You have much wisdom for such a young man. Experiencing life, which is an integral part of the Preparation, has not only introduced you to new skills but also to new invaluable lessons in life.
I often think back on my high school swim coach's framed quote on the wall behind his desk,
Full of admiration for you young man. And your father and Doug of course. Inspires this oldster to be more ready to help a grandchild. Expect you’ll look back in time and be amazed at how widely embraced your journey will be by others as well. And don’t ever think the STEM subjects are necessarily out of your realm, there are many many levels of useful competence. I was once an engineer and have met others doing the same work who did not go to university. Soon after graduation my experience was the key question was: ‘What can you do for us?’ Not what degree do you have. Important more to a large corporation, but not for nomadic types preferring to work as contract engineers for example. The essence of what I learned even in grad school is all available online now. Oh, and check out Nassim Taleb’s take on “antifragile”, what a fine solid path you’re on.
Maxim, I really enjoyed reading your post and the lessons you’ve picked up along the way.
Your point about “focusing only on what you assume will be interesting to you” really hit me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve caught myself avoiding new activities just to stay in my comfort zone, mostly so I don’t look inept or foolish. It’s easy to cling to the image of being the competent one among friends and family.
But your post is a good reminder that we are never too old or too experienced to become a beginner again.
It makes me happy to hear that I could (unknowingly) be of some help through the essay. Especially to someone like yourself, who’s heading down an interesting path.
Maxim...thanks so much for sharing this!! I am blown away on multiple fronts. The opening sentences leading up to the list provide an incredibly succinct summary, and create a compelling case for the value of The Preparation! (I plan to share it as an effective means to melt away the fears parents have been trained to have about their kids not going to college.)
The wisdom you share from the lessons is both valuable and humbling. You are helping me learn several things from it, and I plan to re-read it as I try to make some changes in my personal and professional life.
It was encouraging that you started with "I know nothing," and to hear you speak of humility. Given how low the bar could be among your stereotypical peers, it's easy for me to see how someone with your knowledge/skill/experience could simultaneously be very interesting...and unbearable :-). I am convinced that "knowing what you don't know" is one of the great keys to humility AND success.
Your economy of words is extremely impressive. Crisp, punchy, with perfect analogies. And as a dad of a son, I smiled several times while reading, thinking about how happy and proud your DAD must be regarding what you have/are learning. So it was great to see you give your dad credit at the end!!
Scott, your words mean the most. Not only do I appreciate it, but this is very motivating to hear. And, I'm glad some of these lessons are actually useful to hear about! Looking forward to speaking with you soon!
I’m 65 years old and I wish I had done my due diligence and learned what you have learned in 2 years in my 65 years in this world. I am passing this on to my grandchildren and hope from time to time they reread and gather more wisdom each time they read this. Thank you beautiful writing.
One of the biggest mistakes I have made in life is rejecting people because they have biased perspectives which clash with my own worldview/perspective. I finally figured out (in my late 20s) that to them, their opinions/perspectives are completely legitimate and 'normal', even if to me their perspectives, choices, morals and actions are revolting beyond the tolerance of my own moral compass.
That doesn't mean that I have to start bending my moral compass to compromise with these individuals, but now I have to acknowledge that what they think or believe is always legitimate in their own perspective. It helps that people are incredibly honest, not by their words, but by the way they show the world exactly what they are as a fault of their own hubris, which I explained in the sentence above.
It is like that intelligence agency trick I heard about from Dave Collum, where in order to get hardened criminals to spill out the truth, all you need to do is feed them an incorrect account of the events in question, just enough to bother them mentally, and they will freely volunteer new information just to correct the false version of events. And apparently it works every time.
---
As for your article I have a few things to comment on:
"Scared? Good."
- For me dealing with fear is a matter of immunization by embarrassment, pain and experience.
