For over 10 years, my father has been my main editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not out there, my spouse steps in. This method has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts per week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a publish. 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, photographs, and share the publish on social media. Altogether, every publish can take as much as 5 hours to supply, although they normally take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No surprise why it’s so laborious to final on-line! Not solely does it take enormous effort to finish a publish, everyone expects you to jot down at no cost. And should you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Fortuitously, I benefit from the technique of writing, spending roughly 10 hours per week on it. Nevertheless, in 2022, synthetic intelligence (AI) grew to become mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as individuals had been principally utilizing it for informal conversations—like having a digital companion. Then I grew to become dismayed by how AI was merely stealing all publishers’ content material.
However in early 2024, I discovered the proper use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every publish, I would just drop your complete publish within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this pace up my writing course of, nevertheless it additionally saved my father nearly 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Glad AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and enhancing routine for therefore lengthy, I felt slightly responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, sooner or later, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely effective with it, however really joyful!
Up to now, he had often complained about my tendency to jot down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nevertheless, I didn’t anticipate 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 with the ability to order Uber Eats on my bank card for no matter he and my mother needed. 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 had been fairly happy with the association. Though he now not edits my posts frequently, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m joyful to proceed as a solution to make up for the years he helped me at no cost.
The Downside 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 needed to have extra natural causes to name.
Since I revealed three posts per week, plus a weekly e-newsletter, I’d name, textual content, or e mail him at the least 3 times per week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak in regards to the publish, commerce concepts, and talk about anything occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure a variety of important suggestions that typically stung, nevertheless it was price it. Now that he’s now not enhancing frequently, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times per week, however we now not chat as ceaselessly 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.
After I began Monetary Samurai, I envisioned it as a spot the place my mother and father might at all times test in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in SF and always touring, whereas they had been overseas or residing in Honolulu. Now, I hope it may function a repository of ideas and reminiscences for my youngsters.
Having Function In Retirement Is So Vital
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away certainly one of his functions. Although 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 goal, particularly in retirement. With out goal, you threat spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts and physique deteriorate.
By preserving the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we would be capable of stave off neurodegenerative problems or at the least gradual 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 means 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 considerations.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a goal after I now not had shoppers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally stored my thoughts sharp.
Small Shocking Revelations Maintain Coming
For instance, simply the opposite day, I used to be telling my spouse how excited I used to be of a easy answer I got here up with for the work-from-home debate: work for an organization that lets you earn a living from home for a greater life-style, however spend money on corporations that require workers to be within the workplace for probably higher returns. This fashion, you’re at the least 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 certain 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 tougher startup workers work in comparison with these at established corporations. One thing is at all times happening and startup workers want to have the ability to carry out a number of job capabilities.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to take a position extra in a enterprise capital fund centered on AI. Seeing good, motivated individuals create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in non-public progress corporations earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, frequently exercising my thoughts by arising with new concepts will hold it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Individuals
Perhaps my dad’s retirement is strictly what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with pals whereas residing in Hawaii. After I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In spite of everything, he’s a conventional retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I seemingly have extra power to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessed with doing as a lot as potential earlier than I turn out to be incapacitated. My dad, alternatively, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him joyful.
Maybe my worry is that I see loads of lively individuals of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me goals about that degree of exercise, skill, and group for my father. I additionally fear about settling right into a sedentary life-style, 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 is not apprehensive, why ought to I be? In addition to, 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 many years of working within the overseas service, he has a lifetime pension. However what I do know is that AI is coming for thousands and thousands of jobs. My dad’s job was certainly one of them, and yours might be subsequent.
AI has boosted my productiveness by about 35%, and I anticipate that to develop as I get higher at utilizing it. Some web site house owners at the moment are producing a whole bunch of articles a month with AI, whereas I’m nonetheless stubbornly holding at 16.
I was skeptical of AI, however as soon as I discovered to make use of it, I grew to become a believer. This 12 months, I’ve invested over $140,000 into non-public AI corporations, with plans to take a position extra as my money move permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then at the least it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
You must 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 performed. Study each AI device and utility you may as a result of should you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m at present utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most fundamental process: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it would get at studying my writing fashion. Finally, AI might generate posts which can be 80%+ performed based mostly on the matters and parameters I set. That will save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I might lastly sit on the seashore day-after-day, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Properly, perhaps not. I might try this now, however I don’t as a result of I take pleasure in 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 means of dilemmas, which supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By means of scripting this publish, I’ve come to comprehend the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody based mostly alone 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 educate my dad how one can use ChatGPT to edit my posts after I go to him subsequent. He’s used Grammarly earlier than, and since he’s not that enthusiastic about enhancing my work, AI might save him a variety of time. Who is aware of, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas preserving his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Depart him alone in retirement already! I’ll test in with him after he reads this publish! Hope retirement life is treating you ever higher, dad.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you apprehensive it would? 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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