I think there's so much of a "protect the nest" mindset among most of us that we feel absolutely compelled to act. Maybe it's the male ego talking, I don't know. It's not at all a bad thing, I just think we need to really consider these situations.
It reminds me of a Jerry Seinfeld bit where he talks about how us guys view ourselves as sort of low-level superheroes- It's pretty entertaining. I'm being facetious of course, but the principle still rings true. Whatever situation or conundrum we encounter we always think "I got it, I got it," even if it's absolutely out of control.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCgqeiiGMmk Watch from about 5:45 on. The whole thing is pretty funny, but that last little bit is specifically what I'm referring to, for anybody who would care to watch.
I often think about this though, and agree with most of you- Why on earth do you want to go pick a fight with somebody who is irrational enough to break into your house? If the intruder is desperate enough to break in, they're probably more ready for chaos than the average bear. This is why we train and talk tactics, right?
Thanks to all who have commented and given great ideas. There are definitely some great ideas to apply here.