We're all feeling left out of the apocalyptic wave of AI. Instead of panicking, it's crucial to pause, question our purpose, and figure out our direction.
These days, we're constantly hearing about ChatGPT with a certain level of anxiety. I know highly intelligent people who are convinced that we'll end up losing our jobs, and I'm not one to say that won't happen.
However, among all the AI hype, I'm witnessing a rapidly growing trend with serious consequences for our careers: short-termism. Open LinkedIn or Twitter, and you'll see countless people spending hundreds of hours writing tutorials, newsletters, and articles about GPT4. What drives them?
Running in Circles
I believe that something monumental is indeed happening, a seismic shift akin to what we experienced 20 years ago when the internet entered our lives.
But if the fear of being left behind guides our decisions, we'll only end up running like mad, never making any progress. I've seen many startups fail in the past, often because they were either running in circles (problem 1) or chasing the shiniest object (problem 2).
Contrary to popular belief, I think now is the time to pause and take a breath. If we let ourselves be carried away, we'll forget who we are, why we're here, and where we want to go – what version of ourselves or our companies we want to create. That's where real strategy should begin. The plan may be imperfect, and we'll make adjustments as we go, but we must know our destination so that the most abundant oasis doesn't turn into a mirage slipping through our fingers.
Disruptions are inevitable. And I dare say that in the coming years, they'll occur even more frequently. We'll all feel like we're late to the party, that there's a gold mine to exploit, and our neighbor is profiting while we're not. It's the effect of the false proximity of the internet, which virally promotes success while hiding mediocrity – the mundane normality that affects both you and me.
If we blindly ride the wave without reflection or strategy, succumbing to the anxiety of the AI era, I can assure you that you'll drift away from your goal without even realizing it. You may see some short-term impact, but you'll have a weak proposition when competing with those who do have a strategy. Battling against this is extremely difficult. And I can assure you that I understand, having made this mistake myself more than a few times.
Back Pain
Months ago, I decided to take a professional break. I needed to short-circuit a loop of chronic stress manifesting as relentless lower back pain. I promised myself some time to recover – to read, exercise, and spend time with my daughter. But then, I witnessed the launch of chatGPT firsthand, and like everyone else, a shiver ran down my spine when I tried it. ChatGPT was changing something important, directly related to my work.
I remember telling my partner, "If we don't do something – not now, but in a few years – we'll be out of the game." So, I got to work. I started testing integration possibilities with Landbot, exploring different paths, and once again dedicated a great deal of time and energy to this endeavor.
But one day, after two grueling months, I realized my mistake. I understood that the only way to survive in a highly competitive environment is through vision, strategy, purpose, and planning. By chasing a solution without a plan, I was turning into those people who hoarded toilet paper during the pandemic.
By chasing a solution without a plan, I was turning into those people who hoarded toilet paper during the pandemic
The survival fallacy is that obsessing over survival can actually put you in danger. In this new landscape that OpenAI is unveiling, it's much more crucial to reevaluate who our customer is, what problems they face, and how those problems connect with our purpose. From there, we can explore what we can do. Companies with a clear and persistent direction will develop strong competitive advantages, capitalizing on the disruptions most aligned with their goals.
Conversely, those who relentlessly pursue the alluring trails of cryptocurrencies, AIs, or the metaverse, guided by fear or opportunism – as I did – won't get very far. The "back pain" of exhaustion, whether metaphorical or not, will bring them to a grinding halt.
Unfortunately, I can't ask chatGPT to give me back the time I invested during those two months and turn it into afternoons with my daughter. But it has reminded me of some important lessons that I shared with my vision and strategy students at The Hero Camp recently. During the four-hour course, I was thrilled to share these insights and others, and now I can say that this collective learning experience has done more for my back pain than all the medications over these months.
Bonus: Three Unpopular Tips
- Waste time and go slow. Focus on doing better things rather than more things. Don't trade a good book or article for an AI-generated summary. Read slowly, take notes, and ask questions.
- Write for yourself. Delegate low-impact tasks to AI, but don't stop writing, even if the result is imperfect. Writing helps you connect ideas on a deeper level and is a skill directly related to your ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and speech.
- Learn the things that won't change easily: Investing in learning critical thinking, strategy, communication (or even philosophy, mathematics, psychology) will yield high returns and never become obsolete.
And if one day they do become obsolete, it's likely that we will be too.