I love to hike and be in the outdoors. I recognize the inherent dangers of the wilderness and always try to plan ahead and respect Nature. Like many boomers and beyond, I’ve learned firsthand how foolish it is to take unnecessary risks or be unprepared.
However, so many people have not; they don’t stop to consider they are not ready for higher altitudes, fast weather changes, and all the challenges that come with backcountry exploration, climbing, or any other potential perilous activity. And then there are those of us who think we are doing everything right and take every precaution, but still get lost, fall off a cliff, lose our footing, or find ourselves treading water.
It’s fascinating to me why some survive harrowing tales of wandering for days in the desert, or getting lost on a mountain trail, or floating on a raft at sea—while others don’t make it.
It could be a vacation mishap. Or a car that goes off the road and is upside down in a ditch for a week. Or being captured in a combat zone and held prisoner.
Why does one person panic when the boat springs a leak, while another calmly considers a solution?
Why does one person live to tell the tale, while another does not?
Obviously you could ask this question about almost any scary situation in life: getting fired, being served divorce papers, coming home to a burgled house, hearing very bad news from the doctor.
In his terrific book, “Deep Survival”, author Laurence Gonzales takes us on an absorbing journey into why some people endure disasters while others do not.
The premise is that there is an art and science to staying alive.
Gonzales talks about the idea of getting lost. “In daily life, people operate on the necessary illusion that they know where they are. Most of the time, they don’t. The only time most people are not lost to some degree is when they are at home. It’s quite possible to know the route from one place to another without knowing precisely where you are.”
Interesting. We head out on adventures and because we have a map in our pocket, we’re sure we know where we are. But quite often, we just have an idea of where we are going.
Should we veer of the path and then get turned out, we are very much lost.
Again, Gonzales applies the stages of getting lost to areas other than a dayhike in the woods. He cites examples of corporations who have veered off their right path and tried something that almost took them to the edge of disaster.
Bad decisions can leave us in the woods. But it’s what we do once we’re there that counts.
As Gonzales found in his research, there are people who, stranded with absolutely nothing, find a way to make it alive…while others have everything they need for survival, but they perish.
Some people just give up.
Survivors do not.
I really enjoyed this book because I have a deep interest in what it takes to be safe and oriented in the great outdoors. But I honestly think the principles can help us in so many other situations.
Gonzales lists 12 points for staying out of trouble, saying “here is what survivors do”:
- Perceive and believe. Recognize and accept the reality of your situation. You have broken your leg. You are in trouble. It’s okay to go through denial, anger, depression, or more, but now it’s time to “go inside” and accept what is happening.
- Stay calm. Whether it’s fear or humor, use it to stay calm. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you
- Think, analyze, plan. Get organized. If you’re in a group, establish a leader. Come up with steps.
- Take decisive action. Be bold while also cautious. Decide on yours tasks and do them well. Handle what you can right now, and leave the rest.
- Take joy in your successes. You’re very stressed. You are trying to hold your fear at bay. But you just made a fire. Celebrate it! It helps you stay motivated.
- Sing a song. Recite a poem. Do calculus. Keep your mild stimulated and calm. Have a very long way to walk alone? Count each step, and dedicate it to someone you know.
- Count your blessings. Be glad you are alive! Think about the people you care about and be successful for them.
- Enjoy the beauty around you. Be where you are and take it all in.
- Believe you will succeed. Be careful. Make no more mistakes. And believe you will prevail
- Let go of your fears. You might think you’re going to die. Try to surrender to it, and thus get around it. Get off that mountain anyway.
- Have the will and the skill. You know your skills. Now believe anything is doable. Be coldly rational. Do what is necessary.
- Don’t give up. Survivors are not easily frustrated. They know there will be setbacks. They learn from them and keep going.
Whether you just ran out of water in the desert.
Or your retirement savings have vanished.
Keep your head. Trust your instincts. Believe in yourself.
Be a survivor.
“Knowledge is the key to survival, the real beauty of that is that it doesn’t’ weigh anything.”
Ray Mears
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