Disasters happen unexpectedly, so the true warrior has plans and contingencies in place. They have a disaster preparedness plan ready for implementation when the unexpected happens. Look at that which you value, and think about alternatives. What steps can you take right now to mitigate risks to that value? Go through the exercise of assuming that if it can happen, it will happen, and act accordingly. If you don’t, after it actually does happen, you will ask yourself why you didn’t take steps to prepare for this eventuality. You will blame yourself for your inaction or inappropriate action(s), which set the stage for the disaster.

Let’s say that you get invited to walk up a local mountain, and do some back country exploration for the day. How do you prepare? Chances are it will just be a walk in the park—not too strenuous and not significantly dangerous. You have done such things in the past without any undue consequence. However, let’s consider the risks. In the worst case scenario, you die. The next worst case, you are injured and/or incapacitated, and then maybe you die. The next case, you are lost, wet, cold, thirsty, and hungry, and then maybe you die. The next worst case, you suffer minor injuries and you cut the trip short, having to return home early. The list could go on for a very long time. When we look at this outing, without a plan, we see that the risks are asymmetrically skewed to the strongly negative, with death or serious injury seriously outweighing the potential adventure and enjoyment factor. It would make sense to take steps to mitigate some of the risks—easily accomplished with today’s technology. Dress appropriately, carry a pack with water, food, a survival kit, and spare clothing. Next, add the stuff that can make a big difference: a fully stocked first aid kit, a GPS with live tracking, a cell phone, a satellite phone, a solar charger, spare batteries, and a subscription to a rescue and evacuation service. Let someone know where you are going and when you should be home. Have a check-in plan, and an adventure plan for the day—with what if options for self-rescue or alternative strategies.

Okay, so that takes care of the most extreme risks—your death, exposure, serious injury—having taken steps that make them far less likely to occur. So what about the following risks you might not have thought of: damage to (or loss of) your cell phone, satellite phone, GPS, etc.. Could they be damaged by the elements? Perhaps you could put any electronics in plastic baggies to protect them.

How about your business? What can happen to stop your business in its tracks? A hurricane, a tornado, a hacker, a nuclear bomb, a disgruntled employee, etc.? Figure out what to do now to mitigate these risks. You might not be able to think of them all, or fix them all at this moment, but you can start a list and begin working on it right away. Keep working on it until you feel reasonably robust and secure, and then start again, on the less probable risks, and see what can be done. Some steps are really easy to do. If you have a software business, have a copy of the whole thing placed safely somewhere else, so that you can press a button, make a call, and switch from the primary system to the backup system. Keep at it and go through the exercise once in a while, to ensure that it can be done, and that you and those around you know what to do. This is kind of like running a fire drill. Be prepared, so that when the shit hits the fan, you will have a better than average chance of coming out smelling like a rose.

You are warriors, think about, develop, and implement disaster plans … so that when disaster strikes, you have a good chance of surviving and continuing on your successful track. Luck is manufactured in this way. So it has been written.