When I began teaching seminars in the early 1980s, I would start every class with the same question:
“What do you think the cost of violence is?”
The answers were always the same. People pointed to dollar values — medical bills, property loss, insurance claims. Numbers like the ones in this graphic. $14.3 trillion. Impressive. Sobering.
It was a trick question.
The economics of violence — for you and me — has zero to do with the numbers on this graphic. While those numbers may be real, they are not relevant to you or me.
Why?
No matter how much money you have — no matter how much spiritual, emotional, or psychological wealth you have — you cannot afford to be attacked.
The real cost of violence is what it extracts from your enjoyment of life.
Think about that — then think about this:
What would it cost you if you didn’t fight back?
Bad guys only want one of three things: property, body, or life. It’s a short list.
Property
Body
Life
Most people never consider violence’s deeper impact — the post-event noxious effects that help create PTSD, the memories that stain our minds, silently agitating our nervous system long after the physical wounds have healed.
When bad shit happens, everything changes.
The cost is deeper than the ‘replacement value’ listed on your insurance floater. You can replace a stolen watch. You cannot replace your peace of mind.
“The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear — fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants beyond everything else is safety.”
— H. L. Mencken, Prejudices: Second Series (1920)
Safety.
We all want it. But safety isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you build — through awareness, through preparation, through the willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about the world we actually live in.
I’ve been studying violence and fear for over 40 years. I can help.
If you find my ideas provocative, take it to the next level and come train with me.
And remember — this is where we started, and this is where we end:
No matter how rich you are — you cannot afford to be attacked.
Ready to Change the Equation?
The Elite Training Retreat: Small group. High intensity. No fluff. Train with me personally in California. This is where real transformation happens — the kind that sticks when the stakes are real. → Secure Your Spot
The BTS90 Coaching Program: 90 days. Direct coaching. A lifetime of safety. Master your mindset, manage fear, and become the most effective version of yourself. Built for people who are serious about protecting what matters. → Start Your Transformation
SPEAR Instructor Certification: If you’re a self-defense instructor and want to bring our battle-tested research to your school and community — this is your path. Get certified. Make good humans safer. → Apply Now
Why High Gear®?: High Gear® is now a global phenomenon. With greatness comes imitation. There is only one original. If you’re serious about scenario-based training, you need to know why. → Learn More
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Be safe,
Coach B