Review: Mindset Over Skillset
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 5, 2013
Practical Wilderness Skills and Thoughts on Survival by White Wolf Von Atzingen is a compilation of articles that were put together to form a book. I actually liked this short book but can see how many would not as it is very esoteric. Being that this book is a compilation of articles there is no flow, per se, from one article to the next. On top of that the author comes across as a little "different." The reason I liked this book is because there is a heavy focus on mindset over skillset. Yes, one needs both to survive but many books skim over the mindset with little more than mentioning it as being crucial. As a former officer survival instructor for a law enforcement agency I created and taught a class on mindset so this is a topic that I understand. It seems that the author intended for the reader to read between the lines to get some of his messages which can be easily missed. The author wants you to work for the meaning and he doesn't specifically spell out the message.When discussing mindset it is easy to get into the "hokey" realm which can turn readers off. In some respects this is a book where "less is more." There is a lot of focus on being in tune with and aware of your environment. While some skills are discussed this really isn't a book about skills. As former Navy SEAL CJ Caracci says, "The mind controls the body; the body does not control the mind." Those who have never faced adversity may not grasp the true meaning of this statement or this book. This book is not for everyone and many will miss the point.I have never heard of White Wolf Von Atzingen before reading this book so I did an Internet search. His background seems unbelievable but it has no impact on my review.