Judging from the massive PR around the latest James Bond movie Spectre, it’s safe to say that the franchise will have yet another blockbuster hit on its hands. And while James Bond’s special gadgets and spy secrets may fascinate large audiences, most fans do not realize that we all can benefit of those secrets to run our lives like super spies. In fact, some could even argue that spy secrets may become a necessity in today’s world. (Image source: Nationaal Archief)
I first saw former CIA officer Jason Hanson at his Shark Tank appearance and was as stunned as the sharks by his presentation. Take a look at his Youtube Channel Spy Escape & Evasion showing some of his impressive TV appearances and more of his instructive videos.
Can I really use the tricks in my own life?
Hanson knows what he’s talking about when it comes to running your life like a spy. He sees all sorts of practical ways how people can use spy secrets in their regular lives, whether it’s figuring out if your boss is lying or how to defend yourself if somebody attacks you with a knife. SPY SECRETS THAT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE: A Former CIA Officer Reveals Safety and Survival Techniques to Keep You and Your Family Protected lays out all kinds of ways how we can keep ourselves, our families and our homes protected. However, Hanson isn’t encouraging people to be confrontational in any way. Although he preaches self-reliance and the ability to defend yourself in a crisis, he admits that part of being able to defend yourself well is being able to walk away from a negative confrontation.
The reader is encouraged to take notice of what he calls baselines. What is the normal situation in a given neighborhood or street? When things begin to deviate from the norm, that’s when you should get into the alert mode. He also talks a lot about situational awareness: We shouldn’t have our eyes glued to our smartphones when we’re in a scary or unfamiliar territory. I’ve been guilty of this in the past and maybe so have you. All it takes is a few seconds for our lives to change completely.
The book is filled with some fascinating facts surrounding the spy secrets as well. Take Hanson’s section about normalcy bias for example. He discusses our brain’s desire to shut out unwanted changes, which is why we can be in complete denial about a disaster that is unfolding right in front of us.
This is a must read for any Bond, Jason Bourne and Mission Impossible fans out there. Thanks for sharing these secrets with us ordinary mortals Mr. Hanson.