- And it is important to distance yourself from the idea that it is all about you. What I have learned is: the only time it is about you is when you are seeking investigation and resolution. For example: 'Why did things happen the way they did? What did I do right or wrong? What were the intentions fueling the actions of the other people around me? What do I do from here? etc.. etc..' So if you want to make life not about you, but about the group, the greater society, your family, the greater hero's journey to be of service to others, etc.. then you need to either obtain a quick and speedy resolution, or learn to live without resolution and rapidly move on, to be steadfast despite the circumstances.
- And as for "the main inhibitor to getting everything you want in life is fear" I completely agree on that, but would like to add that trauma is a form of fear that I feel often gets overlooked. In my case I have a long history of being forced to deal with people I would describe as dishonorable actors, with negative results accumulated from my own mistakes, but also from the friction generated by the qualities of those people which defined my experience being around them (dishonorable actors.) Which makes it very hard for me to trust people, and leads me to have a world view I would describe as the following: 'People will capitulate to, do anything for, and absolutely worship, the nearest and loudest sociopath, to the point of literally sacrificing their own children.' I like to think that is not true of everyone at all times, but repeated experience is a great reinforcer of personal bias.
"People Will Come to Your Aid"
- This is the cost of the mistake I started with in the beginning of this post. People will never come to the aid of someone in constant conflict, but the right people will always gather around the person transforming action into results, and results into momentum.
- As a word of warning, most of these people who help you now will not always be there for you in the future, a lot of friendships to people revolve around their utility rather than strength of character or commitment. So get the most you can out of these people now, rather than waiting later. That is not to say you won't make some great lifelong friendships in your journey, but investing your time and energy into relationships over the long term is best spent on a dedicated group/family/tribe, who will always have your back.
"Sidestepping Authority"
- That is great that you figured out that most people actually have almost no idea of what TF they are doing, but either got enough experience to obtain confidence in their craft or managed to fake it until they made it. It is nice to know that no matter how someone gained their unique set of skills, those skills in themselves are still valid.
- Authority is just the utility of power in order to get the population to inherently accept something they would otherwise completely reject. You could watch Professor Jiang of the Youtube channel 'Predictive History' rant on about bureaucracies to get the gist of what I am implying. If we had a real accountable historical record, then this thing called trust, or verification, might replace the word we currently call authority.
"The Only Thing That Really Matters"
- "Virtue makes the man." That is true. But it also seems true to me that the 'man' does not make the world, and unfortunately virtuous men do not make the world by their own virtue. And if you can judge something by it's results, then the world must be ruled by very evil, selfish people. You cannot, and should not (try in vain) to control this, in the stoic sense, but it is worth keeping in mind that eventually some virtuous men somewhere, sometime in the future, will have to make some hard choices in order to prevent the number of evil people from outnumbering the good, to secure a decent future for their children and grandchildren.
- It is also worth considering what virtue and morality means in the face of a MK-ultra survivor. When your government funds the chemical enslavement of their own population in order to subvert them to the level of a useful, willing slave. How does virtue factor into a sick and poisoned population that may have literal mental/cognitive deficiencies by brain damage from Vaxxxines, chemtrails, chemically subverted food supplies and water, etc..? I would recommend looking into the research and works of Dr.Jack Kruse, such as the weaponization of SV-40, and the radiation of nn-EMF. For me trying to compute philosophy with the malicious possibilities of agencies like DARPA gives me a 100% headache.
This is a fantastic summary of what you've achieved and what's possible. You are moving mountains. Thanks for this. I'm working on getting my teenage sons onboard with this program and your wisdom in the section "I'm Not Interested" will be particularly helpful. Thanks again and carpe diem!
You have much wisdom for such a young man. Experiencing life, which is an integral part of the Preparation, has not only introduced you to new skills but also to new invaluable lessons in life.
I often think back on my high school swim coach's framed quote on the wall behind his desk,
" Luck is where preparation meets opportunity".
That’s a great quote. Thank you, Steve.
