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 every week.
Usually, I spend 1.5–3 hours writing a submit. 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 submit on social media. Altogether, every submit can take as much as 5 hours to provide, regardless that they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No surprise why it’s so laborious to final on-line! Not solely does it take big effort to finish a submit, everyone expects you to write down free of charge. And in the event you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Happily, I benefit from the strategy of writing, spending roughly 10 hours every week on it. Nonetheless, in 2022, synthetic intelligence (AI) grew to become 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 grew to become 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 would just drop the 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, however 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 enhancing 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 superb with it, however really completely happy!
Previously, 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 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, in order that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he not edits my posts repeatedly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m completely happy to proceed as a approach to make up for the years he helped me free of charge.
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 manner for us to bond. He’s a person of few phrases and I needed to have extra natural causes to name.
Since I printed three posts every week, plus a weekly publication, I might name, textual content, or e-mail him at the least 3 times every week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak concerning the submit, commerce concepts, and talk about the rest occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure numerous important suggestions that generally stung, however it was price it. Now that he’s not enhancing repeatedly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a couple of times every week, however we not chat as regularly 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 may at all times verify in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in SF and continuously touring, whereas they have been overseas or dwelling in Honolulu. Now, I hope it could function a repository of ideas and recollections for my youngsters.
Having Objective In Retirement Is So Vital
One other concern I’ve about AI taking on my dad’s job is that it takes away one among his functions. Although he says he’s completely happy to not edit my posts, I’m wondering if he’s really 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 holding the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d have the ability to 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 way of 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 objective 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 resolution 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 staff to be within the workplace for doubtlessly higher returns. This manner, you’re at the least hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home problem 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 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 at all times 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 progress corporations earlier than, however now I’ve much more.
Hopefully, repeatedly exercising my thoughts by arising with new concepts will maintain it wholesome for longer.
Blind Spot: We’re Simply Two Totally different Individuals
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 buddies whereas dwelling 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 probably have extra power to tackle new actions just because I’m youthful. I am additionally obsessed with doing as a lot as attainable earlier than I develop into incapacitated. My dad, however, has been retired for over 20 years. So by now, he certainly is aware of what makes him completely happy.
Maybe my concern is that I see loads of energetic folks of their late 60s and 70s enjoying pickleball, which amazes me. So, a part of me goals about that stage of exercise, potential, 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 comprehend—and settle for—that we’re simply two completely different folks with completely different ranges of contentment. If he isn’t anxious, why ought to I be? Apart from, it’s laborious to vary one’s habits so late.
AI Might 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 hundreds of thousands of jobs. My dad’s job was one among them, and yours may very well 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 are actually producing tons of 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 yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI corporations, with plans to speculate 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.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
It’s essential get comfy with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Be taught each instrument and utility you may as a result of in the event you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m presently utilizing ChatGPT for probably the most primary job: enhancing. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it is going to get at studying my writing model. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which might be 80%+ accomplished based mostly on the matters and parameters I set. That may 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! Effectively, possibly 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 additionally helps me work by way of dilemmas, which provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. Via scripting this submit, I’ve come to comprehend the futility of attempting to vary somebody based mostly alone 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 enhancing my work, AI may save him numerous time. Who is aware of, possibly his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas holding his thoughts sharp!
However once more, that may simply be me projecting. Stay 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 anxious 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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- Synthetic Intelligence & Machine Studying
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- Growth Operations (DevOps)
- Monetary Expertise (FinTech)
- Actual Property & Property Expertise (PropTech)
Roughly 65% of the Fundrise enterprise product is invests in synthetic intelligence, which I am bullish about. In 20 years, I do not need my children questioning why I did not spend money on AI or work in AI!
The funding minimal can also be solely $10. I am an investor and Fundrise can also be a long-time sponsor of Monetary Samurai.
