Life after high school is an adventure. Take a step towards Freedom

Why The Freedom Program?

Every young person graduating from High School has high hopes for their future. They hope to find work they love, get married, raise a family, buy a home, help their community, and make an impact.

Our passion is to help young people find the best path to a satisfying career and a meaningful life.

And we believe The Freedom Program is a wonderful option. After all, college is not for everyone, and not everyone is right for college.

Imagine Yourself as a High School Senior


Imagine everyone is asking you about your plans for the future. What are you going to do after you graduate? Where are you going to go to school? What are you going to study?

All these huge decisions.

It’s so much pressure! You want to give them a good answer, but the well-beaten path to college is loaded with questions that have you second-guessing.

The Cost of College
What if it costs too much?
What if you struggle to find something you're really passionate about?
What if your present passion isn't really a good career?
What if you don't finish?
Picking the Correct Path
What if you aren't really a book learner or "college material?"
What if you don't want to waste years of time and loads of treasure amidst a sea of bad habits and potential shipwrecks hunting for that mystical " perfect career?"
What if you're concerned that "just working" won't really prepare you for the future?
What if you're afraid you'll work like crazy...but spin your wheels...and four years later you'll have nothing to show for your heroic efforts?
Alternate Choices
What if...you really just want to be a wife and mother and are convinced you can learn how to do so without wasting time and money...but you're afraid to say so because one of the most important and most impactful of all occupations is often dismissed as "selling for less," or is even met with open scorn?
What if there's another way?
What if you could get paid to learn?
What if you could find another road to a satisfying life?
What if you could find another path to a meaningful career?

You’ve come to the right place! The Freedom Program is a viable path to a meaningful career.

Here’s a different scenario.

IMAGINE

yourself as a FreePro graduate.

yourself at 22 years old.

that you have:

Money

$90,000, which you've personally earned and saved.
No debt.

Education

Four years of work experience in a primary job.
Additional experience working in a number of different "hobby" jobs, part-time jobs, or ministry opportunities.
A network of business and spiritual mentors rooting for you and opening doors of opportunity.

Knowledge

A long reading list of the very best books under your belt.
The conviction that you can figure out what you need to know.
The confidence that comes from the capability you developed by real work in the real marketplace.

Imagine that while others are learning about Return On Investment calculations in college, you are learning about ROI by…investing.
‍
Imagine that while others are writing papers about how to build a marketing network, you are building a marketing network of the very best in your field of business.

Imagine that while others are paying professors to tell them what to read, you are reading and studying and practicing the things that matter most to your personal career development.

Imagine that while others are learning how to run a business from textbooks, you are meeting with and learning from real business leaders, reading the very best business books by the very best business thinkers, and driving lessons deep by practicing what you learn in your own finances or even your own small business.
What you have just imagined is not just super cool. It’s possible. You have just imagined yourself as a Freedom Program graduate.
At this point, it’s important to point out that The Freedom Program is NOT anti-college. Rather, it’s PRO
get-exactly-the-training-and-certifications-you-need-in-the-most-sensible-way.


‍
‍Wow! That has to be one of the longest hyphenations in history.

What is The Freedom Program?

The Freedom Program is

a sensible,
non-degree,
self-directed,
parent-and-mentor-guided,
get-paid-while-you-learn

PATHWAY

to a strong foundation and a meaningful vocation.

If you're already sold, and want to get started in The Freedom Program
Get Started
The store

12 Steps to Success in The Freedom Program

The Freedom Program is made up of 12 Steps. Yep. Another 12-step program. But this one isn’t just going to save you from some bad habit. Rather, it’s designed to open doors of hope for your future and help you walk the path to financial and vocational freedom. Here’s a brief description of the 12 steps. ‍

Select a primary mentor
Select a primary job
Select secondary jobs
Learn to play great defense
Save like crazy
Invest
Learn how to do adult things in the real world
Select additional mentors
Read and study copiously
Find a friend group who will encourage you in your endeavor
Study, think, and record your progress on Freedom in the Fives (this is explained in more detail below)
Identify and pursue one of the many career options that will rise up in front of you
More information is available on each of these steps in the Summer, Gap Year, and Year 1
Freedom Program workbooks.

