Mindset
Before you ever have to encounter a potential self-defense situation, you have to decide what you are willing to do for you and for your loved one. If you train to gouge the eye, and break limbs, you have to mentally prepare yourself to be ready to actually do it, if the situation dictates.
If you elect to carry a knife or a gun for the intended use of self-defense, you have to mentally prepare to do so. If you are in this kind of situation, it is important to understand that could be attacking you are not interested in your best outcome.
If you elect not to fight back, then do so with full intent. The best way to get hurt or injured or killed, it to half way attack. Or if you are considering attacking with a knife or gun, attack fully. If the situation dictates that you have to stab someone, or slash their body, the do so will full commitment. If you pull a gun, and are not prepared to use it, it will more than likely be used against you. Same is true with a knife.
Training for potential violent encounters, adding a much realism and possible to it, increases the odds that you will respond as you intend. You have to make your mind up and commit fully.
Even this will not guarantee safety. There are no magic bullets in the world of self-defense. No techique or weapon stops every person every time.
When I started training in Chinese Kempo in 2005, my instructor told me that if I ever have to use this information, it will have a psychological impact on me because this stuff works.
Point being if you going any kind of weapon with the intent of using it for self-defense, 1) GET TRAINING, and 2) PREPARE MENTALLY for the outcome. Ultimately remember you are training so that the odds of your surviving and going home increase.
TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN, and TRAIN some more!
And if a situation occurs that you have no choice but to fight for your life then fight as if you are the third monkey on Noah’s ark and it it starting to rain!