For over 10 years, my father has been my main editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not obtainable, my spouse steps in. This method has allowed me to keep up a constant publishing schedule of three high quality posts every week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a submit. 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 submit on social media. Altogether, every submit 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 exhausting to final on-line! Not solely does it take large effort to finish a submit, all people expects you to put in writing free of charge. And if you happen to can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Thankfully, I benefit from the strategy of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every week on it. Nevertheless, in 2022, artificial 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 right use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every submit, I’d simply drop your complete submit 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 Really Completely happy AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and modifying routine for therefore lengthy, I felt a little bit responsible about not sending him my draft posts anymore. So, at some point, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely fantastic with it, however really blissful!
Up to now, he had often complained about my tendency to put in writing 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.
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 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 frequently, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m blissful to proceed as a solution 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 printed three posts every week, plus a weekly newsletter, I’d name, textual content, or e mail him not less than thrice every week. Throughout these exchanges, we might discuss concerning the submit, commerce concepts, and focus on the rest taking place in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure a variety of essential suggestions that typically stung, nevertheless it was value it. Now that he’s not modifying frequently, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a couple of times every week, however we 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 test 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 living in Honolulu. Now, I hope it might probably function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Objective In Retirement Is So Essential
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away one in every of his functions. Although he says he’s blissful to 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 danger spending your days passively—sitting in entrance of the TV, letting your thoughts and physique deteriorate.
By maintaining the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable of stave off neurodegenerative issues or not 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 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 shoppers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Stunning 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 do business from home for a greater life-style, however put money into firms that require workers to be within the workplace for probably higher returns. This manner, you’re not less than hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home situation from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought-about 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 only for four months, jogged my memory how a lot tougher startup workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is at all times happening and startup workers want to have the ability to carry out a number of job features.
My newest consulting expertise prompted me to speculate extra in a venture capital fund focused on AI. Seeing sensible, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in non-public development firms 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 Completely different Folks
Possibly my dad’s retirement is strictly what he desires—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker evening with buddies 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 seemingly 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, alternatively, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him happy.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of energetic folks of their late 60s and 70s taking part in pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me desires about that stage of exercise, capability, 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 nervous, why ought to I be? Moreover, it’s exhausting to vary one’s habits so late.
AI Could 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 every of 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 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 discovered to make use of it, I turned a believer. This 12 months, I’ve invested over $140,000 into private AI companies, 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 is advisable get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Study each instrument and utility you may as a result of if you happen to don’t, another person will, and you may fall behind.
I’m at the moment utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most fundamental process: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing fashion. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which are 80%+ carried out primarily based on the matters and parameters I set. That might save me three to 6 hours every week.
Then I may lastly sit on the seaside on daily basis, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Properly, possibly not. I may 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 dilemmas, which supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By means of penning this submit, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody primarily based by myself wishes and the significance of letting folks be.
I’m not able to let AI take away the enjoyment of effort and creativity but.
Possibly I’ll train my dad find out how to 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 modifying my work, AI may save him a variety of time. Who is aware of, possibly his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas maintaining his thoughts sharp!
However once more, that may simply be me projecting. Reside him alone in retirement already! I’ll test in with him after he reads this submit! Hope retirement life is treating you ever higher, dad.
Reader Questions
Has AI taken over your job but? If not, are you nervous it’ll? 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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