86: Your State of Readiness Starts NOW

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A lot of people believe that when disaster strikes, they'll immediately shift into survival mode and face the challenges. But that's the wrong way to look at it. Your state of readiness starts NOW. Your state of readiness should be a part of you at all times. Readiness is not just something you slip on like a superhero cape.

Remain in the Present

When it comes to being in a state of readiness, I focus on the individual and helping you to become more situationally aware. I've found that many readiness-minded people want to team together, collect food, build out their supply inventory, train together, all of which are critical.

Unfortunately, while many of those same readiness-minded people focus on preparing for future disasters, they have problems when it comes to situational awareness within their day-to-day lives. 

In other words, many people focus on future events and, at the same time, lose sight of what's going on here in the present. Most people are busy, have their heads buried in their smartphones, and doing other things that take their attention away from the present. The truth is that people can become better prepared if they don't solely focus on the end state of significant disasters but remain in a state of readiness.

Be In a State of Readiness for the Most Likely Problem

I get it. The crap may hit the fan. At some point, we may experience the worst-case scenario imaginable. Until then, though, we're going to experience many more not-so-great situations and scenarios that are likely to cause us suffering on some level. Sometimes that suffering may be a lot, and sometimes not so much.

However, it is all suffering that is far more likely to happen than some society-ending scenario from a dystopian fiction novel or one of the world's most deadly disasters. Depending on where we live, we are far more likely to face a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or burglar. We are less likely to experience a giant meteor that destroys 90% of the earth's population.

So, stop focusing on the unimaginable. Work on simpler things to improve your situational awareness, safety, and overall quality of life. 

Be Ready for the Small Things First

If you're more alert and paying attention to the things that improve your safety and comfort, this will carry over into other areas of life. When they carry over, they'll improve those areas' overall quality too. One example of this is when new parents put a small baby bag with diapers, powder, wipes, in the back of each car. While you don't want to use it outside of an emergency, it sure makes life better when you forget your regular baby bag while rushing out the door.  Carrying a spare pair of sturdy walking shoes in your car can also be helpful in case you ever have car trouble and must set off on foot. You may even want to put together an entire emergency kit just for your car.

Another common, simple thing to prepare for is a power outage. We've all experienced a blackout at some time or another. It could last minutes, hours, or days, depending on the cause. Have things on hand like flashlights, a way to keep warm if you're in a cold climate, non-electric games for the family, and some food that doesn't require cooking. This is a great way to be in a state of readiness for one of the most common inconveniences.

The Bottom Line on Being in a State of Readiness

So, obviously, by increasing your readiness, you'll encounter fewer problems that you can't overcome. When that happens, you'll most likely enjoy the day more and experience increased confidence.  

Take steps to increase your readiness with a focus on your daily life. Learn how to master those conditions in the place you are most likely to encounter problems. That place is the here and now, not the end times. We want to develop the behavior patterns and habits that can make you more resilient as a human being. You'll be more resilient by becoming more alert and able to see things before they happen.

Featured Guest: George Taylor

George is a retired Marine who started in the infantry and became a USMC sniper. Later, George joined Force Reconnaissance (Force Recon), retiring as a senior NCO. Following his retirement, George worked internationally to found one of the most extensive post 9-11 surveillance detection programs in the world. Following on his early successes, George began consulting for the high-threat security sector. In that capacity worked in multiple theaters with a variety of commercial and governmental organizations. Afterward, George conceived, developed, and implemented the Glock protective services and threat intelligence program, where he ran worldwide protection and support operations. And since then, he's worked as a consultant, innovator, and influencer within the security and risk management industry.

Stay safe,