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 method has allowed me to take care of a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts per week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a put up. Then, my father spends 1–1.5 hours modifying 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, although they normally take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No marvel why it’s so exhausting to final on-line! Not solely does it take enormous effort to finish a put up, everyone expects you to jot down free of charge. 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) turned mainstream with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Initially, I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, as folks 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 proper use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I would just drop the whole put up within the software program to catch grammar errors and make my writing clearer. Not solely did this pace up my writing course of, however it additionally saved my father virtually 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Really Joyful AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and modifying routine for therefore lengthy, I felt a bit 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 fantastic with it, however really pleased!
Previously, he had often complained about my tendency to jot down an excessive amount of or be too wordy. Nevertheless, I didn’t count on him to be glad that he not needed to edit my posts.
Positive, 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 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, in order that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he not edits my posts recurrently, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m pleased to proceed as a method to make up for the years he helped me free of charge.
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 method 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 per week, plus a weekly publication, I might name, textual content, or e-mail him not less than thrice per week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak concerning the put up, commerce concepts, and talk about anything occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure plenty of crucial suggestions that generally stung, however it was value it. Now that he’s not modifying recurrently, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times per week, however we not chat as steadily or in as a lot element. That’s the largest 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 mother and father might all the time test in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be residing in SF and continuously touring, whereas they have been overseas or residing in Honolulu. Now, I hope it might probably function a repository of ideas and reminiscences for my kids.
Having Goal In Retirement Is So Vital
One other concern I’ve about AI taking up my dad’s job is that it takes away one in all his functions. Though he says he’s pleased to not edit my posts, I ponder if he’s really 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 not less than 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 a letdown after I retired in 2012. I felt unsure, anxious, and stressed for the primary couple of years. I’ve written concerning the downsides of early retirement to assist others really feel OK sharing their considerations.
Writing for Monetary Samurai gave me a goal after I not had purchasers to handle. Arising 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 permits you to earn a living from home for a greater life-style, however put money into firms that require staff to be within the workplace for doubtlessly higher returns. This manner, you’re not less than hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home concern 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 tougher startup staff work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is all the time happening and startup staff want to have the ability to carry out a number of job features.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to speculate extra in a enterprise capital fund centered on AI. Seeing good, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal development firms earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, recurrently exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will hold it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Completely different Folks
Perhaps my dad’s retirement is precisely what he needs—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker night time with buddies whereas residing in Hawaii. Once 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 possible have extra vitality to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessed with doing as a lot as attainable earlier than I change into incapacitated. My dad, however, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he certainly is aware of what makes him pleased.
Maybe my worry is that I see loads of lively folks of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me goals about that stage of exercise, means, and neighborhood 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 appreciate—and settle for—that we’re simply two totally different folks with totally different ranges of contentment. If he isn’t anxious, why ought to I be? Apart from, it’s exhausting to vary one’s habits so late.
AI Might Be Coming For Your Job Too
Fortunately for my dad, he doesn’t want an modifying 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 hundreds of thousands of jobs. My dad’s job was one in all them, and yours might 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 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 turned a believer. This 12 months, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI firms, with plans to speculate extra as my money movement permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then not less than it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Study To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s worthwhile to get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Study each instrument and utility you may as a result of should you don’t, another person will, and you may fall behind.
I’m at the moment utilizing ChatGPT for probably the most fundamental activity: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it can get at studying my writing fashion. Ultimately, AI might generate posts which might be 80%+ accomplished primarily based on the subjects and parameters I set. That might save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I might lastly sit on the seashore daily, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Effectively, perhaps not. I might do 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 dilemmas, which supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By means of penning this put up, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody primarily based by myself needs and the significance of letting folks be.
I’m not able to let AI take away the enjoyment of effort and creativity but.
Perhaps I’ll educate my dad 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 modifying my work, AI might save him plenty 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, that may simply be me projecting. Stay him alone in retirement already! I’ll test 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 anxious it can? 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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