Wilderness Survival: Keep a Survivor's Mentality
How to stay calm and composed, and survive, in the toughest outdoor conditions.
Tim MacWelch June 12, 2023
An excerpt from The Ultimate Winter Survival Handbook
The art of survival doesn't begin when you start building a shelter, or light up a fire. It really begins as soon as you address your mental survival game.
Look at any real-life survival story and you'll find that there are some key mental elements that most survivors have possessed. These mental elements are exactly the things that we will need to make it through an emergency. They are so important, in fact, that I either begin or end most of my classes with this topic. These are just three of the amazing survival tools that you already possess, a gift from our hardy progenitors. Thanks, ancestors!
Watch Your Attitude
Just because positive mental attitude is in every survival book, Scout manual, survival video and wilderness class don't discount it as cliché or lip service. PMA is a real necessity. I would go so far as to say that it is a critical survival priority. A positive attitude in the face of adversity may be one of the most important skills to master. It is also one of the hardest skills to master, but it is worth the trouble. You can also use this attitude every day, not just if you get lost in the snowy woods or get stuck in a wintry disaster.
Exude Mental Toughness
We're not talking about physical toughness, how much stamina you have, how many calluses you have, or how much pain tolerance you have. We are talking about the strength of your will and the toughness of your mind. This is all in your head. To be mentally tough, you must tolerate the intolerable you must suffer through the insufferable and you must overpower your own weakness and your desire to give up.
Stay Motivated
What motivates a person to stay alive when everything has gone wrong? Many survival stories speak of the survivor's devotion to their religion, or a higher power, that motivated them and gave them hope. Other survivors have told of their intense desire to get back to family, friends and loved ones. And a few folks have even stayed alive despite the odds because of their burning desire for revenge. It's time to ask yourself, what would motivate me to stay alive in a survival emergency? It doesn't hurt either, to bring something inspirational like a photo of loved ones, Bible or meaningful memento.
These tips, and many more survival skills, are available in MacWelch's books: