top of page

Prioritize To Survive and Thrive In Any Situation

Updated: Nov 5

Spoiler: There’s no one-size-fits-all order—but we’ve got your back.

Introduction


If you've ever watched Alone, Naked and Afraid, Man vs. Wild, Outlast, or just spent an abundance of time outdoors, you know that deciding what order you're going to accomplish tasks is a constant task in itself.


I've got good news and bad news for you - there is no secret recipe, guide, or checklist that I can give you to figure this out. You have to identify the needs of your situation and adapt to them accordingly. Think of it like this, sometimes a baby farts and that's it, other times they need new clothes. You have to be ready to adapt based on the outcome of events.


A child wearing a patterned sweater chops a tree with an axe in a forest. The autumn leaves create a rustic setting.
Boy on the cusp of learning about medical needs


Your Core Needs


- Medical: Consider both proactive (i.e., sunscreen) and reactive (i.e., bandaging a wound)

- Water: Finding and ideally storing a source of clean and purified water

- Food: Sourcing enough calories to at a minimum watch what you're burning

- Shelter: Find or build what is necessary for the current situation.

- Fire: Functionality for warmth, cooking, morale, drying out, signaling, and more!

- Travel: Navigating effectively to reach safety and/or resources.

- Care of Equipment: Maintaining your tools and gear for effective long-term survival.

- Mental Health: The overarching necessity of maintaining a clear and calm mindset throughout challenges.




Flexibility in Survival


As I mentioned above, there is no one-size-fits-all in survival. You may think your number 1 priority is fire, but if you're bleeding, think again. Or, SHELTER, I must make shelter to sustain through the cold winter. That shelter isn't going to do you any good if you starve to death before winter hits. A great yet tragic example of this is Chris McCandless a.k.a. Alexander Supertramp - who met his end due to starvation. If you haven't read the book or watched the film - Into the Wild - I highly recommend them.


You must remain flexible and, like an expert chess player, always be 5 steps ahead. Wait until the snow to build a warm shelter, it's too late. Waiting until you're thirsty to find water, good luck. Successful survival and thriving are all about understanding the situation you're in and anticipating what you'll need next. Don't wait. Let's go through a few real examples of when your priorities may dramatically change.



Scenario-Based Walkthroughs


  • Car Breaks Down/Snowed In - Winter, and you're stuck due to heavy snow - anticipated overnight temp -4°

    • Your vehicle may be an appropriate shelter, but not without enough gas to run the engine for heat or a good sleeping bag. Start considering how you're going to stay warm. Maybe build a new shelter, cover your vehicle in snow for insulation, or even start collecting firewood for warmth and a signal.

    • Stay warm to prevent cold injuries and start melting snow immediately to maintain a source of water.

    • Are you going to walk for help? Consider if navigating is a viable option.

    • Food can wait - you'll last at minimum a couple of weeks without eating


Snowy forest scene with bare trees and dense falling snow. White snow covers the ground, creating a serene, wintry atmosphere.
Blizzards can come out of nowhere!

  • Hiking in the last spring in a temperate forest, and you roll/break your ankle

    • Medical care jumps to the forefront. Splint your ankle, insulate it, and start prioritizing.

    • Water should come to mind, as you may be spending a few days or even weeks out there.

    • Figure out a way to signal to a close passerby. Hopefully, you've prepared well with a whistle and a way to start a signal fire.

    • If the weather isn't getting below the mid-60s and no rain is in the forecast, a very simple shelter will do. Just get something to protect you from the "just in case" rain.

    • Travel may not be high here, but if you can improvise a crutch, you may be able to start navigating to safety


Forest path lined with tall, straight trees, surrounded by green moss and fallen branches. Sunlight filters through creating a serene mood.
Beautiful Forest Path

  • Turned around in the desert

    • Let's start with water, then water, and next a little more water.

    • This isn't just about drinking water but saving what you have in your body.

    • Do everything you can to avoid sweating, keep your mouth closed, and stay out of the sun to avoid burning under a shelter.

    • Consider low areas, vegetation/transpiration bags, or finding some type of water you can purify.

