The Life Dependency Test

How much of your life depends on things you don’t control?

A 3-minute test. No right answers. Just see where you are.

Pick the answer that’s closest to your life today not what you’d like it to be. Be honest, nobody’s grading you.

1 / 10

1. Electricity

Imagine the grid goes down tonight. Your phone is at 34%. What does tomorrow morning look like?

0No idea. Most things in my home just stop. 1I have a flashlight and maybe a power bank. 2I can keep phones, lights and a few small devices running for several days. 3I can run important things (fridge, internet) for days. 4I make and store my own electricity.

2. Water

The tap stops working. How long can you keep drinking, cooking and washing?

0A day or two. 1A few days of bottled or stored water. 2A few weeks of stored water. 3I can collect and clean more water myself. 4I have my own water source, and I know how to treat it.

3. Food in the house

Imagine you decide not to go shopping for a month. What do you eat?

0A few days, then takeout. 1About a week or two. 2About a month. 3Several months, and I actually know how to cook it. 4Several months, plus I preserve food myself.

4. Growing food

How much of your food could you grow yourself?

0None. 1Some herbs, a tomato plant or two. 2A real garden for part of the year. 3A productive garden or orchard, and I preserve what I grow. 4A meaningful part of what we eat, year after year.

5. Heat and cooking

It’s a cold week, and gas and electricity are both off. Can you stay warm and cook dinner?

0No. 1Blankets and a camping stove, for a day or two. 2One room stays warm, and I can cook something hot. 3I can heat and cook for weeks with fuel I have or can get nearby. 4I have my own fuel supply (wood, solar or similar) and I’ve done it for real.

6. Toilet and waste

No running water, no sewer. Can you still live normally?

0Not really. Everything depends on the pipes. 1I’d improvise for a day or two. 2I have a backup plan I could use for a week. 3I have a system that works for a long time. 4It already works without the pipes (hello, bucket and compost).

7. Internet and information

Your internet disappears for a week. How much of your life stops?

0Almost everything. 1I’d switch to mobile data and hope. 2I have offline maps, documents and contacts saved. 3I have a second way to get online and to reach people. 4My work and communication don’t depend on one connection.

8. Money

Your cards and online banking don’t work for a few days. What happens?

0I have almost no cash and no other options. 1Some cash at home. 2Enough cash and supplies for a few weeks. 3Several ways to pay or trade, and most essentials already at home. 4I can go a long time without normal digital payments.

9. Fixing things

Something important breaks at home. What do you do?

0I call someone, or buy a new one. 1I own a basic toolbox and try the easy stuff. 2I can fix most simple problems. 3I can fix plumbing, wiring or structural problems (or I’ll watch a video and figure it out). 4I can build and maintain most of the things I depend on.

10. Learning new skills

Imagine nobody can come help. How much could you figure out on your own?

0I usually pay someone. 1Basic household stuff. 2A few practical skills I’ve actually learned. 3I learn something new and try it, even if I’m scared. 4I’ve done things I was sure I couldn’t do. And now I can.

Score breakdown

0 / 40 0%

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Answer the questions above to see your diagnosis.

Your next step

1. I'll send you your answers and scores, plus a few things that helped me when I was figuring this stuff out myself.

2. Look back at your answers. Find the three lowest scores.

3. Now pick the one that would hurt most if it disappeared tomorrow. Start there. Only that one.

Check your email for your score breakdown in a couple of minutes.

I am glad I've got connected with another like minded person. Cheers!

Learning to rely on yourself a little more every day. Programmer OffGrid