Category: Productivity

productivity

How do I: deal with Artificial Intelligence

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Before our time, the world was in a pre-Industrial Revolution phase, and we did not know any better. As we entered the Industrial Revolution, we left the agricultural fields of hand-picking crops for the factories, creating more jobs.

In my lifetime, I can still remember the slow pre-computer Revolution phase. As we entered the computer revolution, we eventually stopped doing some monotonous tasks that could be done faster/better/cheaper with computers. Even more jobs were created.

As I write this, most of the world is still in a mostly pre-artificial intelligence (AI) revolution phase (based on the worldwide adoption of AI). This has started to change in 2023 when we got a taste of useful, relevant AI technologies like:

  • text-to-text (like ChatGPT)
  • text-to-image (like Midjourney)
  • text-to-video (like Synthesia)

AI user adoption

There are AI users and then there is everyone else. You determine your own inclusion.

AI users are creating, iterating, and learning by actually using the latest technologies. Many of these technologies are inexpensive to use and iterate their output if we push the bar higher than we ever could before.

Many people are still in the group of people still fearing, still waiting, still resisting, and still lacking understanding. They lack the understanding of:

  • how is it relevant to us
  • how is it relevant to what we do
  • what is it
  • what does it do
  • how does it work
  • safety and governance
  • its user-friendliness and intuitiveness

All these things get answered as you learn to use the AI tools.

Should we fear AI?

The same group that fears AI also listens to fear-mongering stories that promote fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) around us. The storytellers promote FUD because it attracts more eyeballs than positive stories; more eyeballs sell more ads, and more ads equals more money for their owners.

Is AI perfect? No. Neither are humans. If AI is too perfect, humans don’t like it because it is less human-like. And the vicious cycle continues.

Does AI need governance? Yes, it exists.

Digital media, as we still know it today, is what we can see and hear. This will evolve to include our other senses, such as touch, scent and taste. All electronically. Don’t believe me? You already have a mobile device that has haptics which does basic touch with vibrations.

At the beginning of 2022, I published my 9th book, Synthetic Media: The Next Reality, about machine-generating media. By the end of 2022, we had ChatGPT, which I use daily.

AI first

Ask the AI to do a task first. If AI can not do it within minutes after a few prompts, only then should you rely on people to do tasks that need to be done slower and less consistently.

Should we keep waiting?

We could wait to learn how to use AI instead of actually using these technologies now.

We could also choose to not use computers. We could ignore all devices (like some people still do).

We could ignore any motorized transportation.

We could do everything by hand. We could do this by candlelight for full effect.

We could resist change by ignoring it and hope it goes away. Again.

We could wait and devolve faster.

We could become less significant than we already are and continue to be okay with it.

We could ignore AI tools meant to aid us.

We could learn to use AI.

We can choose to wait for no one.

We can choose to not be laggards because we don’t need to wait to move forward with a crowd.

We can choose to embrace change for the better instead of resisting the inevitable.

We can choose to use AI to benefit me and my work.

What are you waiting for?

What do you choose to do with AI?

How do I: consume news

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Time to consume news should be limited.

When I shower, I consume news. I select several news briefs from various news sources on numerous topics of interest to consume in audio form only. Once I am finished getting dressed, I stop listening to the news for that day. This may take about 15 minutes.

If the news is not relevant, skip to the following brief.

News is a myopic view of current events.

Our ability to discern what is relevant and essential is critical.

When it comes to news, very little is within our control, and even less affects us directly in any way.

How we dress for the weather is within our control.

The weather takes less than a minute to consume and understand.

Consume some news briefly to stay aware and prepared.

Do not let news consume you. News should not become a time suck or a mind suck.

Our time is better spent elsewhere.

Consume less news and get more things done that matter.

Tools I Use: not-to-do list

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Lots of us have to-do lists.

Some of us schedule the to-do (task) with the time assigned on our calendar.

Fewer of us have a not-to-do list. Literally a list of things we should not do ourselves or at all. Why?

Our time is limited, and valuable and we don’t need to do it ourselves. Or eliminate the task all together. You could also delegate it or automate it. Find out how below.

