Do not rely completely
on any other human being…
We meet all life’s greatest tests alone.
Agnes Macphail

     Why should the warrior seek to be self-reliant? The answer lies in two words – freedom and safety. Being self-reliant gives you more personal freedom to live the way that you want to live. Epicurus wrote, “The greatest fruit of self-sufficiency is freedom.” The more self-sufficient you become, the more freedom you have from other people having control over your life.

     It is also a vital part of your overall self-defense. The less self-sufficient you are, the more you are leaving your life to chance. Francesco Guicciardini wrote, “Remember this: whoever lives a life of chance will in the end find himself a victim of chance. The right way is to think, to examine, and to consider every detail carefully, even the most minute.”  You don’t want to leave your life up to chance anymore than you absolutely have to.

     Think about ways to make your life more self-sufficient. How can you prepare for a change in your financial situation? What would you do if you could no longer simply go to the grocery store to get your food, or if something happened to your water supply? These are things that everyone should give some thought to in order to be prepared for the unexpected. Make a list of the ways that you need to be more self-reliant, and then take steps to increase your independence.

     Aesop stated, “It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.” There is no guarantee that life will always be easy; become as self-sufficient and self-reliant as possible. I will end this chapter with a thought from Agnes Macphail, “Do not rely completely on any other human being…We meet all life’s greatest tests alone.”

Bohdi Sanders
excerpt from the award-winning book,
Modern Bushido: Living a Life of Excellence

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