    • Travel may be required to get resources and recovery, but here, fire isn't going to be a big priority.


Person sitting on rocky cliff, gazing at expansive desert landscape under a blue sky. A sense of solitude and tranquility prevails.
Wide Open Spaces

3 very real and very different scenarios all dramatically change what order I am going to accomplish my needs. Don't get too hung up on a single task either; some can wait until later. After watching the TV show Alone, I've noticed that contestants will often expend a massive amount of energy building heavy-duty shelters just to tap out before ever needing them. It isn't that shelter isn't important, but so is food, water, and all the rest. Each day, you should be working toward all your needs a little, unless something is immediately pressing. The one that we didn't cover much here is your mental health. I believe this to be the number one factor in whether you live or die.


There are countless stories of individuals who survived seemingly impossible situations, and nearly all of them had an iron-clad will to survive. Others perished in the same scenario or even much less. This isn't something that you necessarily do; it is a constant. Which is why it's not mentioned above. You ALWAYS need to prioritize mental health. Think of it as a blanket that wraps around all your other needs.



No Sh!t There I Was…


After 15 years of professionally participating as a student and instructor in survival schools, I've seen my fair share of accidents. It was a beautiful summer day, and my students (8 of them) and I had just set off from our drop-off point. After a long discussion about prioritizing needs, they chose that we needed to travel somewhere to get water, then find somewhere to set up camp. We were probably 200m from our drop-off point, and down goes a student. To be honest, at this point, I was a bit calloused to complaints of pain. It was a common tactic for people who just needed a break to stop without owning that they didn't want to continue at that point. So without much sympathy, we decided to take a break and took the opportunity to teach them about wilderness first aid.



 After about a 30-minute lesson on first aid, I encouraged the student to attempt to stand up. With great whales of pain, they said they couldn't get up. The student was not what I would have considered an athlete, so I attempted to help them stand. Again, to no success and more wines of pain. In order to continue with our day, we decided to pull the student from training and have the medics come pick them up. We were on our own for the next four days, so I didn't communicate with the medics at that time.



 As it turned out, my student, who I thought was going for an Emmy, had broken the Tibia and Fibula just at the ankle. This required surgery, 2 plates, and 13 screws to repair. While that student had the great benefit of having a team around that included medics with ATVs, that could have been a death sentence had they been alone.


Hand holds an X-ray of a leg with metal rods and screws. The background is a plain beige wall, and there's text at the bottom of the X-ray.
Not quite this extensive, but you get the idea



Closing Thoughts


A single moment can entirely change your priority list. Don't get too hung up on any single objective. You must remain fluid and step away from your task often to consider what you're doing and reprioritize if needed.


Plans are great, but they aren't set in stone. A plan is just something to deviate from. Don't be afraid to switch gears as your situation evolves.



Gearing Up


The wild can be unpredictable, but you can still be prepared to meet your needs no matter what. A few small unsung heroes of survival situations can mean life or death. And all small enough to fit in your pocket!


Family selfie on a beach, three people smiling. Woman in green dress, child in overalls, man in white shirt. Ocean in background.
My "Why"


Join the Fire Circle


If you made it this far, let me start by saying Thank You! I would love to hear your feedback for future blogs, videos, and more. What do you want to learn more about?


Don't miss out on any of our content. Subscribe and join our newsletter here. Don't worry, we're only a little spammy


For all our latest videos, check out our YouTube channel, where we do "How To's, equipment reviews, discuss survival situations, do myth busting, and more.



Lastly, I am part of the Amazon Affiliate program. What does that mean? If you purchase through any of my links, I get a little kickback. This is a great way for you to get new gear and help support us here at Six Point Survival.



---------- NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU ----------


Want More?

If you found this guide helpful, there’s plenty more to learn. Subscribe to our Six Point Survival Newsletter for monthly tips and field-tested gear advice, and check out our YouTube channel for real-world demos and survival lessons.


Your support keeps Six Point Survival running — and trust me, caffeine is cheaper than therapy.

~ Micah Gillette


Donate to our Coffee Fund Now





bottom of page