The Premise
The first piece of survival gear isn’t a go-bag, or even a water filter – it’s your mind.
That’s the thesis of author and former Army Ranger Brian Duff’s new book, Mind4Survival: Be Prepared, Not Scared! – a mantra he believes should serve as the mantra for all preppers, whether hardcore prepper or someone who’s never even bought a flashlight.
The book isn’t about Duff’s career as a paramedic-firefighter and security pro (which included serving as the point manager of the U.S. Embassy guard force in Baghdad), though it does provide plenty of insight into how Duff’s experiences have shaped his beliefs. Instead, it’s about preparing for disaster without giving in to fear – about how to be smart, resourceful, and proactive in the face of calamity.
The Breakdown
This book is based on the publisher’s philosophy of Mindset, Situational Awareness, Survival, and Safety, with an emphasis on Self.
The table of contents reflects this acronym, referred to as M4S, and is based on mindset. Duff starts with the basics, preparedness is a state of mind, and then follows Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It’s not based on doomsday, but on what we need as humans. The next chapters discuss mindset, and then delves into a chapter entitled: “Bias: Where Your Perspective May Differ From Reality.”
The remainder of the chapters follow the M4S outline, starting with Situational Awareness and decision making, then moves on to Survival and Safety (Risk and Opportunity Management), ending with a chapter on “self” which promises eight truths to help you live a better life.
This is not a how-to book. If you’re looking for specifics, like purifying water, treating wounds, and other survival techniques or planning for a bug-out route, look elsewhere. This book sets the foundation, not how to put it all into action.
The Verdict
Mind4Survival doesn’t try to be another survival book, it aims to be the foundation upon which all other survival books (and methods) are built. Does it succeed? I’d say yes, at least in terms of mindset.
The premise of survival preparedness is that you equip yourself with the knowledge and resources necessary to deal with a crisis. There’s nothing wrong with this, but in a genre that can veer towards worst-case scenarios and an overemphasis on equipment, Mind4Survival is a breath of fresh air, reminding the reader that preparedness should alleviate stress and fear, not exacerbate it.
This emphasis on the mental aspect of preparedness makes Mind4Survival a great addition to any prepper’s library (and may even convert a few armchair preppers along the way!). However, although it may make you feel mentally better prepared, it won’t literally help you to prepare, that is the domain of other survival books. Still, that is the kind of book you keep close at hand to re-read when you’re trying to (re)build a survival strategy from the ground up.
About The Book
- Book & Author: Mind4Survival: How to Face Any Crisis, Minimize Unwanted Struggle, and Live Your Best Possible Life by Brian Duff
- Publisher: Resilient Publications
- MSRP: $18 (paperback)
- Pages: 232
- URL: Target
- Rating: Thrive |
Survive|Die
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