Kudos to Tim for the idea of the not-to-do list. Tim Ferriss has his not-to-do list, which are great ideas.

What is on my own not-to-do list as far as tasks?

  • Creating lists of contacts/companies to reach out to (use Upwork instead)
  • Copywriting for marketing purposes (ChatGPT, yes, use a machine to do it faster and often better than a person)
  • Coming up with gift ideas (ChatGPT)
  • Scheduling calls with back-and-forth messages (All calls scheduled through calendly.com with my fixed availability for calls each month that updates with my one master calendar)
  • Recording podcasts asynchronously (Try Rumble.studio and record podcast interviews without the podcaster and interviewee speaking together)
  • Editing podcasts (use Upwork instead)
  • Proofreading or editing my own book (Upwork)
  • Technical tasks (Upwork that are not worth my time and effort to do myself)
  • Creative tasks (Fiverr and not pretend I am a designer)
  • Shop at many different brick-and-mortar stores for the same product (this is what Amazon or Google Shopping is for… to stop wasting your time).
  • Buying wet and dry food for my pets (Petco.com repeat delivery every three months solves this too)

What is on your own not-to-do list?

What to talk about productivity? Schedule a call.

Launched: 9th podcast and 9th book

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Happy to have launched my 9th podcast series on January 5, 2022 and published my newest book on February 2, 2022. Both are titled after the niche topic of interest that you will hear a lot more about… Synthetic Media

What is next after 9 podcasts and 9 books?

More. Already more consulting. Already more speaking. Already more writing on the next two books. Already more podcasting.

There are multiple projects going on at different stages in the calendar, Gantt chart, and other goals.

Life, as well as work, is not just one project at a time. It is not about having only one project to work on at a time. That seems too boring to me if it were.

If you need to get started, yes, start with one project, but watch for that boredom and burnout before it kicks in. You will then understand the need for more than one project to work on at any given time. This will provide you a change of pace regularly, instead of the same daily monotony.

Want to discuss how to accomplish more? Schedule a call with me.

How do I: deal with doubt

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Progress towards any goal or vision erodes doubt, whether fast or slow. More people will believe it will be when they see it, hear it, understand it, and want it too. Not everyone will share your doubt. Even fewer will share your goal or vision. Don’t let that stop you.

Will I take missteps? Yes, reevaluate when that occurs. Doubt does not result in failure. Failure occurs after starting due to a lack of persistence and forethought. Doubts might derive forethoughts or considerations.

You can move in baby steps, a leisure walk of progress, and eventually, in full sprint forward.

New ideas are sometimes like infants, so treat them like one. Hear, see then move just like a baby does. Remember crawl, walk, run. Yes, there will be falls, and then you get right back up.

Doubt should be a brief pause and think, not endless stalling due to “I am not ready because [fill in the excuse]”. If your target market is not ready, the market will give you clear signs that say so. When we believe in it more than doubt it, we should act on it. Even if we go at it alone until we have something to show for it. Move forward around constraints, obstacles, and most importantly, your own doubts.

If your idea is solving a problem, if it has an audience, and clients willing to pay for your solution, keep pushing forward despite doubts. We will not free everyone from doubts, and that should not be anyone’s goal.

Perfection does not exist. Stop stalling and doubting whether you are ready to launch something if your idea’s minimum viable product (MVP) works and sells. You can continue to iterate and improve it as you move forward and need to in a prioritized manner.

Doing something new is not about waiting for anyone’s acceptance or permission. We do something new despite our fears, uncertainties, and doubts (FUD). We do the uncomfortable things to finish a phase we started, be first, win, and keep moving forward toward what we still need to improve.

Doubt can cause frustration. Frustration can be refocused as fuel toward that progress we need to see. We want that thing to become real to the point that we manifest into some form we need it to be.

Make a list of the pros and cons of doing what you think about doing.

Take account of the ‘what-ifs’ to get them out of your head and note them as documentation in your little book of doubt. Some doubts might be risks or just opportunities to tackle in the future. Many doubts you can laugh at sooner than later. Enjoy the journey even if you don’t travel.