Why Most Emergency Preparedness Advice Fails

By Randy Salars

You've probably tried to β€œget prepared” before. You bookmarked some articles, maybe downloaded a checklist, possibly even bought a few things. Then you stopped.

That's not a failure of willpower. It's a failure of the advice itself.


5 Ways Preparedness Advice Fails You

1. It starts with fear

Most preparedness content opens with terrifying scenarios designed to scare you into action. Earthquakes. EMPs. Grid failures. The world ending.

Why this fails: Fear motivates impulse purchases, not systematic planning. You buy a $300 survival kit, feel briefly better, and never address the fundamentals.

2. It gives you lists instead of systems

A 200-item checklist creates the illusion of thoroughness. In reality, it creates paralysis. Item 1 and item 200 look equally important, so you don't know where to start.

Why this fails: Without prioritization, people do everything or nothing. Usually nothing.

3. It has no end point

When is preparedness β€œdone”? Most advice doesn't say. There's always one more thing to buy, one more scenario to plan for, one more system to build.

Why this fails: Without a finish line, preparedness becomes a lifestyle. Most people don't want a lifestyle β€” they want a handled task.

4. It ignores your actual situation

Generic advice treats a family in Florida the same as a single person in Montana. An apartment renter the same as a homeowner with land. A budget of $50 the same as $5,000.

Why this fails: When advice doesn't fit your life, you ignore it. Not because you're lazy β€” because it's genuinely not relevant.

5. It sells gear instead of thinking

Much preparedness content is sponsored by gear companies. The incentive is to get you to buy things, not to get you to think clearly.

Why this fails: A flashlight doesn't help if you don't know where to go. A water filter doesn't help if your family doesn't have a communication plan.


What Actually Works Instead

βœ“Start with your specific risks, not worst-case scenarios
βœ—Fear-based motivation
βœ“Prioritize by impact β€” water before gear, plan before supplies
βœ—Unprioritized checklists
βœ“Set a clear timeline (30 days) and a defined endpoint
βœ—Endless "more to do"
βœ“Adapt to your household, location, budget, and living situation
βœ—One-size-fits-all advice
βœ“Build systems that maintain themselves through rotation
βœ—Buy-and-forget stockpiling

Ready for Advice That Actually Works?

The Emergency Preparedness Essentials guide was designed around these exact problems. No fear. No endless lists. A 30-day system with a clear beginning and end.

See the 30-Day System β€” $29β†’

Designed to be finished, not abandoned.

Free Preparedness Tips

Get monthly planning prompts and seasonal readiness reminders. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We respect your inbox.

Related Planning Pages

The problem was never your motivation.
It was the advice. Better advice produces better results.