Whether you’re stuck in the snow and can’t take advantage of public transportation, or you are stuck in traffic on a clogged highway out of town, there are lots of obstacles that keep us from getting to our destinations safely. The last thing that someone in a survival situation is to get trapped before they get to where they need to go. Taking time to think of different barriers that may emerge along your escape route, and then planning accordingly can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.
Anything is possible
Even if you are walking from your house to your shelter in the back yard, you can encounter obstacles. Never take anything for granted, anticipate the worst and plan accordingly as you develop bug-out plans. It’s great that your vehicle is in tip-top condition, you have run-flat tires and plenty of gas. It’s fantastic that you just need to beat the crowds to get to your cabin. However, what will you do if you get in a crash on the way? How will you react if you find yourself going the opposite direction in order to get around a huge backup of traffic for a while? Do you have any alternatives?
You never know what you’re going to encounter in the heat of the moment, and you need to have some form of options in your pocket that you can put to good use. It’s a long ride to safety simply because you need to be prepared for anything. Unfortunately, we tend to emphasize the destination more than we realize that the journey may be full of pit-falls and unexpected turns. What happens if you never make it to your safe house and stockpile? What will you do?
Think about the worst.
Imagine everything going wrong, every step of the way. Think of you as being the single and most honored recipient of all the good luck that Murphy’s Law has to offer. How are you going to deal with challenge to challenge, switch gears and make decisions that will have far-reaching consequences? It’s time to start thinking about these things in order to not only have good backup plans in place, but to prepare for the time when you will be required to suddenly alter “the plan”.
Also, indulge yourself in the fearful idea that you are blocked from reuniting with your family or accessing your resources. How will you obtain things that you need to survive if plan A, B and C all hit the fan? How will they survive? Do they have the skill and ability to take over and pick up where you left off?
There is no way that any of us can really prepare for every possible contingency, but the more we let our minds run wild, the more we will be ready if the SHTF. Never fall into the deceptive trap that tricks the mind into thinking that getting to the destination is a guarantee. You may have to use all of your resources, creativity and strength to fight to get where you need to go. You may also need to throw it all up in the air and improvise, on the spot, in order to create another solution altogether.
