How far ahead do you plan?
Free for students, adults and families. Find out how far ahead you plan, then learn to plan further.
Each level is how far ahead you plan. Level 1 plans for generations.
Which Mindset Level are you on?
Each level is how far ahead you plan, from the next few minutes to generations. It’s not about how much money you have. Tap a level to see what it looks like.
Find your level. Then climb.
Start with Step 1. It takes about 4 minutes.
Find your Mindset Level
See how far ahead you plan.
Twelve everyday questions across all six areas of life. Get your level and your next step up.
Play The Long Game
Your next 12 years, in 15 minutes.
Real-life choices with real prices, starting at your level. Watch all six areas of your life grow.
Daily Climb
Two minutes. One level at a time.
Three real choices, one promise, one truth and a new word. Watch your level rise, then challenge a friend.
Climb in all six areas of life.
Planning ahead isn’t only about money. Your Mindset Level covers six areas, the 6 Fs.
Small choices, made early, add up. Start with how far ahead you plan today.
Small things grow.
Put $25 a week to work at about 7% a year. Slide to choose the age you start.
Uses 7%, a long-run average for the stock market, not a promise. Some years go down. Rounded, not financial advice.
Two minutes a day. One level at a time.
3 choices · 1 promise · 1 truth · 1 new word
Then challenge a friend to today’s climb.
Find your level in 4 minutes.
12 quick questions about everyday life. Answer with what you really do, not what you wish you did.
- No wrong answers
- Change any answer
- Stays on this device
What the 12 questions cover
2 questions for each of the six areas of life.
PracticeTap an area, then pick the choice that’s better for your future. It doesn’t count toward your level.
Faith
Your relationship with God, and living His way: prayer, worship, reading Scripture, honesty when no one is watching, and serving others.
Long game: Putting God first every day: praying, worshiping, giving and doing what's right even when it costs you.
Short game: Only turning to God in a crisis, and doing whatever is easiest in the moment.
Family
The people you belong to by blood, marriage or adoption: parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and one day your own spouse and children.
Long game: Showing up, helping at home, honoring your parents, and building something to pass down.
Short game: Only showing up when it's convenient or when you need something.
Fellowship
Your relationships outside your family: friends, classmates, coworkers, neighbors, mentors and your church family, built on trust, loyalty and teamwork.
Long game: Building trust over years, keeping your word, having people's backs, and mentoring others.
Short game: Gossip, using people, and burning bridges.
Fitness Body & mind
Taking care of the body and mind God gave you: rest, healthy food, exercise, managing stress, and protecting your focus and attention.
Long game: Daily habits that keep you strong, rested and clear-headed.
Short game: Whatever feels good right now: junk food, late nights, cramming, endless scrolling.
Finances
How you earn, spend, save, invest, give and own: your work, your skills, budgets, debt, and the homes and businesses you build.
Long game: Owning things that pay you, and building wealth that lasts for generations.
Short game: Spending money as soon as it lands, and borrowing for things you don't need.
Fun
Rest, play and enjoyment: hobbies, sports, music, games, trips, celebrations and time with friends that refill you without draining your budget.
Long game: Planned fun that refills you and fits your budget.
Short game: Fun that drains you or costs more than you have: endless scrolling, gambling, trips on credit.
Check off each one as you start doing it. Your checks are saved on this device.
Your next 12 years, in 15 minutes.
A life game for your future. Each year you face real choices, build what matters, and watch all six areas of your life grow. Plan further ahead to climb toward Level 1.
Who are you?
Pick where you are in life. You'll play 12 years from there.
What you do each year
Tips and full rulesThe Wait, streaks, stars, and how the six areas work
Faith
Your relationship with God, and living His way: prayer, worship, reading Scripture, honesty when no one is watching, and serving others.
Putting God first, or only when it's easy?
Family
The people you belong to by blood, marriage or adoption: parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, and one day your own spouse and children.
Showing up at home, or only when it's convenient?
