Predator v. Prey: Cultivating a Protector Mindset

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Circuit Magazine
October 01, 2022

We know mindset matters! If asked whether you have a predator or prey mindset, which would you choose? Before you choose, consider:

A "predator mindset" is when you alleviate fear and think logically and with reality. Predators think about themselves and what they want. They rationalize the facts, whether they like them or not. Predators accept the situation for what it is and move on undeterred.

A "prey mindset" is the exact opposite and means you're worried about what your opponent might do and you are constantly reacting instead of acting.

So, which one are you? What assumptions and expectations do you hold about yourself, your life, and the situations around you?

Research shows that mindsets play a significant role in determining life's outcomes. This week On the Circuit, we show you why it's important to choose carefully!

So let's get into it!

The Circuit Magazine Podcast

On this episode, Elijah Shaw sits down with JT Brown to talk about mindset and training. What type of mentality is required to work with a client operating in unstable and insecure environments? What is the industry perception versus the actual reality?

Tune to hear JT's opinion on those questions as we discuss...

  • How to be strategic ahead of being reactive?

  • As a protector, how do you get to the top of the 'food chain?'

  • What are the 'laws of the jungle' that allow us to perform in any environment?

  • What are some best practices for 'staying off the menu' and not becoming prey?

If you enjoy listening to the Circuit Podcast and can spare a minute, please rate/review us. Your rating will help us to rank higher making it easier for others to find the podcast.

The Need to Know

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman, has admitted that he founded the Wagner Group private military company in 2014, the first public confirmation of a link he has previously denied.

Parliament has issued a tender to recruit close protection officers and 'door supervisors' in a bid to minimise the risk of further attacks.

The former President said that the U.S.-led NATO military alliance would be too scared of a 'nuclear apocalypse' to directly enter the conflict.

A Japanese official told Newsweek that Russia's detention and expulsion of a Japanese diplomat accused of spying was "deplorable and unacceptable."

"There is freedom of expression in Iran ... but acts of chaos are unacceptable," said Raisi, who is facing the biggest protests in the Islamic Republic since 2019.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg held a special meeting of the alliance's arms directors to discuss ways to refill member nations' weapons stockpiles.

A Russian draft officer has been shot by a man angry at his friend’s conscription and another man has set himself on fire in a protest as opposition to Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a mobilisation for the war in Ukraine grows.

For more timely global updates like this, get the Circuit Daily Briefing delivered to your inbox... daily! Get on the list >

From the Pages of the Circuit Magazine

As a leader, unless you have clarity in vision, you can never inspire others to follow. People don't mind being led, as long as they know you understand where you are going.

Managing with courage does not mean managing by intimidation. It is managing with clarity, honesty, and objectivity.

In this article from the Circuit archives, Mark James warns us not to tolerate negativity or insubordination.

"I have seen many potentially great protection teams ruined by highly skilled agents with bad attitudes or a sense of entitlement. Don’t waste time with negativity or people who are not committed to the success of the protection team or client. Negativity drains the energy of the unit."

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Latest Issue of the Circuit Magazine

Circuit Magazine - Issue 63 - Get Your Copy

In the latest edition of the Circuit Magazine, we hear how the fear of Artificial Intelligence Impersonating Humans is no longer science fiction. From election rigging to affecting the course of war, it's a real threat being played out on the world stage right now.

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- Tracy Webster - Pinnacle Risk Consultancy

Geopolitical Analysis by RANE

Russia could further undermine Europe's energy security long after it cuts off gas supplies, if Moscow begins to more aggressively target the continent's maritime oil and gas industry.

On Sept. 26, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Administration warned of potential ''deliberate attacks'' after energy companies reported multiple cases of unidentified drones flying near offshore oil and gas installations. Just a few hours later, officials in Denmark warned they had found a gas leak along a section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline off the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm. The following day, the Swedish Maritime Administration announced it also detected two gas leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in a nearby area.

Russia is widely believed to be behind the recent attacks on the Nord Stream pipeline systems, which are both operated by the Russian gas giant Gazprom. But while the Kremlin has not yet shown an intent to target foriegn-owned infrastructure, the gas leaks nonetheless set a dangerous precedent by showing that Russia is capable of attacking oil and gas infrastructure in its near periphery.

