Lesson 8: Don’t get emotionally hijacked.

Fear and anger are natural in a life-threatening confrontation, but they can lead to fatal mistakes if you let passions dictate your actions. Deadly force is only justified when your response to a threat is reasonable, not fueled by emotion. If you act out of rage or panic, you risk crossing a legal line. In a crisis, staying calm isn’t easy—but it could keep you from making deadly mistakes that cost you your freedom.