Bought multiple copies of your book for grandkids and myself 69 and i learn everyday you guys are refreshing
Been following matt and doug for years. Learn some trade skills it will save you millions over your lifetime and make u truly self sufficient
Full of admiration for you young man. And your father and Doug of course. Inspires this oldster to be more ready to help a grandchild. Expect you’ll look back in time and be amazed at how widely embraced your journey will be by others as well. And don’t ever think the STEM subjects are necessarily out of your realm, there are many many levels of useful competence. I was once an engineer and have met others doing the same work who did not go to university. Soon after graduation my experience was the key question was: ‘What can you do for us?’ Not what degree do you have. Important more to a large corporation, but not for nomadic types preferring to work as contract engineers for example. The essence of what I learned even in grad school is all available online now. Oh, and check out Nassim Taleb’s take on “antifragile”, what a fine solid path you’re on.
Maxim, I really enjoyed reading your post and the lessons you’ve picked up along the way.
Your point about “focusing only on what you assume will be interesting to you” really hit me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve caught myself avoiding new activities just to stay in my comfort zone, mostly so I don’t look inept or foolish. It’s easy to cling to the image of being the competent one among friends and family.
But your post is a good reminder that we are never too old or too experienced to become a beginner again.
It makes me happy to hear that I could (unknowingly) be of some help through the essay. Especially to someone like yourself, who’s heading down an interesting path.
I really appreciate the kind words, too.
First time reader, I like what I read. Very interesting , I'll start following him.
Maxim...thanks so much for sharing this!! I am blown away on multiple fronts. The opening sentences leading up to the list provide an incredibly succinct summary, and create a compelling case for the value of The Preparation! (I plan to share it as an effective means to melt away the fears parents have been trained to have about their kids not going to college.)
The wisdom you share from the lessons is both valuable and humbling. You are helping me learn several things from it, and I plan to re-read it as I try to make some changes in my personal and professional life.
It was encouraging that you started with "I know nothing," and to hear you speak of humility. Given how low the bar could be among your stereotypical peers, it's easy for me to see how someone with your knowledge/skill/experience could simultaneously be very interesting...and unbearable :-). I am convinced that "knowing what you don't know" is one of the great keys to humility AND success.
Your economy of words is extremely impressive. Crisp, punchy, with perfect analogies. And as a dad of a son, I smiled several times while reading, thinking about how happy and proud your DAD must be regarding what you have/are learning. So it was great to see you give your dad credit at the end!!
KUTGW (keep up the good work)!!
Scott, your words mean the most. Not only do I appreciate it, but this is very motivating to hear. And, I'm glad some of these lessons are actually useful to hear about! Looking forward to speaking with you soon!
That was a beautiful read Maxim. Thanks for sharing!
Great layout of an action plan, Max—Clear and concise, easy to follow.
Thank you, Cork!
I’m 65 years old and I wish I had done my due diligence and learned what you have learned in 2 years in my 65 years in this world. I am passing this on to my grandchildren and hope from time to time they reread and gather more wisdom each time they read this. Thank you beautiful writing.
That means a lot, Paula. Thank you for the kinds words.
One of the biggest mistakes I have made in life is rejecting people because they have biased perspectives which clash with my own worldview/perspective. I finally figured out (in my late 20s) that to them, their opinions/perspectives are completely legitimate and 'normal', even if to me their perspectives, choices, morals and actions are revolting beyond the tolerance of my own moral compass.
That doesn't mean that I have to start bending my moral compass to compromise with these individuals, but now I have to acknowledge that what they think or believe is always legitimate in their own perspective. It helps that people are incredibly honest, not by their words, but by the way they show the world exactly what they are as a fault of their own hubris, which I explained in the sentence above.
It is like that intelligence agency trick I heard about from Dave Collum, where in order to get hardened criminals to spill out the truth, all you need to do is feed them an incorrect account of the events in question, just enough to bother them mentally, and they will freely volunteer new information just to correct the false version of events. And apparently it works every time.
---
As for your article I have a few things to comment on:
"Scared? Good."