Fellowship
Your relationships outside your family: friends, classmates, coworkers, neighbors, mentors and your church family, built on trust, loyalty and teamwork.
Burning bridges, or building trust?
Fitness Body & mind
Taking care of the body and mind God gave you: rest, healthy food, exercise, managing stress, and protecting your focus and attention.
Grabbing whatever is quick, or building habits?
Finances
How you earn, spend, save, invest, give and own: your work, your skills, budgets, debt, and the homes and businesses you build.
Spending it now, or owning things?
Fun
Rest, play and enjoyment: hobbies, sports, music, games, trips, celebrations and time with friends that refill you without draining your budget.
Fun that drains you, or fun that fills you up?
Every decision in the game belongs to one of these six areas. Tap the area name on any decision to see what it means. The goal is balance: at the end, you'll see how you did in each area. Neglect one and the others feel it.
- Each area has a score from 0 to 100. You'll see all six at the top of the game.
- Smart choices for your future raise a score. Example: studying 20 minutes every night raises your Fitness score.
- Quick fixes that only feel good right now lower it. Example: cramming all night with energy drinks lowers it.
- If you ignore an area, its score slowly drops each year.
- Your Mindset Level answers decide where each score starts. Your money is shown separately, in dollars.
Faith
Grows when you pray, worship, stay honest and serve others.
Helps you: keeps the rest of your life steady. At 60 or higher, your other scores drop only half as fast.
Family
Grows when you show up at home and help the people you love.
Helps you: your family steps in when surprise bills hit, and you can share in family-owned property.
Fellowship
Grows when you keep your word, help friends and build things with others.
Helps you: friends help you through hard times, and new doors open, like a land trust home.
Fitness Body & mind
Grows when you sleep well, eat well, exercise and stay focused.
Helps you: you learn faster, so your Finances grow faster too.
Finances
Grows when you learn skills, save, invest and own things.
Helps you: a higher score means higher pay, and the things you own pay you every year.
Fun
Grows when you plan fun that refills you and fits your budget.
Helps you: it keeps you from burning out. If Fun drops below 20, your Fitness starts to drop too.
Each year in the game takes about a minute. There are 12 years in a game. A step tracker at the top of the screen always shows where you are.
1. Two choices
Two real-life situations from the six areas. After each one, you see your Mindset Level for that choice and how it changed your six areas and your money.
2. Spend & save
First your pay comes in and your bills go out, so you see what's left. Then spend some on things that build your future, like classes, a team, investments or a home, or save it.
3. Year in review
See how your year went: your money, your six areas and your Mindset Level. Then you turn a year older and start the next year.
- The Wait. In years 2, 6 and 10, a focus drill grows your payout every second you ignore the notifications popping up.
- Level up your mindset. In this game, your level is your Mindset Level from the Mindset Ladder. You start at your Mindset Level (or Level 4 if you skip it). Long-game choices move you up toward Level 1, and you'll get a celebration every time you level up. Short-game choices can drop you back down.
- No spoilers. Like real life, you don't see a choice's level or what it changes until after you pick, so you learn to spot long-term choices on your own. Want help? Turn on "Show hints before I choose" under any decision.
- Long-game streak. Choices that plan years or generations ahead (Level 1 or 2) build a streak. At 3, 6 and 9 in a row, every area of your life gets a bonus.
- Stars. Each year earns up to 3 stars: one for each long-game choice, and one for ending the year out of debt with your weakest area growing.
- Tap underlined words. Not sure what an index fund or a co-op is? Tap any underlined word for a quick definition. Your game keeps going.
- Legacy Score. At the end, your score adds up your six area scores, what you own and what it earns you, plus a bonus for every area at 60 or higher. You can't win on money alone.
Prices and pay are based on 2026 U.S. national averages, rounded. Your city may be higher or lower. An educational game, not financial advice.
Words for the long game.
Every word from Mindset Level, The Long Game and Daily Climb, in plain words with an everyday example.
No terms match that search. Try a shorter word.