In response to Western sanctions pressure, Iran has pursued an aggressive strategy of roiling global energy markets by covertly targeting regional oil and gas infrastructure. 

Russia could pursue a similarly aggressive strategy, as it shares many of the strategic drivers that have pushed Iran to adopt this approach — namely, the plausible deniability that covert attacks bring, a desire to impose a cost on rivals, interest in driving up energy prices in the short term to increase revenue, and using attacks as a way to gain leverage in negotiations.

Beyond physical attacks, Russia's cyber capabilities — including its prolific use of data wipers that can paralyze computer systems by deleting data on hard drives — could also cause significant damage to Europe's energy sector.

Special Offer for On the Circuit Readers

From the Community

When you receive a task request, do you ask for a retainer from your client? If yes how much on average? Our company usually asks for a 50% retainer. We've had so many clients who have booked a full EP team + cars and cancelled at the last minute. - Cedric Tortevoix

"For me, it depends upon the magnitude of the request and if I have a prior business relationship with the client and how they have handled their affairs with us In the past. For some new clients, it is often a requirement, particularly for large engagements. The retainer often helps validate the seriousness of the request. In my book, “Inside the Bubble,” I talk about not fronting money for millionaires." - Mark James

Ask questions, get advice, and find industry resources from an active and thriving community of professional, working operators:

🇺🇸 NABA Protector >

🇬🇧 BBA Connect >

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Meanwhile...

Between 2016 and 2018, about 40 Canadian and US diplomats and their families stationed in the Cuban capital mysteriously became sick.

The so-called “Havana Syndrome” caused headaches, dizziness, loss of balance, nausea and difficulty concentrating and falling asleep. The initial fear was that the Cubans were triggering the symptoms with some kind of sonic weapon. Research conducted by Dr. Alon Friedman of Ben-Gurion University and colleagues at the Dalhousie University Brain Repair Center in Nova Scotia, Canada, points to a different culprit: overexposure to pesticides — in particular, fumigation to stop the spread of the Zika virus prominent around that time.

The researchers detected different levels of damage in an area of the brain that is susceptible to neurotoxins and that can cause the kind of symptoms reported by the diplomats and their families.

Protection in Numbers

Accountants, Whittaker & Co, have summarised the recent mini-budget and distilled the relevant points for security professionals. Find out how changes to national insurance, income & corporation tax and off-payroll working will affect you.

Elsewhere on the Circuit

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were protected during their recent visit to the UK by a bodyguard who has been convicted of domestic violence. The couple, who made private security arrangements for their trip to the UK, were photographed being driven by Pere Daobry.

Mr Daobry, a former Metropolitan Police firearms officer, was previously convicted of assault for attacking his then-wife. He was spared jail after telephoning 999 himself.

He is now believed to be working for a private security firm and was photographed in the Sussexes’ car alongside their long-standing protection officer.

The Duke and Duchess were not aware of the conviction.

You have a choice in every moment in the cage, on the mats, and in your daily life: Are you going to be the predator or the prey fighter? It’s all about where you place your focus, and when mastered, this will change your entire life.

Martial Arts Mindset Coach Mike Moor breaks down the importance of a predator vs. a prey mindset for both martial arts and life in general!

Control The Controllables

Focusing on anything outside of our control or things that don’t matter is a waste of time and emotional energy. What are the important things in a predator fighter’s control during a fight or even during training? Simply put: effort, attitude, and aggressiveness. When you maximize these three things, you will maximize your performance.

Turning Prey Thoughts Into Predator Thoughts Using Counterexamples

Predator or prey thoughts are synonymous with the ideas of the strong- or weak-minded and positive or negative thoughts.

When you start thinking negatively, you must immediately stop that negative, prey thought and flip it into a positive, predator thought using counterexamples.

Final Thoughts with Mike Moor

Ultimately, when it comes to having a predator mindset, it’s all about focusing on the right things. In fighting as it is in life, you can choose what you focus on. Stay laser-focused on your task at hand, control the controllables, and keep the focus on yourself.

Remember: Losers focus on winners, and winners focus on winning.

Until next week...

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