The Coolest Job in the World?
No experience needed to do things like this that everyone around you will be impressed by...
Sunday, March 29th, 2026
Writing to you from Cordova, Illinois
In this world that can sometimes seem stale or bland there are jobs hidden in the cracks that supply far more than money. Lifelong friends, invaluable experience, incredible stories, real adventure, and sometimes extremely good pay — all of that exists for you to have if you know where to look. Much of the bedrock of The Preparation is composed of unique jobs because of just how much they can offer.
Those who delve into these jobs will benefit far more than they can imagine. Only courage is required for the undertaking.
Gunner (a new Prepper undertaking his own version of The Preparation) is definitely beginning to reap the rewards. Last I heard, he’s working on a fire crew in Southern Utah, doing a welding project on the side, and undertaking a lot of reading for the program.
Let me tell you, the work isn’t easy on a fire.
On fires you’re facing the elements all day every day. On top of that he’s digging fire breaks, hiking all day, and launching prescribed fire missions where he uses a drip torch to burn specified areas. If you’ve every seen it in action you know how impressive it can be.
To be blunt, Gunner is making some of the best progress right out of the gate that I’ve seen from almost everyone who’s entered the program. He’s working a unique job, working out frequently, reading a ton, writing and reflecting on what he’s doing often, and doing projects on the side. The combination of real world work and academic study is great, but the real key to success in The Preparation (and in life) is rapid action, quick decision making, and the will to put yourself in a position to learn and improve…no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
From my thousand-mile view point Gunner seems to be doing just that.
Now, I’ve already been following Gunner on Substack for a few weeks and I urge you to do the same so that we can continue to encourage him to make fantastic progress. There’ll surely be many more interesting weekly updates from him in the near future:
-Maxim Benjamin Smith
