The main goal of survival....is to stay alive until you get home. Some people like to think that they could take anything that nature could throw their way, for an unlimited amount of time. They are in topmost physical and mental condition and have the training and know how to survive anywhere in the world. For the rest of us, the sooner we get home, the better. We need to be rescued. Either self rescue, by finding civilization, or having rescuers find you. True survival in wilderness takes extensive knowledge and practiced skill. Even professionals that work in the wilderness often find themselves in trouble and needing to be rescued. Survival is not just one bit of knowledge or skill, but many. Just as you should not rely on one bit of knowledge for survival, you should not rely on one method of rescue. I will touch briefly on a few methods before moving on to the Deck of cards method of rescue.
Step 1: What you need
A good small survival kit. You could make one yourself, or buy one. Make sure it has a reliable means of starting fire. Practice using your kit's method to start fire in different weather using different materials. Make sure it has a signal mirror. Practice using it, just not on real planes or boats. A loud whistle is another must. Three loud blasts on a whistle will carry much further than your voice. A good compass. You guessed it practice using the compass. If you have a map of the area you will be in, good, but if you find yourself lost, without a map, knowing how to use a compass will keep you from wandering around in circles. Lastly you will need to have a deck of cards. Keep these items with you at all times. They will not do you any good if you leave them behind.