We humans are capable of doing amazing things. A large brain that is adept at manipulating its surroundings can be credited with many technological marvels in our world today. This powerful tool so-called brain can and should be at our disposal when catastrophe threatens the livelihood of our well-being. Especially during survival conditions, harnessing/exploiting the power of our brain is similar to limitless possibilities. In any case, the ability to use this power starts by having a proper survival mindset; the same mindset taught to Special Forces soldiers across the globe.
Often, we hear the news
reports stories of people stranded in the outdoors with no gear and minimum in
any survival training, yet somehow many of these people triumph all the odds
and survive. How is this possible? Well, these people possess a strong will to
survive and that mindset has been proven over time and again appears to be more
useful than any other single trait when survival is questioned. The military
realizes this and tries to instill this very mindset into the soldiers who are
being trained.
WHY HAVING A PROPER MINDSET IS SO CRUCIAL
According to studies,
95 percent of people who perish from psychological trauma are likely to die
within the first three days. It is truly the mind over matter situation. Losing
the ability to think clearly, for instance, will be more harmful/detrimental to our chances
of survival than any number of other factors. Still according to studies, one
survivor was reported to have eaten his own belt when no other food sources
were available. There were others who have lost as much as 25 percent of their
body mass due to dehydration and still did not perish. It is almost as common
are stories of well-prepared individuals who yield or give up when the
situation becomes difficult and succumb to death as a result. Some even take
their own lives rather than fight for their own survival. It is no wonder at
all if we look at the fact that all military survival guides begin with
chapters about the survival mindset before detailing actual survival
techniques. Nonetheless, the message conveyed is clear – “Mindset is The Key to
Our Safety Well-Being”.
Furthermore, the
human brain will go through a series of processes and emotions during a
survival circumstance. Understanding these basic stages of thoughts in advance
is actually the first step to achieving the appropriate mindset. The exact
series of emotions will vary from situation to situation and from person to
person but whatever it is, the basic stages will always be or remain the same.
When initially confronted
with a survival situation, most people including us will experience a mental
shock. This form of shock, known as psychogenic shock, occurs as a result of
extreme emotional stress. If not controlled properly, the crisis stage can
immediately lead to irrational thoughts and panic both of which are crucial to survival.
The crisis stage is when most people suffer from temporary symptoms which
imitate psychosis as it can quickly lead to death from psychological trauma for
the unprepared individuals.
COPING STAGE AND GOAL SETTING
A coping period ensues
(occurs later) after the initial situation onset. Survivors are now confronted with
the gravity of their situation and must begin to take imminent actions. The
importance of creating a plan during the crisis stage should now be apparent.
Not only did creating the plan help deter feelings of desperation, but it could
also render the transition to action much easier and less stressful.
Staying calm and
adhering to the plan ensures that logical, rational decisions are made
consistently. Decisions to take action based on emotion are usually not
favorable to survival and can even be dangerous. Learning from the Navy SEALS
Training Program, many prospective recruits attempt to
become part of the elite squad but as many as 75 percent of them unfortunately fail
to complete the intensive training regimen. Consequently, The Navy wanted to
find out why so many physically capable candidates were failing and
commissioned a team of psychologists to figure out afterwards.
Actually, physical
ability was not the issue why the above so many candidates did not succeed. Intelligence
was also not the issue either as most of the Navy SEAL candidates tends to
score above average on IQ tests. The psychologists determined that the sole
reason for failure was that the candidates were not mentally prepared for the
emotional and psychological stress they faced during training. Because of this,
The
Navy SEAL has since added psychological training to its curriculum and failure
rates have been reduced drastically. These same survival mindset tactics can be
used by anyone and can truly mean the difference between life and death.
Meanwhile, most of us
know the importance of setting goals in life. They intrinsically help us achieve
the things we desire the most. Goal setting is even more pivotal during a moment
of crisis. Short term, medium, and long term goals are all critical aspects of
a proper survival mindset. The logic is simple. Instead of thinking about the
long term consequences of survival, short term goals are much easier to attain
and will build the confidence we need.
A short term goal might
be as simple as surviving the next five minutes. A medium or
mid-term goal could be something like locating and securing shelter for the
evening or procuring some food. A long term goal may be as simple as surviving
until the next day. The timeline for what is considered a short, medium, or
long amount of time are transformed during a survival situation. Living in this
limited focus manner, consequently, will keep our brain healthy even when we
are faced with unimaginable situations.
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