Self-Confidence vs. Self-Competence

Whoa boy, when I read these few paragraphs in "Facing Violence" by Rory Miller, chapter five on the freeze, it rang a bell so loud I had to do this short post on self-confidence vs. self-competence.

Martial artists tend to instill a false sense of competence regarding self-defense, fighting, and/or violence. As a formal karate instructor who, at that time, felt he was teaching a good self-defense program came to find that I also instilled a false sense of self-confidence and by osmosis was instilling a false sense of self-competence.

We as martial artists also tend to promote self-confidence as a benefit of training and practice but seldom speak up or teach consciously self-competence. To me that means before instructing/teaching actual self-defense techniques. The training of the mind must first promote self-competence, especially regarding self-defense, fighting, and/or violence along after the other mental training to get here, so that self-confidence will support competence when the shit hits the fan and then the brain will actually use that new blueprint, as Mr. Miller's makes reference to, to "act" and get past that momentary and initial freeze.

At least this is what I see as a true fundamental principle of self-defense, etc. and find it truly beneficial to now "see" this vs. not "seeing" this from reading his new book.

I guess this is another reason why it is always a good idea to read, read, read then experience, experience, experience it and then train, train, train.

Self-competence-to-self-confidence-to-self-competence-to-self-confidence!

Bibliography:
Miller, Rory. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publications. New Hampshire. 2011.