Your most important prep.

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

When it comes down to it, you are all that you've got. Your knowledge, skills, experiences, physical abilities, and mental abilities are what you and those under your protection really have to rely on when TSHTF (and even if it doesn't).

Invest in yourself. Educate yourself--learn everything that you can. Practice and hone the skills that you do have. Take courses to test, enhance and build on your abilities. Take care of your body and your mind.

In a SHTF situation, you can't count on someone else being there to help you out. You may well be stuck with just yourself--if you can't do something, then it won't get done. So survivalists need to know how to do lots of things--ideally, every conceivable task they could be called upon to perform.

Will your pile of guns do you any good if you can't run them effectively in a time-is-life situation? Will that pocket folder save your butt if you can't get it out of your pocket while some goon is wailing on you? Practice, dry fire, run drills at the range, run force-on-force, practice some more.

Sure you "know" how to make a bow drill to start a fire, but have you ever actually done it? I know I haven't. Don't fool yourself--become proficient, memorize, practice. I suck at knots--I've got about four go-to knots that I rely on. Working gradually to change that.

Don't neglect your body. It's waaaay too easy to be a fat slob these days. But in any emergency, you'll need strength and physical stamina to make it. Face the facts--if you're not fit, you'll probably be pushing daisies. I know, most of us hate working out. Suck it up and get going. This is my current focus right now. Have put on too much extra weight over the past few years, need to cut back down.

At the same time, don't neglect your mental health either. Mental toughness, discipline and a positive outlook will get you far in normal life, and will keep you from giving up/blowing your brains out when things get bad. Staying alert, staying positive and being able to make good decisions are key to surviving any situation.

Most people neglect this stuff too much. I know that I'm guilty of it on occasion. Material preps are quantifiable--you've got a new widget to add to a shelf. But the investments that you make in yourself are the ones that really matter and will be with you for the rest of your life.