What to do with all that money?

First of all, even if your target seems like a lot of money for a 22-year-old, don’t be deceived. It’s not as much as it seems. All of this money has a defined purpose. Don’t go spending it willy-nilly.

To understand how to utilize this money to best effect, think of your life in the following “epochs.”

The Early Years
0-5 years old
This is childhood, when much of our sense of life and self is established
The Foundation Years
5-15 years old
In these years, we grow deep roots for many of our habits and beliefs.
The Opportunity Years
15-25 years old
These are the preparation years, where we build the financial, educational, and work experience base that will carry us into adulthood
The Career and Family Years
25-55 years old
During these years, we invest big chunks in our family and our community
The Saving Years
55-65 years old
In this period, we prepare a financial base for our "second run," the repurposing years. Think of this place as investing in our health and future for the next thirty+ years, as well as investing in the world around us.
The Repurposing Years
65-95 years old
These years can bless all around us as we share the fruit of our wisdom and labors with grandkids, future generations, and the world around us.
The Golden Years
95+ years old
In these years, we "teach them how to say goodbye." We give others a chance to serve and care for us as we seek to provide final blessings.
The Freedom Program is focused on capturing the best from your Opportunity Years and using it to build a foundation that makes the coming stages more manageable. So we recommend Freedom Program graduates build their cash reserves in the following order:

The 6 Steps To Building Your Cash Reserves

$2,000 in your initial Emergency Fund
$8,000 to start your initial Sweet-Spot-Car Fund (which always includes the value of your present Sweet Spot Car). Much of this will likely be required to get a reliable Sweet Spot Car, but it's worth it to have reliable transportation in place for your FreePro years. You don't want to be distracted with an unreliable vehicle.
$3,000 to finish your Emergency Fund, which we believe should be $5,000 during your Opportunity Years.
Next, save $6,000 more to complete your Sweet Spot Car Fund goal of $15,000 (Remember, this fund always includes the value of your present Sweet Spot Car. (The Value of your Sweet Spot Car plus the cash in your Car Fund should equal $15,000). If you invest in this way, you're prepared to get through your opportunity years and into your career discipline, you can stay away from car debt your entire life!
Get your Emergency Fund and your Car Fund in place first. Then you're ready to save for your future. These two items will probably consume the cash you save during your first year and more, but it's worth getting these two important foundational blocks firmly established before moving on to your long-term savings.
Once your E-fund and SS Car fund are in place, plan to put $6000+ in your IRA each year. Ideally this is a Roth IRA, but it may also include an IRA or a 401k at your workplace. Especially if your workplace has a match in place! Starting early in life will allow your investment to increase dramatically...much more than if you wait until later in life. Your goal is to have at least $20,000 invested in your IRA by the time you finish the program at 22 years old. Even if you never add another cent to this fund, especially during your Career and Family Years when so many other needs are tapping into your wallet, this money can easily grow to...see the table below:

Graphs

The Freedom Program can get you started on the road to financial success
The graph below shows if you started investing with an initial 20k and speedily invests.../year
Plus--- you have 50,000- toward whatever is next
The Graph below shows the Sweet-Spot Car
The next table shows you exactly what it says 15% of your money and 5% matched by your employer.
This graph again assumes a relatively modest income of $50,000 per year. Wow. Always make sure you are taking advantage of the match if your employer offers it. It's crazy how it adds up!
Once again this assumes you will continue to invest at this very modest pace until "retirement". And again, I chose the age of 67 because FreePro-type people typically enjoy working.
So, I hope you can see why it's important to get your IRA in place early. It takes time to multiply. And having it in place takes so much pressure off your Repurposing Years and Golden Years.

And of course, you can continue to contribute to your IRA throughout your Career and Family Years.

Extra cash should go into a savings account or a non-retirement investment account as a preparation for getting married, buying a house, investing in more education, or whatever is next for you in your Career and Family years. If you end up with a FreePro "average" of $90,000, at 22 years old, we recommend you divide and invest that money as shown in this graph.

Is The Freedom Program only about money?

No! Although a financial foundation is considered one of the first and most effective objectives for FreePro students, The Freedom Program is about much more than just finances. It’s about pursuing freedom in five important areas of your life.

