Matt Smith, an entrepreneur and co-author of 'The Preparation,' rethinks traditional education. He shares how his son’s hands-on learning journey—from EMT training to running a business—offers a practical alternative to college. Matt argues that instead of conventional paths, skills like firefighting or Muay Thai can better prepare youth for life's challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of creating a personal code and embracing experiential learning, as well as the evolving need for 'expert generalists' in today's job market.
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insights INSIGHT
Be, Do, Have Reordered
'Be, do, have' reframes goals: being is primary, doing creates capability, having follows as a byproduct.
Focus on becoming the person you want to be before chasing income or credentials.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use Three‑Month Learning Cycles
Build custom 3-month 'cycles' to learn practical skills and stack experiences over four years.
Start with recommended cycles to gain momentum, then adapt or create your own cycle.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Write A Personal Code
Write a personal code: list rules to stop actions that make you feel small and virtues to pursue.
Use those rules as a beachhead for self-respect and deliberate identity formation.
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There’s always been debate about whether college is worth it. But what if there’s a better alternative—one that actually prepares you to become the person you want to be? My good friend Matt Smith just wrote a book with Doug Casey called The Preparation. It’s not theory—he’s been putting his own son through it as a real-world experiment. Instead of college, Maxim has spent the past two years learning skills like EMT training, firefighting, building houses, working cattle, and even launching a business. This is a practical roadmap for turning those years of 18–22 into a hero’s journey. I loved this conversation, and I’m sending the book to all of my kids.
Episode Description
James talks with entrepreneur and writer Matt Smith about his new book The Preparation, co-authored with Doug Casey. The book lays out a four-year alternative to college built around “cycles”—three-month intensive experiences designed to build practical skills, personal codes, and real-world wisdom. From earning an EMT license to fighting wildfires, training in Muay Thai, or running a small business, these cycles are designed to help young people become independent, capable, and resilient. James and Matt discuss why the traditional college path often fails, how to build a personal code of values, and why the future belongs to “expert generalists” who know how to learn across disciplines.
What You’ll Learn
Why “be, do, have” is a more powerful framework for life than chasing possessions or credentials.
How creating a personal code builds self-respect and identity.
Why intergenerational relationships matter more than peer validation.
How cycles of hands-on learning—from EMT work to entrepreneurship—prepare young people better than a classroom ever could.
Why becoming an expert generalist is the best hedge against a future dominated by AI and automation.
Timestamped Chapters
[00:00] A Note from James: College vs. alternatives
[01:00] Introducing Matt Smith and The Preparation
[03:00] Origins of the book and Doug Casey’s vision
[05:00] Writing the book for his son Maxim
[06:00] Why homeschooling replaced high school
[07:00] “Be, Do, Have” explained
[09:00] Stacking cycles vs. stacking skills
[10:00] Why the book focuses on young men (and how women can adapt it)
[11:00] How to build your own cycle
[13:00] Why traditional education fails to prepare people for real skills
[14:00] Establishing a personal code
[16:00] Examples of personal rules for self-respect
[18:00] Practicing courage and choosing virtues
[20:00] Skills Maxim has gained so far—EMT, chess, horses, firefighting
[22:00] Adventures with Doug Casey and small-country nation building
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