You may feel prepared with a well-stocked first aid kit, antibiotics, suture kit, and a full complement of trauma supplies. But do you know how to use them? How do you determine dosages especially when the drugs on hand may be in short supply? Who gets them and who does not?
And equally important, if people die (and they likely will), what will you do with the bodies? Bury them (hope you have a strong back and a good shovel)? Burn them? The ramifications may be horrific but if you are one of the survivors, you will have to have the mental capacity to deal with this.
Remember that children are like sponges and can be taught survival skills at a very young age. Take them under your wing; they represent the future.
No one is more important than another. The leader is important, yes. But so are the teachers, the scouts, the cooks, and the laborers. All are equal in importance within the context of the survival community.
Sure, they help but the most important weapon you have sits between two ears. Although closely related to #4, using your brain encompasses more than mental discipline. Learn to think on your feet, read body language, and act decisively. After making a decision, move forward with resolve but also know that you will not be right 100% of the time. There will be no time for remorse so just keep going and hope that your next well-reasoned decision will be better.
If you have made it this far, you may be thinking that these rules are not anything new and you have read it all before. Okay, I get that.
Still, during these troubling times of angst, it is important to remind ourselves that it is okay if you still have a preparedness to-do list a mile long. It is okay to be less than ready, and it is equally okay to take a break. This is more difficult to do than you think but it is something you must do if you are ever to resolve this very real prepping dilemma. It all gets down to having the survival mindset.
Coming to terms with not being prepared may be a hard pill to swallow but when you think abut it, isn't being a little bit ready better than not being ready at all?