Hey friends, Jason here, back with the survival and prepper life, joined by John Wheaton, firearms expert and the brains behind Righteous Savages on YouTube. We were out at a range day, bullets zipping like my neighbor's drone on a bender, and dove deep into what makes you unstoppable in hard times. It's all about the trifecta of strength: body, mind, and spirit. If one's slacking, you're wobbling like a tripod missing a bolt. So, how do you get all three firing on all cylinders? Stick around, because we're dropping some hard-earned lessons and a few surprises to keep you locked in.
Ever wonder why some folks fold when shit hits the fan while others charge through like it's just another Tuesday? I say it's the trifecta: body, mind, spirit. One's weak, and you're not hitting your peak. Picture a guy who can deadlift a truck but loses his cool when the power's out. Or someone praying like a saint but gasping after a brisk walk. John's with me on this. "It's all tied together," he said over the crack of gunfire. "You can't nail a 1000-yard shot if you're winded getting to the range." So, how do you figure out where you're at? Keep reading.
First up, you gotta do a no-holds-barred self-audit. Not some chest-thumping "I'm the man" nonsense. I mean real, gut-punch honesty. John's all in on this. "Look at yourself and own where you're weak," he said with a grin. At 42, he's still learning to check his ego. Me? I'm a beast physically. I run trails, 130-mile bike rides, you name it but my spiritual side's shakier than a lean-to in a storm. Mental strength? I've been ducking some tough headspace talks. So, how do you audit without kidding yourself?
John says forget comparing yourself to YouTube hotshots. "The internet's full of phonies," he warned. Instead, get alone. Grab a notebook, find a quiet spot. maybe a pond or deep in the woods and write: What am I crushing? Where am I sucking? I did this by a creek last week and saw I'm coasting on fitness but slacking on faith. John swears by solitude for clarity. "It's you against you," he said. But what do you do when you spot your weak spot? Read on.
Once you've got your audit, it's time to patch up the holes. John's juggling a day job, content creation, and raising a kid who's almost 13. "Fatherlessness is wrecking society," he said, dead serious. "I gotta teach my son to be a man." His fix? A digital family calendar to lock in time for family, passion projects, and ditching the 9-to-5 grind someday. Solid move, right? But what's his trick to making it stick?
For me, spiritual strength is the struggle. I know prayer and reflection make me a better dude, but I'd rather deadlift than meditate. John's advice? "Lean into your weak spot, don't overplay your strengths." If you're a gym rat but mentally shaky, swap a workout for some journaling. Spiritually solid but out of shape? Start with a daily walk. The trick is small, focused wins. But how do you keep from getting swamped? I'll spill in a bit.
Big goals like "be a survival beast in five years" sounds BA, but they're tough to chew. John and I swear by short-term goals. I set an eight-week challenge recently: tested my two-mile run, trained like a maniac, then retested. Smashed it. "Seeing the finish line keeps you locked in," I told John. He nodded, saying short-term goals cut through the world's noise. "Every ad and algorithm wants your eyeballs," he said. "Focus on two weeks, two months, max." I also set a goal to get better at shooting while not spending a fortune of ammunition. How did I do it? I know you frugal preppers and survivalists are all ears! I started dry fire training after every workout. Why after every workout? Because in real life you will likely have to use it when you’re shaky, tired and or mentally drained. My buddy’s swear that I was training often on the range with live fire after I won the competition. I reminded them of all of our group texts and how I constantly sent out a schedule for them to dry fire to improve their performance while saving money.
John's got this engineering trick called PDCA: Plan, Do, Check, Act. Plan your goal, hit it, check if it worked, then tweak it. Miss your mark? Figure out why and go again. I used this to boost my run time, and it's building my overall fitness. John applies it to shooting: "Practice rifle for a month if pistol's your jam," he said. Want to grow spiritually? Try 10 minutes of prayer daily for 30 days. But what happens when you don't feel like grinding? Oh, we've got thoughts on that.
Here's the deal: you won't always feel like grinding. I don't wake up stoked to run hills in the rain. John's not always hyped to edit videos after a 12-hour shift. But we do it. "Don't be a slave to your feelings," John said. "Tell yourself to shut up and move." That's survival 101. In a crisis, you can't quit because you're tired. Training now builds that grit.
Doing hard things is my fuel. When I bike 130 miles or build a wilderness fort, it's not just about the task. It's about proving I can. Those wins make me a better dad, friend, prepper. John feels it too. "Do something hard, and you come back zeroed in, ready to crush it," he said. But what's the one thing that makes this mindset stick? Keep reading.
Solitude's a game-changer, but I suck at it. I feel guilty taking alone time, like I'm stealing from my family. Yet when I climb a mountain or sit by a stream, I'm recharged. "I'm a better everything," I told John. He tied it to faith, pointing out Jesus took 40 days alone before his mission. "You need quiet to cut the noise," he said, quoting Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. Solitude zeroes you in on what matters.
But here's the kicker: I still feel selfish. John gets it. "It's not selfish, it's fuel," he said. Schedule 15 minutes a week. No phones, no distractions. Reflect on your audit, goals, or just breathe. What's the one solitude trick that changed John's life? You'll want to know.
Failure is what drives growth. "I've learned way more from screwing up," John said. He's a solid singer but doesn't push it because it's easy. I'm the same with fitness: I coast because I'm strong. Failure, though? It forces growth. Miss a shot? Tweak your form. Bomb a project? Dig into why.
Tip: Embrace failure as feedback. Ask: What went wrong? What's my next move? Then get back at it. But how do you turn failure into a win without losing your shit?
This channel isn't just about rubbing sticks or building forts. It's about living fearless and freaking awesome. John's Righteous Savages is the same: push your limits, grow, thrive. We're not perfect. We fail, we struggle, but we keep going. You can too. Audit yourself, set short goals, do hard things, find solitude, learn from failure. Share your wins and challenges in the comments. I feed off the misery of myself and lead others to do the same because it builds strength. What's the toughest thing you've overcome lately?
Check out John at RighteousSavages.com or YouTube for firearms and survival content. Want to train like a savage? He's got you covered in Southern Illinois.
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