How can I improve my situational awareness?

The concept of situational awareness should pique the interest of anyone who has seen The Bourne Identity. Jason Bourne, at one moment early in the film, is trying to figure out who he is. He is troubled by the way his own mind has been conditioned to function. He explains that within minutes of entering a bar, he has assessed the weight and strength of the other customers, memorised the number plates of the cars parked outside, identified the exits and even noticed that the bartender is left-handed.

Intelligence officers and military personnel receive this type of training. It's called "situational awareness", and it means being able to quickly and effortlessly recognise critical details about your surroundings.

However, situational awareness is important for everyone, especially for those who want to develop a warlike attitude. Situational awareness enables us to recognise potential risks more quickly and avoid or neutralise them. It enables us to act quickly and efficiently when circumstances require it and ultimately allows us to protect ourselves and others.

The problem is that most of us are busy with other things, such as our work, Angry Birds, debt, relationships and the girl at work who wears a short skirt.

How can we reactivate our minds and start paying attention to the things that are important to us and the people we care about?

The OODA loop

Brett McKay explains a tactic used by Air Force fighter pilot and military strategist John Boyd in his great article on the art of manliness. The OODA process is a four-step process that guides us:

• Observe
• Orientation
• Decide
• Act

To start, you must first observe. This means that you can't completely switch off and put your feet up. You can't allow your "default mode network" to activate (basically, you need to focus on what's going on). Yes, you should be comfortable, but you should also be alert.

Position yourself in a room so that you can see as many people as possible without others taking you by surprise. A good example of this is sitting in the corner of a room with your back to the wall. If possible, stay near an exit.

The second stage is orientation, which in this case means looking for specific items. Pay attention to the typical behaviour and conditions in a particular area to establish a 'baseline' Look for deviations from the norm. Is there someone who seems uncomfortable? Is someone dressed inappropriately? Is there a noise that you think shouldn't be there?

The next step is to decide whether and how you want to act. Devise a strategy and don't hesitate to implement it. Trust your instincts and be cautious when in doubt. Is someone acting suspiciously or violently? Try to move away from the person or make them aware that they are being watched. Are you looking for a place with a special atmosphere? Then get your family away from there as quickly as possible.

These recommendations could save your life one day, and they will at least help you to adopt a combative attitude that will be noticed by those around you.