Ive consulted in some pretty tough situations.

I was in Kansas City and almost literally booted out the door by a former wrestler who was the local office manager of a sales company. He didnt like the idea of corporate sending someone out into the field to snoop on his operation.

Of course, that wasnt my purpose; he was just paranoid, a big, paranoid, angry ex-wrestler.

There was that car rental manager who didnt like my tone and chose me off to fight off in the sticks that fringe one of Houstons airports.

And there have been oh so many situations where Ive dealt with hostile trainees, who felt it was their birthright to be dumb, to be employed beyond their intelligence, and to be paid for it.

Each episode has been a chance to work on my warrior being-ness.

What am I talking about?

The parent who has a sick kid, has to arrange health care at a time when he has no insurance, and cant take off from his poorly paying job, is someone who has to create warrior being-ness.

The addicted person, who staves off the habit for just another hour, is someone who has to do the same.

We have the idea that warriors look like Arnold in Conan The Barbarian, or like Stallone in Rocky, or some other icon of physical toughness.

Not so.

A warrior is anybody who faces force with persistence.

You dont even have to confront it with courage. Just be where you are, knuckle down, and do what you have to do, and keep doing it, until whatever threatens you breaks, or backs down, wears out, or simply gives up.

This grit is what most people seek to develop by participating in martial arts, and a formal training program can help you to get it. But really, the world is your dojo, and nearly every situation is your chance to develop warrior being-ness, if you use it that way.