It’s about Freedom in the FIVES

Financial Freedom
“Money As A Tool”
F
Making money has two parts, offense and defense. Financial Freedom is gained when one masters both at the same time and learns to earn, accumulate, and manage their money. Get your financial foundation set properly, and it will relieve loads of stress in the other areas of your life, and a whole world of opportunities can open up for you.
Intellectual Freedom
“Think For Yourself”
I
Most people are slaves of their age, thinking with the mood of the day. In addition, many proudly grow out of “parroting their parents” only to “parrot a professor.” Intellectual Freedom requires breaking free from these constraints, building the ability to articulate one’s own thoughts, and building the humility and intellectual honesty to understand the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own arguments.
Vocational Freedom
“A World Of Options”
V
No one can be sure what they’d like to be doing five years from now. The key to Vocational Freedom is to prepare for the future by building the work experience, education, and financial base you need to provide a steady supply of fresh options that fit your skills and excite your interest.
Emotional Freedom
“To Know And To Be Known”
E
One of the surest signs of Emotional Freedom is the ability to know and to be known in equal measure, and to make and keep healthy friendships. Be genuine. Have no use for guile or manipulation. Become comfortable in your own skin while loving, forgiving, and rooting for others.
Spiritual Freedom
"Know What You Believe, And Why”
S
Young people who know what they believe and who can articulate those beliefs become more settled, restful, and happy. There is a joy in the journey. Aristotle described this as a rational soul acting in accordance with virtue. For the Christian, Spiritual Freedom comes alive in the love, joy, and peace that blossom from a relationship in accordance with God our Maker, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Ok, I’d like to get started!

How do I TAKE ACTION and FreePro?

Purchase the appropriate Workbooks and Follow the path prescribed.
These cost a little bit, but they're worth the cost. Although we'd love to give them away for free, we've found that people tend to utilize and appreciate things more when they pay for them. Plus, your purchase allows us to keep developing materials for FreePro students!
Join our Community by Signing up here. It's free! We'll send you newsletters, access to our Facebook group, and keep you posted on the events schedule.
Seek a Team of others who will encourage you in your endeavor. Build a steady Rhythm of intentional progress.
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THE FREEDOM PROGRAM STORE

The Freedom Program Year 1 Workbook
$99
This workbook is designed to introduce you to The Freedom Program and help you get started on your FreePro journey. Capture your best thoughts and build your plan for the future in 3-5 minutes a day, 20 minutes a week, plus about an hour per month.
Purchase
Making the Most of My Gap Year
$99
Formatted exactly like the Year 1 workbook, and loaded with many of the same encouragements and helpful math tables, this book is designed to help you make the most of your Gap Year by providing a place to set your targets, keep yourself on track, capture your best thoughts, and build your plan for the future. Once again, our goal is to keep the time commitment low while helping you build the powerful rhythm of recording 3-5 minutes per day, 20 minutes per week, and about an hour per month.
Purchase
Making the Most of My Summer Break
$25
Use this handy tool to set your summer financial target, keep yourself on track, and accelerate your growth by capturing your very best lessons from work and relationships.
Purchase
Foundations
$15
What about younger students? This workbook is designed for mature 11-17 year-olds to start building a FreePro rhythm of Earning, Thinking, and Preparing. Along with helpful questions and some guided journaling, this workbook includes valuable thoughts on two of the most important financial decisions young people face before graduation…saving for a car, and building a clear financial plan for “whatever is next when high school is done.”
Purchase
Making the Most of My Senior Year
$79
This workbook is designed to introduce you to The Freedom Program and help you get started on your FreePro journey. Capture your best thoughts and build your plan for the future in 3-5 minutes a day, 20 minutes a week, plus about an hour per month.

Formatted like the Freedom Program workbooks and loaded with thoughtful questions, timely math tables, and concise encouragements you’ll find nowhere else, this workbook will help you capture your best lessons and prepare your heart, mind, and finances for your post-high-school adventure. What a difference you can make with a steady investment of  3-5 minutes per day, 20 minutes per week, and an hour each month.
Purchase
Coming Soon
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The Freedom Program Workbooks for years 2-4
Purchase
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