Why Two People Can Train the Same and End Up Unequally Prepared

This morning I was standing in the yard with a hose in my hand, half awake, watering plants before the day really started.

Off to the side are the avocado trees I grew from seed. I planted them all last October. Same weekend. Same soil. Same amount of water. Same sunlight. I did everything evenly on purpose.

And yet, they look nothing alike.

A few are tall and confident, with thick stems and full leaves. Others are shorter, thinner, almost unsure of themselves. If you did not know better, you would think they were planted months apart.

They were not.

That stopped me for a minute, because I see this exact thing all the time with firearm training.

People like to believe preparedness is fair. Take the same class. Buy the same gear. Learn the same laws. The assumption is that everyone should end up equally ready.

That is not how it works.

Two people can sit in the same room, hear the same material, and walk out with very different levels of awareness. One person goes home and starts thinking differently. They notice exits. They think through “what if” moments while pumping gas or standing in line. They make small changes without anyone telling them to.

The other person checks the box and moves on.

Nothing about the class explains that difference.

Just like the avocado trees, the real work is happening where you cannot see it.

Preparedness grows below the surface. It is shaped by how often someone revisits the ideas, how honestly they assess themselves, and whether they are willing to slow down their ego long enough to actually learn.

Watering plants does not make them grow. It only creates the conditions where growth can happen.

Training works the same way.

Taking a class does not make you prepared. Carrying a firearm does not make you ready. Those things simply give you the opportunity to grow if you choose to engage with them.

I have met people who carry every day and are still reactive, emotionally driven, and unprepared for real pressure. I have met others who carry quietly, train with intention, and think far more about avoidance than confrontation.

You can usually tell who is who within a few minutes.

Growth shows.

The trees reminded me of something important. Stop comparing yourself to others and start paying attention to your own roots. Your habits. Your mindset. Your discipline when no one is watching.

Preparedness is not dramatic. It is not loud. It does not happen all at once.

You water the plants. You revisit the basics. You think before you react.

And over time, you grow into someone who is harder to shake when things get uncomfortable.