After studying hundreds of real survival scenarios — from castaways building rafts in the Pacific to backcountry hikers lost for days — the same mistakes keep coming up.

1. Moving without a plan. Panic makes people walk. Walking without direction burns calories, causes injury, and takes you further from rescue. STOP: Sit, Think, Observe, Plan.

2. Ignoring shelter. People obsess over fire and water. But hypothermia kills faster than dehydration. In most environments, shelter is your #1 priority.

3. Drinking unfiltered water. Giardia, crypto, bacteria — dirty water will incapacitate you within 24-48 hours. No filter? Boil it. No fire? Use a clear bottle and UV from the sun (SODIS method, 6+ hours).

4. Building fires wrong. The #1 fire mistake: not preparing enough tinder. You need a fist-sized bundle of bone-dry material BEFORE you strike. Bark shavings, dried grass, fatwood scrapings.

5. Underestimating the ocean. Open water is a different beast. Currents, hypothermia, dehydration from salt water. If you're near the coast, stay on land unless you have a legit vessel and a navigation plan.

I break down real survival scenarios and teach actual skills inside Survival Protocol. No hypotheticals — real techniques you can practice this weekend.