Dedicated to Helping Every Family Kickstart Ownership Nationwide
One Mission. Infinite Possibilities.™
A nation where every family owns something that outlives them, and every community owns the ground it stands on.
Wages pay you once. Ownership keeps paying: you, your family, and the people who come after you. Most of us were taught how to work for a paycheck, but never how to own. I started DEFKON1 to change that, and it starts with how far ahead we plan.
Find your level. Then climb.
Three simple tools, one goal: Level 1, the Legacy Mindset.
Find your Mindset Level
See how far ahead you plan.
Twelve everyday questions across all six areas of life. Get your level and your next step up.
Play The Long Game
Your next 12 years, in 15 minutes.
Real-life choices with real prices, starting at your level. Watch all six areas of your life grow.
Daily Climb
Two minutes. One level at a time.
Three real choices, one promise, one truth and a new word. Watch your level rise, then challenge a friend.
Reach Level 1: the Legacy Mindset.
Level 1 means planning for generations: building something that outlasts you. It takes two keys, ownership and community. Tap both to unlock it.
That's the long game. Neighbors who pool their money buy the block. People who go it alone rent it.
Start with how far ahead you plan.
Free for students, adults and families. Better with a friend: play, then challenge them to beat you. Questions? .
Let's build ownership together.
Tell us how Mindset Level, The Long Game or Daily Climb worked for you, ask a question, or reach out about partnering with us. We read every message.
Message sent. Thank you!
We read every message and will reply to the email you gave us.
- Your message comes straight to our team
- We read every message
- We reply to the email you give us
- Free for every student and adult, no sign-up
- Challenge a friend to beat your score in the same 12 years
- Invite a climb partner to check in with you every day
Free to use. Not free to copy.
DEFKON1 is free for everyone to use and share. Here are the simple rules that keep it that way.
Effective October 18, 2026
Using DEFKON1
You're welcome to use the Mindset Level, The Long Game, Daily Climb and the Glossary for free, for yourself, your family, your classroom, your church or your youth group. You're also welcome to share links to the site, your result cards and challenge links anywhere you like.
Who owns it
DEFKON1, including its name, logo, design, text, questions, game cards, promises, truths, glossary, graphics and code, was created by and is owned by Don Dodds, and is protected by copyright and trademark law. DEFKON1™ is a trademark of Don Dodds. Using the site does not give you any ownership of it.
What you may not do
Without our written permission, you may not:
- Copy, download, rebuild or republish the site or its code, in whole or in part
- Create your own version, clone or app based on DEFKON1's content, design or code
- Use the DEFKON1 name or logo, or anything confusingly similar
- Sell, license or charge for access to DEFKON1 or its content
- Remove copyright or ownership notices
- Try to disrupt the site, or use bots to submit the contact form
Want to bring DEFKON1 to your school, program or organization in a bigger way? Ask us through the . We're glad to talk.
Educational use only
DEFKON1 is an educational tool. It is not financial, legal, medical or professional advice. Prices, pay and returns in The Long Game are rounded averages, not promises. Results describe how you plan today, not who you are or who you can become.
No guarantees
We work hard to keep DEFKON1 accurate and running, but it is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind. Your progress is saved only in your own browser, so we can't restore it if it's lost. To the fullest extent the law allows, DEFKON1 is not liable for any loss or damage from using the site.
Your privacy
How we handle information is explained in our .
Changes
We may update these terms as DEFKON1 grows. When we do, we'll change the date at the top of this page. Continuing to use the site means you accept the updated terms.
Questions or permission requests
Send us a message through our .
Your answers stay with you.
DEFKON1 is built for students and adults, so we keep privacy simple: you never have to share personal information to find your Mindset Level, play The Long Game or do the Daily Climb. Here is exactly how the site works.
Effective October 11, 2026
What we collect
To use Mindset Level, The Long Game and Daily Climb: nothing that identifies you. You don't create an account, and we never ask for your name, email, age, school or location. The only time we receive personal information is if you choose to send us a message through our contact form (see below).
