I’ll be honest.

I’m worried.

We are raising a generation that will be completely unprepared for the future.

Not because they’re lazy. Not because they lack intelligence. But because they are being trained for a world that won’t exist in 20 years.

We send kids to schools that teach them how to follow orders. We hand them textbooks filled with information that AI can now generate in seconds. We push them into careers that will soon be obsolete.

This isn’t just a failure of the education system – it’s a failure of imagination.

The traditional path:

• Go to school
• Get a degree
• Find a stable job

Was built for an era where predictable work led to predictable success.

That era is gone.

We now live in an exponential age, where the most valuable skills are not taught in schools, and the most lucrative opportunities don’t come with a college degree.

The question isn’t whether AI will replace jobs – it already is.

The question is: Will you be one of the irreplaceable individuals?

If you don’t see the problem yet, you will soon. Because we are standing at the edge of the largest economic shift in history, and most people are walking straight into irrelevance.

The Illusion of Stability

Most people don’t realize they are living inside a system designed to make them obedient, not independent.

From childhood, we are conditioned to believe that success comes from following rules:

• Get good grades
• Listen to authority
• Pick a safe career
• Work hard for 40 years
• Retire and enjoy what’s left of your life

This worked in a world where institutions controlled opportunity.

But in the digital age, obedience is a liability, not an asset.

The highest-paid individuals today are not the ones with the best resumes.

They are the ones who:

• Think independently
• Solve complex problems
• Build unique skills that AI can’t replace

But here’s the real problem: Most people never develop these abilities because they were never trained to think for themselves.

They were taught what to think, not how to think.

They were taught how to work, but not how to create.

They were taught how to survive, but not how to thrive.

And now, as technology advances at breakneck speed, millions of people will wake up to the harsh reality that their entire mental operating system is obsolete.

The common objection: But the system worked before, why wouldn’t it work now?

The system worked when the world was slow-moving and predictable.

• In the Industrial Age, companies needed workers to run machines.
• In the Corporate Age, companies needed knowledge workers to process information.
• In the AI Age, machines can now do both – better, cheaper, and faster than humans.

What changed?

Technology accelerated, but human education did not.

The old system is based on scarcity: a world where information was limited, access was gated, and success was tied to institutions.

The new world is based on abundance: infinite access to knowledge, permissionless creation, and rapid skill acquisition.

You can ask ChatGPT to summarize 100 business books, one by one, and store all that information in Notion. Then, you can train a GPT with that information which allows you to instantly reference and apply insights whenever you encounter something you don’t understand.

If you don’t adapt, you will be left behind.

Simple as that.

But if you understand the game that’s being played, you can position yourself as one of the few who will thrive in the new world.

How to Become Irreplaceable in the Age of AI (Learn These Skills)

To remain adaptable and irreplaceable in an AI-driven world, you need a three-tiered skill stack:

• Mental & Meta-Skills – The foundation of critical thinking, decision-making, and adaptability.
• Business & Technical Skills – The tools that allow you to create leverage and build wealth.
• Physical & Energy Skills – The habits that sustain long-term focus, resilience, and peak performance.

Master these, and you’ll be immune to economic shifts, job market disruptions, and technological displacement.

1) Mental & Meta-Skills (The Thinking Stack)

According to Eriksen, the 7 liberal arts (or “liberating arts” – don’t confuse it with the diluted version found in academic institutions, where they are taught by individuals who have not truly experienced intellectual or personal freedom) are, quote:

• Logic – How to derive truth from known facts.
• Statistics – How to understand the implications of data.
• Rhetoric – How to persuade and spot persuasion tactics.
• Research – How to gather information on an unknown subject.
• (Practical) Psychology – How to discern and understand the true motives of others.
• Investment – How to manage and grow existing assets.
• Agency – How to make decisions about what course to pursue and proactively take action to pursue it.

These skills create adaptability. They are the foundation of decision-making, problem-solving, and independence in an unpredictable world.

Instead of memorizing outdated knowledge, train yourself to think, learn, and adapt at a high level.

With this foundation, the business and technical skills you learn will always be valuable – because you’ll know how to apply them strategically, not execute them mindlessly.

To learn the 7 liberal arts, I’m learning:

• Marketing and sales – If you can’t capture attention and shape perception, you’ll always be dependent on someone else’s approval. The world moves for those who can create demand, not just meet it. (Rhetoric, psychology)
• Writing and thinking – The ability to articulate your thoughts with precision is the bridge between your mind and the world. If you can’t write, you can’t think. If you can’t think, you can’t create. (Logic, research)
• Value creation and ownership – The game is not about working more, it’s about owning more. Those who build systems, products, and brands dictate their own futures. Others trade their time for someone else’s dream. (Statistics, agency, investment)

I’d encourage you to do the same.

2) Business & Technical Skills (The Wealth Stack)

These skills allow you to create, distribute, and scale value in a digital-first economy.

They provide leverage. They enable you to reach wider audiences, build income streams, and create sustainable businesses.

Without them, you are dependent on institutions and traditional job structures, leaving your financial future in someone else’s hands.

