Beyond OODA — Developing the Orientation for Conflict and Violence

<p>The OODA Loop — the OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act — is a strategic tool designed to help people make better decisions when facing any kind of competitor or opponent.</p><p>My guest today says that when that opponent is a seasoned criminal, the Orient component of OODA — a person's mindset — is the most underestimated and critical part of the model to understand.</p><p>His name is Varg Freeborn and he's the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3BKSFfg"><i>Violence of Mind: Training and Preparation for Extreme Violence</i></a>, and <a href="https://amzn.to/3HerVVt"><i>Beyond OODA: Developing the Orientation for Deception, Conflict, and Violence</i></a>. We begin with how Varg's life story has uniquely positioned him to understand the dynamics of violence from the perspectives of both the perpetrators of crime, and the would-be preventers of that crime. Varg shares how he went from being a convicted felon to a self-defense and firearms instructor who's worked with both civilians and law enforcement.</p><p>We then turn to why it's so important to understand the difference between the orientation of an average person and the orientation of a violent criminal, and why, when the two collide, the latter has a real advantage over the former. We end our conversation with what you can do in terms of mindset and training to close that gap, and be better prepared to handle a violent encounter.</p><h2>Resources Related to the Podcast</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/ooda-loop/">AoM article on the OODA Loop</a></li><li><a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/manly-know-how/podcast-198-turning-yourself-into-a-human-weapon/">AoM Podcast #198: Turning Yourself Into a Human Weapon</a></li><li><a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/podcast-334-violence-really-answer/">AoM Podcast #334: When Violence Is the Answer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/manly-know-how/podcast-688-protection-for-and-from-humanity/">AoM Podcast #688: Prote