For over 10 years, my father has been my main editor on Monetary Samurai. When my father is not accessible, 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 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, photos, and share the submit on social media. Altogether, every submit can take as much as 5 hours to provide, although they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No marvel why it’s so onerous to final on-line! Not solely does it take enormous effort to finish a submit, all people expects you to jot down free of charge. And in the event you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Luckily, I benefit from the means 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 had been largely 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 submit, I’d simply drop all the submit 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 nearly 5 hours of labor every week.
In different phrases, AI changed my dad’s job.
My Dad Was Truly Comfortable 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, in the future, I requested him how he felt about it. To my shock, he was not solely wonderful with it, however really pleased!
Previously, he had sometimes 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 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 had been fairly happy with the association. Though he not edits my posts commonly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m pleased to proceed as a technique 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 per week, plus a weekly e-newsletter, I might name, textual content, or electronic mail him a minimum of 3 times per week. Throughout these exchanges, we might discuss in regards to 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 plenty of vital suggestions that generally stung, but it surely was price it. Now that he’s not modifying commonly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times per week, however we not chat as continuously 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 dad and mom might all the time verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in SF and continuously touring, whereas they had been overseas or dwelling in Honolulu. Now, I hope it could possibly function a repository of ideas and recollections for my kids.
Having Function In Retirement Is So Necessary
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away one in all his functions. Regardless that 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 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 issues or a minimum of gradual them down. If we don’t use our minds and our bodies, we are likely to lose them.
I fear about this for my dad as a result of I went via 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 not had purchasers to handle. Arising 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 do business from home for a greater life-style, however put money into corporations that require staff to be within the workplace for doubtlessly higher returns. This manner, you’re a minimum of hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home subject from the worker and supervisor views however hadn’t thought-about 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 yr, even when just for 4 months, jogged my memory how a lot tougher startup staff work in comparison with these at established corporations. One thing is all the time happening and startup staff 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 targeted on AI. Seeing good, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal progress corporations earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, commonly exercising my thoughts by developing with new concepts will hold it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Completely different Individuals
Perhaps my dad’s retirement is strictly what he needs—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker evening with mates whereas dwelling in Hawaii. After I write this out, his retirement sound nice!
In any case, he’s a conventional retiree in his 70s, whereas I retired early at 34 and am now 47. I probably 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 into incapacitated. My dad, then again, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he absolutely is aware of what makes him pleased.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of lively folks of their late 60s and 70s taking part in pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me goals about that degree of exercise, capacity, 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 appreciate—and settle for—that we’re simply two totally different folks with totally different ranges of contentment. If he is not frightened, why ought to I be? Apart from, it’s onerous 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 international 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 one in all them, and yours may very well 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 homeowners are actually 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 yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI corporations, with plans to take a position extra as my money stream permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then a minimum of it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s essential get snug with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Be taught each instrument and utility you possibly can as a result of in the event you don’t, another person will, and you may fall behind.
I’m at present utilizing ChatGPT for probably the most primary job: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it is going to get at studying my writing model. Finally, AI might generate posts which can be 80%+ carried out based mostly on the subjects and parameters I set. That may save me three to 6 hours per week.
Then I might lastly sit on the seaside on daily basis, sipping a margarita after a spherical of tennis. What a life! Effectively, perhaps not. I might try 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 via dilemmas, which supplies me a deep sense of satisfaction. By scripting this submit, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of making an attempt to vary somebody based mostly 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 train my dad the best way 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 might save him plenty of time. Who is aware of, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas protecting his thoughts sharp!
However once more, that may simply be me projecting. Dwell him alone in retirement already! I’ll verify 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 frightened it is going to? 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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