't start on January 1. It begins the second you decide it's time and the moment you get off your ass and do something. There will always be something pulling at you, it's life and you have to kick life in the ass and put it in it's place. Unless someone is sick or dying, it can be managed.

Short term loss vs. Long term gain.

What are you REALLY sacrificing? Lest take SDTS Training for example. A handful of hours per week for 8 to 12 months? How much of that time is spent watching TV, on the computer or eating and drinking things you probably shouldn't? If you look at your life, there is always going to be a roadblock. If you truly don't have any time for yourself each week...you really need to change your life.

If you work at a rate that doesn't allow you time for anything else, you need to check your life.

If your family obligations are so over bearing that you don't have anytime for yourself, you need to check your life.

We all get busy from time to time but you need to make the time and create the habit. Great things don't happen because it was a convenient time. Great things happen when someone stands up and takes action.

On the other hand, Regret is bitter. Regret doesn't require any action. All you need to do is sit and watch opportunity pass you by. Regret is what makes people miserable. Regret reminds you how old you are. It tells you how fat and out of shape you've gotten. Regret is a douche bag. He's that nagging voice that tell you times are passed and you had your chance. Fuck Regret, make him your bitch.

Tomorrow always comes again and again until one day you're at an age that, well...you're just too damn old.

Train Honestly,


Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company


Damian Ross is CEO of the Self Defense Company and developer of The Self Defense Training System, the most lethal and effective self defense system in the world, The Guardian Defensive Tactics Police Combatives Program, 60 minute Self Defense and the Family Safe Program. Mr. Ross also founded the Self Defense Instructor Program that helps people develop their self defense careers from the ground up. Mr. Ross is originally from Ridgewood, NJ where he was a High School Hall of Fame Athlete in football and wrestling as well as a varsity wrestling coach. He then went on to Lehigh University where he was a varsity wrestler and football player. Mr. Ross has 3 black belts, 4th Degree in Tekkenryu Jujutsu, 2nd Degree in Judo, 2nd Degree in Tae Kwon Do. In addition to his martial arts experience, Mr; Ross spent 8 years in the professional security and personal protection business. He is internationally recognized as one of the foremost authorities in reality based self defense.