Executive's Guide to Personal Security, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 1Developing a Security Mind‐set

WE LIVE IN A DANGEROUS WORLD. You don't need anyone to tell you that. The goal of keeping yourself safe and free from harm seems to be almost impossible to achieve, and even the most cautious and security‐conscious individuals sometimes get injured or killed. However, while safety cannot be guaranteed, it can be dramatically enhanced. The first and most important step in achieving this goal is to develop what is known as a security mind‐set. Doing this requires little more than looking at the world in a slightly different way. You simply need to develop a sense of vigilance that becomes almost subconscious, and that is what this chapter focuses on. The good news is that it is not as difficult as you might think.

The initial task is to learn to be more aware of your surroundings. Learning to be more observant and how to draw the correct conclusions from your observations is without question the most important element in this discussion; paying attention to what is going on around you is your best defense against unforeseen danger. None of the other recommendations in this book will help unless you first learn to become more observant and, more important, to appreciate the significance of things you see.

To give you an idea of the importance of this concept, consider that virtually all police officers, federal agents, professional security officers, and others in similar professions are taught observational skills as the building block ...