For over 10 years, my father has been my major editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not obtainable, my spouse steps in. This technique has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts every week.
Sometimes, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a put up. Then, my father spends 1–1.5 hours enhancing it. After that, I take one other half-hour or so so as to add related hyperlinks, pictures, and share the put up on social media. Altogether, every put up can take as much as 5 hours to supply, regardless that they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No marvel why it’s so laborious to final on-line! Not solely does it take enormous effort to finish a put up, all people expects you to write down without cost. And for those who can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Thankfully, I benefit from the technique of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every week on it. Nonetheless, in 2022, synthetic intelligence (AI) turned mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as individuals have been principally utilizing it for informal conversations—like having a digital companion. Then I turned dismayed by how AI was merely stealing all publishers’ content material.
However in early 2024, I discovered the right use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I’d simply drop your complete put up within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this velocity up my writing course of, but it surely additionally saved my father virtually 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Completely satisfied AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for therefore lengthy, I felt just a little responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, someday, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely tremendous with it, however truly joyful!
Up to now, he had often complained about my tendency to write down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nonetheless, I didn’t count on him to be glad that he now not needed to edit my posts.
Certain, I wasn’t paying him a lot to edit—his “compensation” was having the ability to order Uber Eats on my bank card for no matter he and my mother wished. My card is the default setting on his Uber Eats account. Throughout COVID, I set this as much as assist them keep away from public locations and pointless driving as senior residents of their 70s.
They love meals, so that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he now not edits my posts commonly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m joyful to proceed as a option to make up for the years he helped me without cost.
The Drawback With AI Taking Over My Dad’s Job
Right here’s the factor: I didn’t simply need my dad to be my editor for the assistance—it was a approach for us to bond. He’s a person of few phrases and I wished to have extra natural causes to name.
Since I revealed three posts every week, plus a weekly publication, I might name, textual content, or electronic mail him no less than thrice every week. Throughout these exchanges, we might speak in regards to the put up, commerce concepts, and focus on the rest taking place in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure numerous vital suggestions that generally stung, but it surely was value it. Now that he’s now not enhancing commonly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times every week, however we now not chat as incessantly or in as a lot element. That’s the most important draw back of AI changing my dad’s job—the decline in our conversations. How unhappy.
Once I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my dad and mom may at all times verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in SF and always touring, whereas they have been overseas or residing in Honolulu. Now, I hope it will probably function a repository of ideas and recollections for my youngsters.
Having Function In Retirement Is So Essential
One other concern I’ve about AI taking up my dad’s job is that it takes away considered one of his functions. Regardless that he says he’s joyful to now not edit my posts, I’m wondering if he’s actually 100% OK with it.
Everybody wants a way of objective, particularly in retirement. With out objective, you danger spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts and physique deteriorate.
By protecting the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable of stave off neurodegenerative problems or no less than sluggish them down. If we don’t use our minds and our bodies, we are inclined to lose them.
I fear about this for my dad as a result of I went by way of a letdown after I retired in 2012. I felt unsure, anxious, and stressed for the primary couple of years. I’ve written in regards to the downsides of early retirement to assist others really feel OK sharing their issues.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a objective after I now not had purchasers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Shocking Revelations Hold Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy resolution I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for an organization that means that you can work at home for a greater way of life, however put money into firms that require workers to be within the workplace for probably higher returns. This fashion, you’re no less than hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home difficulty from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought of it from an investor’s viewpoint. I’m positive others have considered this earlier than, however I hadn’t come throughout it communicated so succinctly as an answer.
Consulting for a startup earlier this 12 months, even when just for 4 months, jogged my memory how a lot more durable startup workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is at all times occurring and startup workers want to have the ability to carry out a number of job capabilities.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to speculate extra in a enterprise capital fund targeted on AI. Seeing good, motivated individuals create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal progress firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, commonly exercising my thoughts by arising with new concepts will preserve it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Folks
Perhaps my dad’s retirement is precisely what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with associates whereas residing in Hawaii. Once I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In spite of everything, he’s a standard retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I doubtless have extra vitality to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessed with doing as a lot as doable earlier than I turn out to be incapacitated. My dad, however, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him joyful.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of energetic individuals of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me goals about that stage of exercise, capability, and group for my father. I additionally fear about settling right into a sedentary way of life, as whether it is an inevitability as one ages.
However I’ve come to comprehend—and settle for—that we’re simply two completely different individuals with completely different ranges of contentment. If he isn’t fearful, why ought to I be? Moreover, it’s laborious to vary one’s habits so late.
AI Could Be Coming For Your Job Too
Fortunately for my dad, he doesn’t want an enhancing job to make ends meet. After a long time of working within the overseas service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for tens of millions of jobs. My dad’s job was considered one of them, and yours could possibly be subsequent.
AI has boosted my productiveness by about 35%, and I count on that to develop as I get higher at utilizing it. Some web site house owners at the moment are producing a whole lot of articles a month with AI, whereas I’m nonetheless stubbornly holding at 16.
I was skeptical of AI, however as soon as I realized to make use of it, I turned a believer. This 12 months, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI firms, with plans to speculate extra as my money stream permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then no less than it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It is advisable get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Construct or use an AI agent or AI copilot that can assist you get work completed. Be taught each AI device and software you possibly can as a result of for those who don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m at the moment utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most primary activity: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it should get at studying my writing type. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which can be 80%+ completed primarily based on the subjects and parameters I set. That might save me three to 6 hours every week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seaside every single day, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Properly, perhaps not. I may do this now, however I don’t as a result of I get pleasure from being productive. There’s one thing deeply rewarding about creating one thing from nothing.
Writing is a part of my ikigai—it not solely brings me happiness but in addition helps me work by way of dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By way of penning this put up, I’ve come to comprehend the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody primarily based by myself wishes and the significance of letting individuals be.
I’m not able to let AI take away the enjoyment of effort and creativity but.
Perhaps I’ll train my dad tips on how to use ChatGPT to edit my posts once I go to him subsequent. He’s used Grammarly earlier than, and since he’s not that enthusiastic about enhancing my work, AI may save him numerous time. Who is aware of, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas protecting his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Depart him alone in retirement already! I’ll verify in with him after he reads this put up! Hope retirement life is treating you ever higher, dad.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you fearful it should? How are you utilizing AI to spice up your productiveness? I’d love to listen to all of the methods you’ve built-in AI into your work. Or, are you avoiding AI altogether?
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