Mindset, tools, supplies, skills, location an awareness must all be considered...... Tough is a result of successful work accomplished under arduous conditions IMO.
Something that can be trained for but never proven or graded unless experienced. The mental stress required to teach one to be tough is not possible when they know there is an end to the training or exercise they can abandon at any point they wish.
Like the popular survival shows....they know their friends are aware of their location an time line. No confusion or fear is present in the scenarios presented. Such is a killer that must be counted as a valid mental block to survival.
My opinion....
You've obviously never seen Les Stroud, the Survivorman.
That dumbass could easily put himself down for the dirtnap long before any of his support staff could get to him.
I like to think of him as playing russian roulette wuth a leatherman ;o)
I like what you wrote.
Too many preppers also have a Maginot Line view as well.
No realistic view of how to control the order of battle, or adapt to the aggressors’ unexpected and/or irrational/unconventional tactics, and no experience with the ‘shakes’ brought on by REAL conflict.