• Social media – Your storefront for the value you create. A powerful tool for building authority, networking, and monetization. 
• Content – Writing or video to educate, entertain, and inspire people to see your value. If you can’t communicate effectively, you’ll remain invisible.
• Email marketing – Newsletters and automated sequences to nurture your audience and build long-term relationships that convert into sales.
• Visual design – Illustrating the vibe of your brand to spark emotion, reinforce messaging, and increase engagement.
• Funnel building – Creating landing pages, websites, and marketing funnels that attract, nurture, and convert your audience into customers.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, the ease of acquiring these skills will increase, and so will competition.

But while technical execution may become commoditized, strategic thinking, originality, and leverage will remain rare.

The edge will belong to those who don’t just use tools but understand how to wield them for exponential impact.

These skills aren’t a means to earn but the architecture of modern entrepreneurship.

3) Physical & Energy Skills (The Resilience Stack)

Nobody talks about this, but with more people staying at home and working remotely, a silent crisis is unfolding.

People are getting weaker. Sicker. Their bodies are deteriorating, and with it, so is their mental state.

The connection is undeniable – when the body fails, the mind follows. Sluggish thinking, erratic emotions, and a declining ability to perform at a high level are inevitable consequences.

Your body is the foundation of your mental and professional performance.

Strength, stamina, and focus are not luxuries. They are the prerequisites for high output and sustained success.

• Weightlifting – Builds resilience, discipline, and physical longevity.
• Healthy eating – Fuels cognitive performance, focus, and energy.
• Body movement – Prevents stagnation, improves mood, and sustains vitality.
• Deep sleep – Enhances memory, recovery, and mental clarity.
• Long walks without devices – Clears mental clutter and fosters deep thinking.
• Isolated work – Develops focus, originality, and the ability to think independently.
• Meditation – Trains mindfulness, stress control, and inner discipline.

Most so-called entrepreneurs won’t tell you this because they’re too busy selling you courses.

But the truth is, if you don’t master your energy and health, you will never sustain success in business, or in life.

You will operate at half capacity and chase solutions to problems created by your own neglect.

Mental and meta skills will sharpen your thinking. Business and technical skills will make you money. But physical and energy skills are your fuel. They determine whether you keep going or burn out.

Your mind is only as strong as the body that carries it.

Ignore this, and mediocrity is guaranteed.

Prioritize it, and nothing will stand in your way.

Where to Start

I always love to look at things from first principles.

You gather all the knowledge, then break it down into the most fundamental pieces to build a simple, sustainable strategy.

The first-principles approach to learning and implementing these skills is to start with the highest-leverage foundation – the smallest set of actions that generate compounding returns across all three stacks:

• The Thinking Stack
• The Wealth Stack
• The Resilience Stack

Here’s how to approach it:

1) Begin with Agency (Ownership Over Direction)

Before you can execute effectively, you must decide what game you’re playing and why.

If you don’t own your direction, you’ll waste time learning skills without a clear goal.

Without agency, every skill becomes another thing you consume rather than something you apply.

1) Write down your vision: What kind of life do you want to build? What skills align with that?

2) Pick a skill from each stack that directly serves that vision.

Example:

• Thinking Stack: Writing (to build logic and understand research).
• Wealth Stack: Social media (to distribute value, build an audience).
• Resilience Stack: Lifting heavy weights (to ensure longevity and energy).

Start with agency, or you’ll drift.

2) Master Energy Before Strategy (The Resilience Stack First)

Your mind is only as strong as the body that carries it.

If you lack energy, focus, and resilience, you won’t execute consistently.

Learning is easier with a clear mind and a strong body.

Here’s the minimum effective dose for high performance:

• Sleep: Set a non-negotiable 7.5-8 hours sleep schedule.
• Strength Training: Lift weights 2-3x/week.
• Walking & Sunlight: Get 30+ minutes of daily movement outside.
• Nutrition: Eat real, whole foods. Avoid processed junk.
• Meditation: Meditate for 10-15 minutes a day.

If you fix your energy, everything else becomes easier.

If you don’t, you’ll struggle with focus, execution, and consistency.

3) Think in Leverage (Mental + Business Skills)

Don’t just work, build systems that work for you.

Most people waste time learning things that don’t compound.

The highest-leverage skills make every future skill easier to acquire.

Start with writing and social media.

The two leverage points that open every door:

• Write daily (clarifies thinking, improves persuasion).
• Post on social media (distribution builds authority, opportunity).
• Learn sales and marketing (so your skills translate into wealth).

These are force multipliers.

They make other skills (funnel-building, email marketing, investment) easier later.

I teach how to leverage your social media in ​Threads OS.​

4) Commit to an Implementation Cycle (Skill > Small Wins > Repeat)

Skills must be lived, not just learned.

Too many people learn but never apply.

Implementation gives immediate feedback and accelerates mastery.

Use this cycle:

• Learn the basics of one skill (writing, social media, sales)
• Apply in real life immediately (post daily, send DMs, launch a simple offer)
• Reflect on results (what worked? what didn’t?)
• Improve and iterate (sharpen the skill with real-world feedback)

Execution beats information.

The more you implement, the faster you progress.

Final Summary: Where to Start

1. Decide on your vision (Agency)
2. Fix energy first (Resilience Stack)
3. Write and share online (Mental + Wealth Stack)
4. Learn sales and marketing (Monetization)
5. Apply in small, consistent steps (Implementation Cycle)

These steps self-reinforce:

Strong body → Clear mind → Effective execution → More leverage → Higher returns.

Once these fundamentals are in place, life takes care of the rest.

Thank you for reading!

J