This episode features a whole narrated chapter—The Prelude—from the book Before It Happens: The Art of Staying Safe Before Violence Starts by David Burnell.

In this powerful opening message, David—combat veteran, rescue operator, and protector of innocents—delivers a raw, honest, and essential foundation for anyone who wants to live prepared, not paranoid.

This isn’t a book about fighting. It’s about seeing danger before it turns into violence. It’s about training your mind, trusting your instincts, and choosing wisely—long before you’re forced to react.

Drawing from a lifetime spent in war zones, disaster areas, and dark alleyways where law didn’t apply, David shares the real reason most people lose in violent encounters: they overlooked the threat in time. You don’t rise to the occasion—you fall to the level of your training. And before any physical technique matters, awareness decides who walks away.

You’ll learn how predators think, how to “read the room,” and how to reclaim your peace of mind with simple but powerful mindset shifts. This chapter is your invitation never to be chosen as a victim again.

Whether you’re a civilian, teacher, parent, traveler, or first responder—this message is for you.

Listen now to one of the most empowering chapters from the full-length audiobook, available on Audible, Apple, and Spotify.

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