The average American teenager spends nearly ten hours sleeping, six hours on leisure, and barely an hour on work. But not Maxim Benjamin Smith.
Then again, he’s not your average teenager. At 19, Maxim is living a life that could be pulled straight from The Count of Monte Cristo. Like Edmond Dantès in his years of captivity, Maxim is using every moment to equip himself with an arsenal of skills, knowledge, and experience to prepare for life’s challenges.
Maxim’s journey is part of a self-directed program called The Preparation, conceptualized by his father, Matt Smith, and legendary investor and contrarian Doug Casey.
Unlike traditional paths such as college, the military, or entry-level jobs, The Preparation emphasizes self-reliance, skill acquisition, and real-world experiences. Over the past year, Maxim has fought wildfires as an EMT, conquered his fears by earning scuba diving certifications, and learned Spanish and Brazilian jiu-jitsu — all while chronicling his progress on a Substack followed by thousands.
Maxim’s approach challenges societal norms that funnel young people into narrow career paths, often saddling them with crippling debt. Instead of asking, "What do I want to be?" his approach aims to answer the more expansive question, "Who do I want to be?" This mindset has led him to embrace discomfort and seek growth in areas that scare him, from braving underwater dives to stepping into high-stakes emergency scenarios.
But The Preparation isn’t just about practical skills — it’s rooted in deeper philosophical questions. Maxim emphasizes the importance of developing a personal moral code, a compass guiding his choices and actions. In his view, conquering the world begins with conquering himself.
Maxim acknowledges that this path may not be for everyone, especially those without financial or parental support. However, he advocates for working transitional jobs to fund skill-building pursuits, viewing these roles as stepping stones rather than dead ends.
Watch the interview and we’re sure you will agree that Maxim’s story is a beacon of possibility for a generation often dismissed as lost.
And shared with friends who have a teenager. Great role model.
Great watch, I myself was inspired from a young boy watching Jacque Cousteau, This lead me to also as a teenager at 16 (as when the age allowed to get certified as a scuba diver ). Which started a career with all the skills from my father ie building homes, welding , so many other skills, wanted to ski for free so learned the skills to work at the ski hill in British Columbia as what they called back then in the day First Aid attendant, I was so good at the first aid course that the instructor even asked me to become a Fire man at the City of Vernon (he was at the time the Fire Chief) I never took up that offer. I moved to Vancouver as a young man became a Commercial Underwater Diver, Traveled the world, Met Doug Casey in Person in Vancouver at a Gold show and had a wonderful conversation of a Hotel he almost bought in Zimbabwe, that i almost seen as I lived in Cape Town SA, Doug Casey has had a major importance of my life decisions. So many more stories i could share! Cheers
This young man's approach to building a life for himself is commendable and I think would work for many. College has a path for certain careers but for many it ends in in-completion and massive debt. If you have the financial means supplemented with income from transitional jobs you can build an impressive resume which can lead to great success as long as you maintain Faith, character and virtue.
I hope more people encourage the youth in their lives to think beyond the traditional paths
He's crushing it
Proud papa! He IS crushing it...
I absolutely loved this interview….riveting. I think about who I want to be a lot as well as defining my personal moral code. What an inspiring young man. I laughed when he said people with brains no longer trust doctors or lawyers. So true.
I would like to add that the traditional paths that so many of us took often led to difficult moral choices down the road. For instance, I was once a part of determining the overhead rate for federally sponsored research. It was considered to be quite a good job and it certainly paid well. However, after some years, I was faced with being told I needed to sign my name to data that was not correct and rather coerced to do so. I ended up leaving that job. We were audited shortly thereafter so I am glad I made that choice. That was well prior to the whole Covid debacle. People have been forced out of academia recently, too, for reasons of ethics. I’m convinced that we cannot have a successful society without an ethical code and I personally do not care to be a part of a low trust society. I like that Maxim is seeking alternative paths.
That reminds me of my sister. Licensed pharmacist, she left that high paying profession to raise goats because of the corruption. She had a conscience. And this was in the early ‘90s—long before the scamdemic and death shots.
Thank you for sharing about your sister. Conscience is one of my favorite words. I’ll bet she is thrilled that she left after witnessing the carnage over the last 4 years.
Thanks for sharing and good for you for choosing to live by your principles. So few do these days.