Over time it has become clear that the true objectives of The Preparation are misunderstood. At least, this is what I’ve noticed after speaking to a few people who have herd about the program and given me their thoughts on it.
The Preparation was conceived as an alternative to college for young men almost two years ago and I’ve been the beta tester for it ever since. The idea behind the program is to learn as many skills as possible, become well-read, gain a vast network of interesting people, make money along the way, and build character.
If a young man were to consciously put almost all of his time and effort toward pursuing those objectives, he would set himself up for success in the future.
The question is…what do we mean by “success”?
And this is where some of the ideas about the program go completely off the rails…
This program, as it was conceived, and as it is now - has never been about becoming just interesting enough to sleep with as many women as possible. And, it has never been about aiming to get rich quick.
Believe me…I’m far from rich in any material terms.
The minor goals of the program will change from person to person since the individual can tailor the program to fit any interests or personal restrictions (money, location, time) that they have. Some may aim to work more, others will have more time to put toward the acquisition of skills, and it’s likely that some people who undergo their own preparation will be at least temporarily restricted to their town, city, or state.
However, the major goal of it all will always remain unchanged: To become a person worth being.
The purpose of it all is to aim towards something higher - to be a person of good (and strong) character. THAT is what matters.
Character is built through willingly stepping out into the world - knowing that you’re a complete fool - and yet constantly shooting to learn valuable skills, doing interesting and difficult things, and pursuing virtue.
And there is almost zero chance that you will attain that goal if you squander your time by placing yourself in positions where you can sleep with more women. Time to learn valuable skills? Gone. Money? Gone. Character? Down the drain.
Plus, I side with Kanye on this one: “One good girl is worth a thousand bitches.”
The Long Game
In terms of the stuff about getting rich as fast as possible: That idea is also the complete opposite of The Preparation because it’s a high time preference, short-term look on things.
If the purpose of trying to get rich is just for the sake of being rich you’ve lost the plot. But, more importantly, the chances that a young man will have the skills to become rich in a very short period of time is highly unlikely.
Not to mention the traps you may fall into or mistakes you make purely out of ignorance.
But, if you took 4 years to undergo your own preparation and gain competency in as many skills as possible, your range of influence and ability will immensely greater than it would be otherwise.
By doing that you’re taking a low time preference view of the world.
You’ve got time and the use of it is vital. When you put true effort into the things you do and show people that you’ve got high ambition, unique opportunities will come your way.
Sometimes those opportunities bring lots of money.
The Path
All of this means a lot to me. It’s been my life for almost two years now and I have to make sure that the truth about The Preparation is crystal clear because the impact it can have on a young man’s life is immeasurable.
I want the impact it has on a young man to lead towards a life of good and, when the curtains are drawn, that it was a life well-lived for that man.
So, now that I’ve made it clear…
Become virtuous, valuable, and interesting.
Well said. You are a fortunate young man to have strong people of good character in your life. Thank you for paying it forward and taking on the challenge of being the ginny pig for the Preparation. I look forward to the book being published so my grandson may benefit.
I think the reason for the misunderstanding is too many people these days, young and older haven't got a clue what good character is or why it is so important. "To become a person worth being" may be a completely different thing in the minds of some of these people compared to what you and I may think. You keep on building that character and having a good time along the way Max!