For over 10 years, my father has been my major 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 every 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, photos, and share the put up on social media. Altogether, every put up can take as much as 5 hours to supply, although they often take lower than 10 minutes to learn.
No marvel why it’s so laborious to final on-line! Not solely does it take big effort to finish a put up, all people expects you to write down totally free. And in case you can’t get any sponsors, the pure plan of action is to give up.
Thankfully, I benefit from the means 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 proper use case for ChatGPT after opening up a free account in 2023. After writing every put up, I’d simply drop all the 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, 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 Really Blissful AI Took Over
After counting on our writing and modifying routine for therefore lengthy, I felt somewhat 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 joyful!
Prior to now, he had sometimes 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 now 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, so that they have been fairly happy with the association. Though he now not edits my posts repeatedly, he’s nonetheless on the Monetary Samurai meal plan, which I’m joyful to proceed as a technique to make up for the years he helped me totally free.
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 means 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 e-newsletter, I might name, textual content, or e-mail him no less than 3 times every week. Throughout these exchanges, we’d speak in regards to the put up, commerce concepts, and focus on the rest occurring in our lives.
Being my editor introduced us nearer collectively. I needed to endure a variety of crucial suggestions that generally stung, but it surely was price it. Now that he’s now not modifying repeatedly, our communication has dropped by 70%.
I nonetheless name him a few times every week, however we now not chat as incessantly 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 all the time test in to see what I used to be as much as. I used to be dwelling in SF and continually touring, whereas they have been overseas or dwelling in Honolulu. Now, I hope it might probably function a repository of ideas and reminiscences for my youngsters.
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 certainly one of his functions. Although he says he’s joyful to now not edit my posts, I’m wondering 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 maintaining the thoughts challenged, particularly in retirement, we’d be capable to stave off neurodegenerative issues or no 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 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 purchasers to handle. Developing with new concepts has additionally saved my thoughts sharp.
Small Stunning 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 a corporation that lets you do business from home for a greater life-style, however spend money on firms that require workers to be within the workplace for probably higher returns. This manner, you’re no less than hedged.
I had been specializing in the work-from-home challenge 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 workers work in comparison with these at established firms. One thing is all the time occurring 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 sensible, motivated folks create is part of America’s magic. I had conviction investing in personal progress firms 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 Completely different Folks
Possibly my dad’s retirement is precisely what he needs—nice meals, Apple TV+, the occasional train class, and a quarterly poker evening with pals whereas dwelling in Hawaii. Once 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 seemingly have extra power 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 joyful.
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, 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 apprehensive, why ought to I be? Apart from, it’s laborious to alter 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 a long time 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 certainly one of 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 lots 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 realized to make use of it, I grew to become a believer. This yr, I’ve invested over $140,000 into personal AI firms, with plans to take a position extra as my money stream permits. If OpenAI was going to place my dad out of labor, then no less than it ought to give me a return on my funding.
Be taught To Use AI For Your Personal Good
You have to get snug with AI to spice up your productiveness at work. Construct or use an AI agent or AI copilot that will help you get work accomplished. Be taught each AI software and utility you’ll be able to as a result of in case you don’t, another person will, and you will fall behind.
I’m presently utilizing ChatGPT for essentially the most primary job: modifying. However the extra drafts I feed into it, the higher it’ll get at studying my writing type. Ultimately, AI may generate posts which are 80%+ accomplished primarily based 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, perhaps 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 provides me a deep sense of satisfaction. By means of scripting this put up, I’ve come to appreciate the futility of making an attempt to alter 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.
Possibly I’ll train my dad the way to 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 may save him a variety of time. Who is aware of, perhaps his curiosity will return as he provides his private contact whereas maintaining his thoughts sharp!
However once more, which may simply be me projecting. Go away 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 apprehensive 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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- Synthetic Intelligence & Machine Studying
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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 youngsters questioning why I did not spend money on AI or work in AI!
The funding minimal can be solely $10. I am an investor and Fundrise can be a long-time sponsor of Monetary Samurai.
