The Knock at the Door

In this episode of the AmCon Daily Brief, Thom Rigsby explores the three layers of situational awareness: perception, comprehension, and projection. Through a storm scenario, learn how to move from simply noticing danger to predicting outcomes and acting while you still have options. Plus, a family challenge to play the “What If” game and practice thinking one step ahead—before the knock comes at your door.

Episode Transcript

(03:01):
The Johnson family is settling in for the evening when the weather radio blares a storm warning.
Moments later, there's a loud knock that rattles the front door.
Their neighbor stands there, eyes wide, panic written across their face.
Are you leaving? What should we do?
Inside the Johnson home, tension spikes. Do they stay put? Do they evacuate?

(03:22):
Is the storm going to hit them directly or pass them by?
In that moment, hesitation could cost precious time.
This is where situational awareness becomes more than observation. It becomes foresight.
At AMCOM, we teach that true situational awareness is layered.
The first layer is perception, taking in what's happening around you.

(03:46):
The second layer is comprehension, understanding what those signals mean.
And the third layer is the most powerful layer, is projection,
anticipating what comes next.
In this scenario, the Johnsons already know a storm is in play.
They can see the clouds gathering. They can hear the wind and the thunder and

(04:06):
read the urgency in their neighbor's voice.
But awareness means asking, what does this information point to?
If conditions continue to get worse, what will their world look like 15 minutes
from now or an hour from now?
This mindset is what separates the reactive from the prepared.

(04:28):
A reactive family waits until water is already rising in the street before making a move.
A prepared family sees the clues early, projects where they're leading,
and acts while options are still there.
The same principle applies outside of weather. If you're on the road and you
see brake lights stacking up a mile ahead,

(04:50):
situational awareness doesn't just note the slowdown, it anticipates the traffic
jam and considers a detour before you're stuck in it.
In a crowded store, awareness isn't just noticing the person acting erratically,
it's asking what might happen if that behavior escalates and where your nearest exits are.

(05:12):
Here's the bottom line. Awareness is not passive. It's active.
It means taking what you see and building a picture of what's likely to come.
That projection gives you time, and time is the most valuable resource you have in any crisis.
This is why situational awareness training is foundational. It helps you and

(05:34):
your family practice not just noticing, but predicting and making decisions
with calm clarity instead of panic.
So here's your challenge. Tonight, I want you to play a what-if game with the family.
Pick one risk that you identified earlier this week.
Maybe it's a storm or power outage or even a local crime scenario.

(05:57):
Ask out loud if it happened right now. What's our first move?
What happens if it lasts for an hour? What happens if it lasts for a day?
Walk through the answers together.
You'll find that just talking through the possibilities makes you feel more
confident, and it helps everyone learn to think a step ahead before the knock comes at your door.

(06:23):
Tomorrow, we'll take awareness out of the crisis and into everyday life,
how simple habits like noticing exits and scanning your surroundings build confidence
long before the emergencies ever happen.
Thanks, as always, for listening to the AMCON Daily Brief. If you're not a member
yet, head over to AmericanContingency.com and join the network to start building

(06:46):
your real resilience today. If you are already a member, thank you.
We appreciate it. Make sure you check out all the updates and resources today on the member platform.
I'm Tom Rigsby. Stay alert, stay ready, and I will talk to you again tomorrow.