Situational Awareness: Your Lifeline in Uncertain Environments

“What you are aware of, you are in control of; what you are not aware of is in control of you.” ~ Anthony de Mello

What Is Situational Awareness?

During one memorable adventure hiking through the backcountry of Yellowstone, I was acutely aware of my surroundings. For those who have traversed this stunning landscape, you know it is raw, untamed, and can also be perilous. Just days before heading out, I consulted with one of the foremost experts on grizzly bears to sharpen my understanding of what lay ahead. Armed with that knowledge, I embarked on my journey, fully conscious that I was entering the food chain—and not as the apex predator.

While many hikers rely on bells as a safety measure in bear territory, let me share a little secret: forget the bells! Bears are smarter than that. To them, the sound of a bell signals a delicious opportunity—a human with a backpack full of treats. Truly, some hikers even drop their packs as a diversion—something bears have learned to exploit.

So, as I made my way along the trail, I found myself getting a bit too relaxed and focused on my thoughts. That was until an instinctive feeling pulled me back to reality. I looked up, and right to the left—there they were—a grazing buffalo herd! Had I not snapped back into awareness, I might have walked directly into trouble. Buffalo can be unpredictable, and a charging buffalo can be just as dangerous as a grizzly bear.

This experience taught me a vital lesson: maintaining situational awareness (SA) can prevent potentially deadly encounters. SA is a skill that allows us to attentively notice our surroundings and effectively respond to threats. When you develop your SA skills, you enhance your ability to deal with unexpected situations with greater clarity.

Developing the SA Muscle

Much like pilots who adeptly manage multiple tasks and complex situations in-flight, we must cultivate our own SA abilities. While we all possess a basic level of situational awareness, regular practice refines these innate skills and ultimately enables us to take control of our personal security. However, our modern world often presents distractions that hinder this development.

The cacophony of noise, the allure of smartphone screens, and our daily routines all serve to dull our senses. We find ourselves glued to our screens, distracted by earbuds, and disengaged from the vibrant world around us.

Situational Awareness Blockers

• Noise
• Cell Phones
• Laptops/Tablets
• Boredom
• Daydreaming
• Routine

To effectively increase our situational awareness, we must train our senses to achieve a practical state of alertness without edges of paranoia. Our bodies aren’t structured for constant high alert. Finding a balanced state allows us to focus on daily life while being prepared to activate a higher alert level when necessary.

Situational Awareness Tools

• Evolve Your Intuition
• Be Observant
• Stay Present
• Self-Understand
• Practice SA Exercises

Evolve Your Intuition

“Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.” ~ Jonas Salk

Intuition is instinctual. It’s the prickling feeling in your gut, the warning that urges you to be cautious. For instance, I once found myself in Limassol, Cyprus, when that gut feeling kicked in one night. After enjoying dinner at a local dive, a car pulled up beside me in the dimly lit street. The driver’s smile masked intentions that soon made me uneasy as our conversation progressed. As my situational awareness heightened, I recognized the signs of danger and executed an escape, only to later discover through local news that a tourist had been seriously assaulted and robbed under similar circumstances.

Be Observant

“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” ~ Marilyn Vos Savant

Enhancing your situational awareness involves being observant. Make it a habit to:

• Notice people's hands and clothing
• Observe facial expressions and body language
• Identify exits and entrances
• Be alert to anything that appears out of place

Whether shopping, getting in your car, or walking down the street—remain vigilantly aware every step of the way.

Know Yourself

“Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” ~ Sun Tzu

Understanding your own character and emotional responses will strengthen your situational awareness. Work on improving any weaknesses you discover along the way. Engage in exercises to increase your awareness with games that challenge your hearing and sight:

• Practice listening to distinct sounds in your environment.
• Identify reflective surfaces to identify people behind you.
• Observe the people around you and guess their stories based on visual clues.

Make Situational Awareness Part of Your Lifestyle

No matter where life takes you—whether wilderness or urban jungle—situational awareness is a vital skill to cultivate. Implementing these practices doesn’t have to be tedious; turn them into a game with family and friends. In our rapidly changing world, a simple game could safeguard you and your loved ones.

“Human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.” ~ Gabriel García Márquez

Recommended Reading

• Warrior Mindset by Dr. Michael Asken
• Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected by Rory Miller
• The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
• Prepare for Anything: 338 Essential Skills by Tim MacWelch

Check out these related articles:

• The Psychology of Survival – Why Your Mind Matters Most
• Do You Know These 25 Native American Survival Skills?
• 32 Survival Skills to Teach Your Kids

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Jul 21, 2014, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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