"The Reparation"

I was informed, educated, and fairly well-read. But there were many skills I lacked and practical things I should've known how to do. Too many. Which made it hard to know where to start. Until now.

Atlanta, GA

October 30, 2025

I’ve repeatedly referenced or written about a new book. The Preparation, authored by Doug Casey, Matt Smith, and Matt’s son Maxim Smith, details a unique alternative to attending college.

The target audience is young men, but most of its principles and programs can apply to people of all ages and either sex (a Preparation for girls is apparently being planned). Most who hear about this book say they wish it existed when they were younger.

I do too.

Designs Come to Life

When I attended high school, vocational paths still existed… but they were fading. Classes like Shop and Home Economics weren’t required, but were still offered as electives. Within a few years, they’d be eliminated entirely. “Successful” high school students were expected to go to college.

That’s what I did. I have no regrets about that. I attended Georgia Tech, earned a degree in Civil Engineering, and became licensed as a Professional Engineer in three states. The work was interesting, usually in demand, and paid well (tho’, as I observed here, not as well as I’d assumed).

My focus was transportation systems, structural design, and geotechnical engineering. For several years after the ‘89 Loma Prieta earthquake, I worked on the retrofit of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was great.

The work was satisfying because it was real. I enjoyed seeing my ideas and designs come to life, particularly on such an iconic structure in a significant place.

But I had plenty of mundane projects too. I oversaw dredging projects under San Francisco Bay, managed fuel system replacements at transit facilities, retrofitted or replaced ferry landings, and designed many highway extensions, widenings, and overpasses.

After a while, I decided I wanted more. At the time, MBAs were all the rage. I pursued one in the evenings at the University of San Francisco. But I did so because I thought I was supposed to.

I was afflicted by memetic desire, which I recognized when Matt Smith described it in The Preparation. Most friends and acquaintances followed that path, which was apparently the way up “the ladder” (what else mattered?). I figured I’d get the paper and receive more pay.

Comfortable and Content

As it happened, I did. Along the way, I discovered economics, which I taught to Executive MBA students on the Stanford campus. While I was doing so, we moved back to Atlanta, where I received my MBA from Georgia Tech.

From there, I entered corporate life. For two decades, I led Pricing and Revenue Management organizations at several global corporations. Much of the time, it was fine. The pay was good, and people I worked with were great.

Yet the work was rarely inspiring. But by this time, I was happily married, had a couple kids, and didn’t consider doing anything else.

Besides, I wasn’t miserable. If anything, I was comfortable and content… which is probably worse because it precludes the motivation misery brings.

Yet, professionally, every day, week, month, and year started to seem the same. Because they were. The routine became a rut: hit some arbitrary quarterly growth target, beat budget, and prepare piles of PowerPoints for periodic reviews with various executives.

I may not have been miserable, but I was bored.

After years of travelling, covid finally kept me home. The rut got worse. Within a couple years, I left corporate life… and have been out ever since. But I was still unsure what I wanted to do.

I’d always written, so I picked up the pace (which is unfortunate for those on whom these missives are inflicted). With more time to read and research, my investing improved… and has since become more lucrative.

Yet something was missing. I was informed, highly educated, and fairly well-read. But there were many skills I lacked and practical things I couldn’t do.

Too many. Which made it hard to know where to start.

So I didn’t. Until now.

Guinea Pig

I discovered Matt Smith several years ago, on the podcast he does with Doug Casey. I’d read Doug’s books and newsletters for decades, but stumbled on this podcast almost by mistake. I was elated to find it, and pleasantly surprised by the insightful host.

At one point, I heard them discuss an idea for a book. Doug tentatively referred to it as “Renaissance Man”, which described the qualities and skills young men should possess.

Not long after, Matt contacted me after reading some of my essays. I was flattered he liked them, and we began to correspond. I contributed a few pieces for the incipient newsletter that became Crisis Investing.

Behind the scenes, The Preparation kept percolating. Long before it was brewed, Matt mentioned his son was a “guinea pig” for the concept Doug envisioned.

Intrigued, I called Maxim, and was impressed… both by who he was and what he was doing. I’ve followed his progress closely since, which is easy since he publishes it regularly on his terrific Substack.

When The Preparation was completed, Matt sent me a pre-read copy. I read it within a day, and wrote a review the night it was released.

Since then, Doug, Matt, and Maxim have been interviewed many times to discuss the book. Almost every time, the interviewer lamented he lacked The Preparation when he was younger.

I had the same regret.

But there was no reason to. I have the book now. Who cares if I’m not 18? As the saying has it, “the best time to plant an oak was thirty years ago; the second best time is now.” Regardless how rocky the soil, it’s never too late to sow a few seeds.

Maybe The Preparation is what I needed to acquire capabilities I neglected in youth. I’ve always had my head in the clouds. Now it’s time to put my feet on the ground.

Courses, Books, and Extracurriculars

The Preparation consists of sixteen cycles. I decided to pick one, and do it myself. In my case, this may be more “Reparation” than preparation. But there’s no reason age should be an obstacle, especially for someone as young as I.

Each cycle entails an “anchor course”, plenty of reading, and an assortment of extracurriculars. For practical reasons (and because of my background), I decided to begin with “the Builder” cycle.

Despite my extensive experience designing things for others to construct, I’ve never deigned to build them myself. That’s inexcusable. Having made my confession, it’s time for penance… which should be a pleasure.

This Sunday I’m going to Maine. I’ll spend two weeks at the Shelter Institute, where I’ll essentially learn to build a house. Design, drawing, foundation, regulation, rigging, plumbing, electrical, framing, insulation, sheathing… all of it.

Along the way, every Preparation cycle prescribes several courses and many readings. This week I completed the World’s Largest Buildings and Structures class from The Great Courses.

Because of my background, it was mostly review. But my education and experience were a long time ago, and these lessons remind me how much I enjoyed what I did.

Professor Stephen Ressler from West Point is terrific. He deftly blends materials, mechanics, and analysis with the context and history when great structures were built.

Among other wonders, it reacquainted me with the Pantheon, Parthenon, Eiffel Tower, Gothic Cathedrals, and the Eads Bridge. And, of course, with the wonderful structure on which I once worked.

Upcoming courses (just in this cycle) cover Greek and Roman Technology, the History of Civilizations, and the Rise of the Novel. This is just for one of sixteen cycles! Why wouldn’t anyone want to do this?

The assigned readings include The Law by Fredric Bastiat, The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand, and The Iliad… each of which I’ve read several times. I may do so again, and would be glad to.

But for now, I amended the list to include The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius and The Art of Building in Ten Books by Leon Battista Alberti. These are also re-reads, but thought they’d be inspirational and beneficial before going to Maine.

Conveniently, each of these selections is on my shelf. I read them years ago as part of Architecture courses to which I detoured at Georgia Tech while pursuing my MBA (I should’ve recognized then where my heart wanted to go).

Other reading assignments include Modern Man in Search of a Soul by Carl Jung and Only Yesterday by Frederick Allen, each of which I’ve never read and just received.

For extracurriculars, I’ve begun practicing piano (most days), shooting pistols (each week), and refining my French. So far, so good.

The Essential Ingredient

No matter the plan, discipline is the essential ingredient to attaining success. That’s why I’m writing this note.

A key component of “The Preparation” is weekly updates to remain accountable. I guess this is my first installment. I’ll sprinkle more amid my usual musings, and (as always) welcome feedback from those who care to share.

JD