AI Isn't Going to Take Away Your Job, Your Mindset Is:

How to Embrace Technology and Future-Proof Your Career

Welcome to the Future Proof Your Career Newsletter, where we’ll explore just what it takes to not just survive but thrive in the future of work.?

If this is your first step toward the future of work and future proofing your career, you can learn more about me and what I do here.

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We've been told that AI is coming for our jobs and that robots are going to make us all obsolete.?

But what if I told you the biggest threat to your career isn't artificial intelligence...it's your own mindset.

I get it. I’ve been there.?

After spending nearly a decade insulated in the tech time-warp of the United Nations in Geneva, I found myself tech culture-shocked upon returning to the United States.?

Suddenly, I was a digital dinosaur. Resistant. Rigid.?

Convinced that rapidly evolving tools were not something I needed to use. I had tons of reasons. It would be too hard, too time-consuming, too disruptive to my work habits, etc., etc.

The problem is, the harder I resisted, the further I fell behind. I was shocked by the painful realization that my rigid mindset was impacting my career growth – and my future.

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That's why when ChatGPT became a “thing”, I made an intentional decision - to shatter my limiting mindset and dive headfirst into the AI revolution. And you know what? It turned out to be one of the smartest decisions of my professional life.

Here’s what I discovered: AI isn't a job-killing monster under the bed (at least not yet (we’ll tackle that in a future post).?

With the right training, AI is a multiplier that can hyperdrive your skills, accelerate your output, and compound your creativity.

You may not realize it yet, But it’s happening all around you.?

Healthcare professionals use AI diagnostic tools to identify diseases faster and more accurately than ever before. Writers and analysts are tapping AI to rapidly analyze massive data sets, synthesize insights, and create higher-quality content and decisions in a fraction of the time. Knowledge workers across virtually every industry are leveraging AI to automate rote tasks, freeing them to focus on more interesting activities that leverage their uniquely human traits.

In other words, AI is a force multiplier for the human mind - IF you can move past the fear and resistance.

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The ugly truth is that many don’t want to admit is that it's not the technology that is the blocker. It's our own ego, fear of the unknown, craving for comfort, and unwillingness to adapt.

As the world shifts under our feet, we cling to old skills and mindsets terrified of letting go.

But here's the problem with that approach - the pace of technological change is now exponential. The hard skills and knowledge we learned in our careers are being made increasingly obsolete and commoditized. Your ability to stay relevant and grow your career now hinges on your capacity for continuous learning, unlearning, and creative reinvention.

In other words, your MINDSET is the new skill.

Those who proactively adopt a growth mindset and stay ahead of disruptive technologies like AI will overtake their peers. While those stuck in the quicksand of rigid thinking and skill complacency in will be left behind.

The choice is yours.

You can cling to your blind spots as the world rapidly changes around you. Or you can embrace a humble, hungry, and hyper-learner mindset, equipping yourself to ride the AI wave and see where this madness goes.

AI disruption is no longer some far-off hypothetical. It's not the future - it's happening right now. It’s not too late, the time to adapt is NOT tomorrow - it's today.?

The antidote? Cultivate a growth mindset (yeah, I know, it’s overused, but true) and embrace upskilling and adopting new technologies.

Stop fearing what these tools can take away and start embracing what you can CREATE when you combine your human ingenuity with these superpowers.

If not now, when??

If not you, who?

The time for choosing is over. One path leads to atrophy, the other to growth.

I've made my choice. What about you?

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If you're ready to future-proof your career by embracing AI, here are some steps to get started:

1. Demolish your fixed mindset. Confront the voice in your head that says you're not technical enough to learn AI - if you can write or speak, you can use AI. Push through the discomfort and start, however small. Consistency is key.

2. See AI as a multiplier, not a threat. Stop fearing AI will replace you. The hard truth is it may, but if you don’t upskill, it definitely will. Just begin. Start with small, fun things. Then build and amplify your creativity, analysis, and decision-making abilities, etc..

3. Become a continual learner. Learning, not AI is the real 21st century skill differentiator. Continuously consume new knowledge and skills. Question your existing competencies - they may be becoming obsolete. Reinvent yourself relentlessly or risk irrelevance.

4. Immerse yourself in the future. Follow AI pioneers (DM me for suggestions of who I follow), join online communities, and attend events. Surround yourself with other learners who will inspire your hunger to upskill.

The choice is yours. What small step will you take this week to future proof your career?

The world is changing, and so is the workplace. Subscribe to Future Proof Your Career to learn more about how to thrive in the rapidly changing future of work, or connect with me via email: [email protected].

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