The way you’re used to

I asked for a full moon on the ocean with a rocky coastline. This is not at all what I had in mind. (Image created using DALL·E)

What’s the point of using AI to help you write something?

It’s probably not going to save you any time. ChatGPT is going to spit out something formal and unwieldy, and it will be just as much effort to edit it as it would have been to write it in the first place, if not more.

And then, despite all that hard work, the finished product probably won’t be as good as what you would have come up with on your own.

But saving time and energy is not the point — at least not at first. Instead, it’s learning the new skill of prompt engineering — figuring out how to talk to AI to get the results you’re looking for.

It’s a new kind of collaboration, one that goes way beyond patiently editing the crappy output of ChatGPT and passing it off as your own. These AI tools can be used in so many ways, limited only by our own imaginations.

Some of the arguments I hear against using AI tools are reminiscent of conversation I’ve had with business owners who are reluctant to delegate. These business owners have had negative experiences with delegation in the past, leading them to to conclude that it’s better to stick with doing everything themselves the way they’re used to.

It’s inevitable that delegation won’t go well at first. The first vendors or contractors you find are likely to disappoint you, and it will certainly take more time to deal with them than it would to just do the thing yourself. Why bother?

Well, delegation is a new skill, and we’re hardly ever good at a new skill when we first try it. But in time, this new skill of delegation will make it possible to multiply your efforts. You can eventually get a 10x, 100x, or 1,000x return on investment for the time and money you invest in others. It’s worth it in the long run.

In the process, of course, you’re investing in yourself. Whether we’re talking about delegating to people or AI, the effort and thought you put into your growth and learning is intrinsically valuable. It will pay off more powerfully than just doing the work yourself. Consistent practice will make you stronger, more capable, and more resilient.

Along the way, you gain perspective. When you realize that delegation, whether to a human or to an artificial intelligence, is not an instant fix, you can approach it with more patience.

You don’t use it as an emergency solution because you are aware that you will have to invest, over time, in your skill set and in your relationship with your collaborators.

You accept that if you’re not getting the results you want, you might not have set things up well or offered adequate instructions.

And you recognize that, while it may not save you time and energy at first, it has great potential in the long run.

Doing things the way you’re used to is like traveling a well-worn path. It’s familiar, safe, comfortable, and low-risk.

Making new moves, on the other hand, is unfamiliar, disorienting, tiring, and frustrating. It can feel risky and unwieldy. None of those things indicate that you are on the wrong path — just one that’s a bit more rough and wild. That’s what growth feels like.

We don’t want to be engaged in that kind of growth experience all the time. It’s exhausting. But we can strategically incorporate opportunities to practice our emerging skills. If we are prepared for the discomfort, it is easier to deal with.

Maybe you’ll practice guiding an AI to help you create a desired outcome.

And if you want a real challenge, try it with a person. As hard as it can be, nothing is more rewarding.