Having “stuff” does not make you prepared.

This might be a rough pill to swallow for some of the new preppers on this sub and will likely get some “amens” from the old timers. I’d rather have someone with training and a survival mentality (arguably the most important), over someone with a year’s worth of food who doesn’t know their head from their ass when it comes to the basic skills of preparedness. Even worse are those people who, in times of plenty, complain or freak out about little things when they don’t go perfectly, rather than looking for solutions. A cool head and a good skill set makes you a prepper. 2 tons of rice and beans does not. The ability to shoot move and communicate makes you a prepper. Having an AR-15 and 20k rounds of ammo does not.

Please don’t read this as an insult. Read this as a call to action. When law and order fails, you’ll need to understand security and how to react to a threat. When the electricity goes out, you’ll need to know how to keep your family fed and warm. When cellphones don’t work, you’ll need to know how to use that UV5R you bought but barely know how to use. When you don’t have any external help, you’ll need to have a mind that doesn’t fall into despair. What you don’t know needs to be supplemented by members of your prepping community. Something that you will never have if you don’t keep a positive mental attitude.

Prepping is about getting your supplies, training, and head straight. You need all three if you want to survive a societal collapse.

Train train train. Then when you get tired, train some more. Oh and don’t be an ass (yes, I’m working on that one myself).

Edit: I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have supplies. Supplies are essential to prepping. Obviously. I’m saying that supplies without the ability to use them means you have no supplies. I’m saying that having the nicest weapons and tons of ammo without the training to use them means you aren’t ready to defend yourself, your family or your resources.

Being even a little prepared is immeasurably better than not doing anything at all. Don’t let this discourage you. Let this motivate you to train your mind and body alongside of building your supplies and resources.