There’s no doubt that planning is a fundamental element of our preparedness efforts. Without planing, we can’t develop bug out routes, gather and organize resources or make sure that we’re not overlooking important details. However, it’s equally important to put those plans to the test in order to make sure that they will really work in situations when failure isn’t an option. The same could be said about learning tips and tricks or developing new skills. Having good head knowledge, or some kind of checklist to follow, does not always translate into action in ways that we intended.
Doing Cements Knowledge
Remember taking a math class and spending an awful lot of time solving long lists of problems? These helped us to cement problem-solving formulas in our brains so we call them up as needed throughout life. It may not have been a fun or enjoyable process, but it was necessary in order to get us to retain that information.
The same can be said about much of what we learn. Our brains are designed to not only receive information, but to remember that information through experiences. Consequently, one of the best ways to cement all of those survival skills that you have in your head is to practice them until they become second nature. This will undoubtedly be easier said than done for some things, but it’s important to stick with it so that you can increase the chances of benefiting from your perseverance during a real-world situation.
Doing Exposes Limitations
It’s easy to imagine putting on a bug out bag and hiking through the woods for hours on end in order to escape the aftermath of a disaster. It’s a lot harder to actually do it, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience contending with the physical and emotional strain associated with walking trails. The same can be said about all of our preps. They may look good and easy to manage on paper or in theory, but you’ll never discover potential problems, or other things that can get in your way, until you put them to the test.
Get out there and start experiencing what it feels like to set up camp in the cold or rain. Eat some of your food rations to see how they taste or if they are really satisfying. How will you cope when a project you’re working goes wrong or an important tool breaks? You’ll quickly learn that things don’t always go according to plan, that we all have limitations, and we all need to find ways to adapt. However, you can’t get these insights from being a planner alone. You have to get out there.
Greater Efficiency
Another important benefit of being a doer is that you get to streamline your preps and become more-efficient as you go. This can help you to save time, money and wasted energy now, and you will also be able to respond to a crisis more-efficiently later. Unfortunately, you need to experience this first-hand in order to reap the benefits.
Finally, doing allows you to adapt and change plans as you discover better alternatives. This will help to increase your chances of success when you’re faced with a real survival situation. Make a commitment to put your skills to the test instead of making excuses. You want to be as prepared as possible when the SHTF, and planning will only take you so far.
