Jeff Cooper, legendary American close combat and shooting
instructor (known on the circuit as this generation's closest thing
to Wyatt Earp), was once asked how you would know if your art
was effective for street defence or self-protection. His reply was
simple: when you are worried about hurting, perhaps killing
another human being because your technique is so potent, then
you know your art is real.
Do you feel that way, or are you still worrying/wondering
whether your art will in fact even work in that arena? If your
feelings fall into the latter category it is worth injecting a little
more pressure in your training and putting your system to the
test in the controlled arena, by taking it as close to the real thing
(under supervision) as possible.