What is saved on your device
To remember your progress, the site saves a few things in your own browser's storage on the device you're using. This information never leaves your device and is never sent to us:
- Your Mindset Level answers, progress and result
- Your game in progress, best Legacy Score and achievements
- Your Daily Climb history: choices, promises, the truths you tell yourself, thoughts you flip (including anything you write yourself), check-ins and streak
- The first name or nickname you choose for your daily truth, if you add one
- Your "next step up" checklist
- Your settings: light or dark mode, sound, hints, life stage and reminder time
- The nickname you last used for a challenge, if you typed one
Anyone who uses the same device and browser can see this information. You can delete it anytime with the button at the bottom of this page, or by clearing your browser's site data.
Why your progress stays in one browser
We built DEFKON1 this way on purpose, to protect your privacy. Because there are no accounts and nothing is stored on our side, we never hold your answers, promises or results, so there is nothing of yours for us to lose, sell or share.
That choice has a tradeoff you should know about. Your progress belongs to the one browser on the one device where you use DEFKON1:
- It does not move between devices. If you use DEFKON1 on your phone and your laptop, each one keeps its own separate progress.
- A different browser on the same device (for example, Safari and Chrome) starts fresh.
- Private or incognito windows forget everything when you close them.
- Clearing your browser's history or site data, or getting a new phone, erases your progress.
- We cannot restore lost progress, because we never had a copy.
To keep your streak and history, use DEFKON1 in the same regular browser on the same device. If we ever offer optional accounts so your progress can follow you, we will update this page first and you will choose whether to use one.
Cookies and tracking
DEFKON1 does not use cookies or advertising, and we never sell or rent personal information.
To learn what helps people, we count totals with a privacy-friendly counter that uses no cookies: for example, how many people visited today, found their Mindset Level, or sent a challenge. It does not identify you, follow you to other sites, or build a profile. It never receives your answers, results, nickname or messages.
Outside services
On some devices, the site loads its typeface (Inter) from Google Fonts. To deliver the font, Google receives standard technical information, like your device's IP address and browser type, as it does for any website. No Mindset Level answers, Long Game or Daily Climb data are sent. Google's handling of this is covered by the Google Privacy Policy. Our web host may also keep standard server logs, as all websites do.
Sharing your results
When you tap "Share," the result image is created on your device. It goes only where you choose to send it, like Messages or Instagram.
Challenge links
When you challenge a friend, the link itself carries your level and area scores (or your game score), plus the first name or nickname you type, if any. Nothing is stored on our side. Anyone you send the link to can see what is in it, so kids should use a nickname, never a full name.
Contact form
If you send us a message or sign up for tips, we receive the topic, who you are (for example parent, teacher or student 13 or older), your name, your email, your organization (if you add one) and your message. To make our reply fit, the form also includes your Mindset Level and best game score if you have them on this device, but never your individual answers. The form is delivered to our inbox by a secure form service, which handles it only to deliver it to us.
We use this information to reply to you and follow up on your request. We add you to our email list only if you check the box asking for tips and updates, and every email has a way to unsubscribe. We never sell or share your information.
We do not collect email addresses or names from children under 13. If a student under 13 wants updates, we ask a parent, guardian or teacher to sign up instead. If you believe a child under 13 sent us their information, contact us and we will delete it.
To unsubscribe or ask us to delete your information, use the unsubscribe link in any email or contact us through the same form.
Children's privacy
DEFKON1 is designed to be safe for elementary and middle school students. Because we don't collect personal information from anyone, we don't collect it from children. The contact form asks that anyone under 13 have a parent, guardian or teacher send the message instead. If we learn we received a message from a child under 13 without that, we will delete it.
Not financial advice
Mindset Level, The Long Game and Daily Climb are educational tools. Prices and pay are rounded 2026 U.S. averages, and investment returns are long-run averages, not promises.
Changes
If this policy changes, for example if we add group tools for leaders, we'll update this page and the date at the top before anything new is collected.
Questions
Send us a message through our .
Done. Everything DEFKON1 saved in this browser has been deleted.