Lessons in Leverage

Today’s Topics

• Forget What You Deserve 😤

• The 100 Year Plan 📓

  3 Mins Read Time

Forget What You Deserve 😤
By Jo

Forget what you deserve. It’s not about that. It’s about what you can actually obtain. And truth be told, what you think you deserve might not even be what you really need — or it might be something you no longer want at all.

The reality is, plenty of people don’t “deserve” the power they have. But they’ve learned how to use leverage. That’s the ultimate barter system of this world: power through positioning. And here’s the kicker — it only doesn’t work if you’re not playing by the same rules.

Wanna win? Sometimes the smartest move is to take your ball and go home. Because nobody is playing fair out here.

So how do you know when to push harder, and when to step back? That comes down to energy and time spent. Ask yourself: What am I really willing to deal with? What’s the cost of this move?

Before acting on emotions — which, let’s be honest, is sometimes unavoidable — you have to weigh the consequences. The younger you are, the harder this lesson hits, because we tend to dive in headfirst before fully understanding the ripple effect of our actions.

The Golden Rule: The truth? Judgment gets sharper with experience. You’ll circle back to old decisions and realize what you should’ve done differently. But in the meantime, just be mindful. Every choice out here carries weight. Handle it like it matters.

The 100 Year Plan 📓

By Marcus

Last week I wrote about how those we often consider “privileged” or “having the good life” are usually beneficiaries of generational work and strategic planning. This week’s article builds on that idea through a theoretical scenario.

One of the greatest sources of ideas and inspiration is simple brainstorming. Trying to solve a problem instead of just complaining about it unlocks a world of possibility. The reason brainstorming and exploring new ideas is powerful is that it eliminates the sense of hopelessness and defeat that often comes from negative feedback loops.

With that in mind, let’s jump into a theoretical 100-year plan across three generations. I’ll focus on two common challenges—homeownership and income stability—and design a plan for how these issues could be addressed. This scenario can be applied to all groups, communities and families.

Side note: A typical generation spans 25–30 years. Also, family is what you make it. Community can be family. Friends can become family.

Phase 1: Land & Housing Ownership

Key Contributors: Generation 1

Observations

The increased cost of housing and homeownership continues to inflate to levels out of reach for many people. A large-scale solution doesn’t seem likely anytime soon, so it’s best to act now and explore alternative options. One approach: purchase land first and build on it gradually as income allows.

Benefits & Advantages

• Reduces housing costs over time and protects against market instability.

• Establishes a baseline asset for future development, farming, collateral, or income.

Action Items

• Learn how to identify land in an ideal area with appropriate acreage for long-term family or group plans.

• Research and invest time into learning in-demand skills that pay a reasonable salary. If necessary, work multiple jobs.

• After acquiring land, place two cost-friendly modular homes on it to establish ownership and housing stability. These can be upgraded later—the initial goal is stability and independence.

Phase 2: Self-Sustainability & Family Trust

Key Contributors: Generations 1 & 2

Observations

Overdependence on external services and funding creates vulnerability. Developing security through intentional planning ensures resources are allocated wisely. From the work of generation 1, land is maintained, and expansion is possible.

Benefits & Advantages

• Sustainability through farming, renewable energy (solar, etc.), and reduced reliance on outside support.

• A family or community trust protects resources for critical needs such as end-of-life care, emergencies, taxes, or inflation.

Action Items

• Learn and implement strategies for sustainable living that align with your lifestyle.

• Work with a financial expert—or build the knowledge yourself—on how to leverage community or family resources for long-term security and growth.

Phase 3: Income Stability & Expansion

Key Contributors: Generations 2 & 3

Observations

Over time, trends will shift, technologies will advance, and new opportunities will appear. A process for positioning the family or community to capitalize on opportunities is essential for lasting stability.

Benefits & Advantages

• Future generations can pursue different interests without financial strain, supported by the foundation of prior planning.

• Family/community members can bring in new ideas, adopt growing trends, and share expertise, further strengthening stability.

• By this point, the value of generational planning is deeply ingrained.

Action Items

• Identify promising areas of expansion based on group interests and resources.

• Continuously track macro changes that could threaten sustainability and adjust accordingly.

• Create a system to support family/community members with diverse interests, ensuring flexibility as the group expands.

Closing

Imagine if you had a place to live that you owned outright—no rent, no mortgage, no monthly housing bills. Would that be life-changing for you? Your family or community?

This plan isn’t perfect, and you can probably poke holes in it—and that’s the point.

Use it as a starting point to create your own plan. A plan based in what you believe is important and worth dedicated decades of your life to.

And while you’re creating, think of how much more powerful it could be if just one or two other people joined you in building toward the same vision.

The life you envision might not be the life you live—it may be the life lives by generations that come after you. But that’s the essence of generational planning. Our time here is limited, and we may get lost in living life as if we’re the “main character.”

If you take anything away from this article, let it be this: you don’t need to wait for permission. Identify the problem. Start living in the solution.

What solutions will you create for yourself, your community, your friends, and your family?

Fall is on the way…