The Survival Skill No One Talks About (But Might Save Your Life)

By Lilly

Often when we think of survival, we picture shows like Alone or Naked and Afraid. But what about survival in an urban area? What if the power grid goes down, there’s looting in the streets, societal collapse and chaos? What if it wasn’t safe to remain in your home, and as you were fleeing, you needed to access abandoned buildings for shelter? Would you be able to discreetly let yourself in, without breaking a window or kicking down a door? Without drawing attention to yourself?

These are some of the things I think about when the idea of survival comes to mind.

In walks lock picking

I just purchased my first lock picking set and practice lock. When I watched the videos, I thought, “Wow, that looks so easy. I’ll master this in a week.” Well, it arrived, I tried it, and... it was much harder than the videos made it seem! But this is one of my goal skills for the year, and it’s an easy thing to fiddle with when you're bored and don’t want to just binge another show.

Whether you're facing a natural disaster or a man-made situation, having skills that allow you to utilize resources just out of reach could be the difference between life and death. Getting access to safety by utilizing a secure location might only be an option if you know how to pick locks. This isn’t about crime. Obviously, picking locks to access spaces you don’t own is illegal, but learning the skill for emergencies or self-defense scenarios is considered responsible preparedness.

“You need skills that allow you to use whatever’s around you. If that includes locked doors, knowing how to bypass them could be life-saving.”
Cody Lundin, survival instructor and author, emphasizes adaptability.

Another great benefit of learning a skill like lock picking is that it increases mental discipline and dexterity. You can even incorporate it into brain training techniques like stress coupling, where you practice functioning under pressure. For example, performing a physically strenuous, high-intensity activity like sprints, followed immediately by a cognitive task—a puzzle, problem-solving, or yes, lock picking!

Training your ability to use lock picking in this sort of drill helps your brain and body practice regulation. By doing it in low-risk, controlled settings, you build the muscle memory needed to stay composed when the stakes are higher.

So while lock picking might not have been your first thought when it comes to survival skills, hopefully you can see now why I’ve added it to my list this year. When the only constant in our current world is the unpredictable, I’d rather have one more skill than leave one less option for myself.

I want to hear from you! Have you ever thought about lock picking or other overlooked survival skills? Share your thoughts, experiences, or even tips in the comments. Let’s turn this into a discussion, your perspective might spark something new for someone else reading.