Naked and Afraid

I recently stayed in a hotel. For me, this means that I get to watch the cable tv that I normally never see (unless this is already available to me on apps via my apple TV), Thanks to my TV binge I found a new show to obesses over called Naked and Afraid.

What I love about this show is that it is about survival. Two strangers get dropped off in a hostile place, and have to survive with no food, water, or clothes. Intense is not enough to describe it. I could go on about some of the crazy and amazing things I have seen on this show, but what I find so interesting about this show is what it can teach you about life,

Lesson #1

No matter how much you prepare, nothing can really prepare you for the real thing

The people who come on this show are not ametures. They are extreme atheletes, primitave skills experts, blacksmiths, ex-military, herbalists, survialists. They are in many ways more qualified than the average person. But, ever single episode there is a breaking point. It usually comes by the end of the first week. Life is like that also. Many times when you try to do something new and challengining you reach a breaking point early on. In order to get to your goal, you have to push past it. Even though it will feel like you can’t possibly move forward.

Lesson #2

Persistance and consistency can matter more than skills and talent

Before each episode, the participants are tested and given a PSR (primitive skills rating). More often than not the participants are never equal, as there is always one who is better skilled than the other. What is interesting is that the skills can help, but are never the determining factor on surviving. It is the consistency that matters. Building a shelter, consistently searching for water, persisting in staying out of the most risky situations. The participants who stay out of the sun and wait out the troubles are the ones that finish. How often hae we thought that we couldn’t achieve a goal because we weren’t the smartest, fastest or most talented. That is not what gets you there. Sure it can help, but a real winner will keep at it til its done. That is what separates the winners from the losers.

Lesson #3

Everything wants to suck your blood and kill you, but that’s life

Life can get hard, especially when you are knee deep in a swamp trying to survive naked for 21 days. The truth is that there are many times when life can be like that. Things keep hitting you from left and right and knocking you down. Its not about living a perfect life with no hardships, cause then you wouldn’t grow and see what you are made of. It is about bouncing back, no matter how hard you fall. The swamp drowns out your campsite, get up the next morning and find a place to start your fire and start over again. Every time you bounce back, from no matter how far you feel behind, you propel yourself even faster towards your goals.

Lesson #4

No matter how amazing or horrible your day, you have to keep hunting so that you can eat

You will get tired, you will be exhausted, you will be at your whits end. And you will still have to get up and hunt for your next meal. No rest for the weary. That is just the way it is. The world waits for no one. But, that is how you survive, learn and grow. Before you know it, you won’t consider that a challenge.

Lesson #5

In the end, these experiences will be the most amazing time of your life

People break on this show, on a regular basis. They are barely alive, thirsty and starving. Everyday is a struggle to survive. That being said, without a doubt, they all express gratitude for what they have been through. They talk about this experience as the most amazing of their life. Which means, that you shouldn’t be afraid to do the things that are hard or scary. With a great sacrifice there is great reward. You won’t know the satisfaction of that if you don’t step out on a limb sometimes. More than that, you won’t know just how much you are capable of if you never push yourself. Growth happens when we are uncomfortable. Greatness happens when we push past the pain into the next level of our existence.