- For me dealing with fear is a matter of immunization by embarrassment, pain and experience.
- And it is important to distance yourself from the idea that it is all about you. What I have learned is: the only time it is about you is when you are seeking investigation and resolution. For example: 'Why did things happen the way they did? What did I do right or wrong? What were the intentions fueling the actions of the other people around me? What do I do from here? etc.. etc..' So if you want to make life not about you, but about the group, the greater society, your family, the greater hero's journey to be of service to others, etc.. then you need to either obtain a quick and speedy resolution, or learn to live without resolution and rapidly move on, to be steadfast despite the circumstances.
- And as for "the main inhibitor to getting everything you want in life is fear" I completely agree on that, but would like to add that trauma is a form of fear that I feel often gets overlooked. In my case I have a long history of being forced to deal with people I would describe as dishonorable actors, with negative results accumulated from my own mistakes, but also from the friction generated by the qualities of those people which defined my experience being around them (dishonorable actors.) Which makes it very hard for me to trust people, and leads me to have a world view I would describe as the following: 'People will capitulate to, do anything for, and absolutely worship, the nearest and loudest sociopath, to the point of literally sacrificing their own children.' I like to think that is not true of everyone at all times, but repeated experience is a great reinforcer of personal bias.
"People Will Come to Your Aid"
- This is the cost of the mistake I started with in the beginning of this post. People will never come to the aid of someone in constant conflict, but the right people will always gather around the person transforming action into results, and results into momentum.
- As a word of warning, most of these people who help you now will not always be there for you in the future, a lot of friendships to people revolve around their utility rather than strength of character or commitment. So get the most you can out of these people now, rather than waiting later. That is not to say you won't make some great lifelong friendships in your journey, but investing your time and energy into relationships over the long term is best spent on a dedicated group/family/tribe, who will always have your back.
"Sidestepping Authority"
- That is great that you figured out that most people actually have almost no idea of what TF they are doing, but either got enough experience to obtain confidence in their craft or managed to fake it until they made it. It is nice to know that no matter how someone gained their unique set of skills, those skills in themselves are still valid.
- Authority is just the utility of power in order to get the population to inherently accept something they would otherwise completely reject. You could watch Professor Jiang of the Youtube channel 'Predictive History' rant on about bureaucracies to get the gist of what I am implying. If we had a real accountable historical record, then this thing called trust, or verification, might replace the word we currently call authority.
"The Only Thing That Really Matters"
- "Virtue makes the man." That is true. But it also seems true to me that the 'man' does not make the world, and unfortunately virtuous men do not make the world by their own virtue. And if you can judge something by it's results, then the world must be ruled by very evil, selfish people. You cannot, and should not (try in vain) to control this, in the stoic sense, but it is worth keeping in mind that eventually some virtuous men somewhere, sometime in the future, will have to make some hard choices in order to prevent the number of evil people from outnumbering the good, to secure a decent future for their children and grandchildren.
- It is also worth considering what virtue and morality means in the face of a MK-ultra survivor. When your government funds the chemical enslavement of their own population in order to subvert them to the level of a useful, willing slave. How does virtue factor into a sick and poisoned population that may have literal mental/cognitive deficiencies by brain damage from Vaxxxines, chemtrails, chemically subverted food supplies and water, etc..? I would recommend looking into the research and works of Dr.Jack Kruse, such as the weaponization of SV-40, and the radiation of nn-EMF. For me trying to compute philosophy with the malicious possibilities of agencies like DARPA gives me a 100% headache.
This is a fantastic summary of what you've achieved and what's possible. You are moving mountains. Thanks for this. I'm working on getting my teenage sons onboard with this program and your wisdom in the section "I'm Not Interested" will be particularly helpful. Thanks again and carpe diem!
Thank you, Kevin. Please let me know if I can be of any help in trying to get your sons onboard. I'd be more than happy to help if I can!
You are welcome and thanks for the offer - I will reach out if necessary 👍