When it comes to facing a real life survival situation, there is no "one size fits all" magic trick, there's no universal recipe. Everything is relative, it all depends upon the circumstances, but I can tell you one thing that I've learned from my personal experience and from reading ancient history : omnia mea mecum porto. This is a Latin quote that translates roughly as "I carry all my things with me", meaning that all that's really important is inside of your head . Information is the ultimate power and your personal skills will make the difference between life and death, in a shtf scenario. Trust me on that, don't rely on technology or the government, these are illusory things and they will fail you in the long run. That doesn't mean that I'm bad mouthing prepping, no way, I'm just trying to tell you that stockpiling stuff doesn't mean anything in itself, you must prepare for much more than storing food and water.
The most important thing that you have to remember when things get hairy is to keep your calm, DON'T PANIC! Fear is the ultimate killer, it slows the mind, it dumbs you down, it incapacitates you, fear is your number one enemy. But, what will keep you calm and collected in a nasty situation is your training and the set of skills that you've acquired, if any. So, let me share with you the essential survival skills every man or woman should know, but keep in mind that to master them requires a lot of practice and learning "on the fly" :
1. Learn how to make fire. It may sound like a silly thing, but imagine a situation in which you don't have matches or a lighter available, no matter how preposterous it may seem now. That day may come, and learning how to make fire using only what nature is offering you is an essential survival skill. Techniques vary, from using steel and flint to using a bow-drill. All these techniques are easy to learn if you practice them in your backyard until you get it right. Fire starting using fling/stones made all the difference some tens of thousands of years ago, so you should be able to do it in 2014 with no significant problems.
2. Another basic survival skill is to protect yourself from excess exposure to the elements, also known as shelter. You must be able to withstand the sun, the rain, the snow, the cold, you name it. You must always dress accordingly, as clothes are your first line of defense against a hostile environment. You should also practice building yourself a basic-improvised shelter, using what's available in nature, i.e. branches and leaves; use your imagination.
3. Signaling can make all the difference between life and death, so you should know how to alert the potential rescuers that you're in trouble. You can use a stroboscope, a flashlight, fire, vividly colored markers, mirrors (to reflect sunlight), flags, an improvised whistle, you got the general idea.
4. Learn how to be a world-class hunter gatherer, like your ancestors. Being able to live off the land is an essential tool for survival. Basically, you must know how to distinguish between edible plants and poisonous ones, how to make traps for hunting game, how to improvise a weapon (bows, arrows, spears, slingshots) how to find clean water(collecting rain water or using snow/ice) or how to filter/sterilize contaminated water (by boiling it, for example), you got the picture.
5. Learn first aid methods and remember that you must never panic. Along with knowing your basic medical needs, you should keep a cool head, think rationally, observe your surroundings and plan your way out. Keeping an open mind is the essential first aid when it comes to survival.