3 Limitations and 3 Benefits of Using ChatGPT
I recently shared a post where I talked about my three favorite AI tools that are helping me elevate my output and magnify my impact. My most used of these tools is ChatGPT. For those writers who might have hesitations about AI, I’m hoping this post eliminates some of the apprehension you have and encourages you to try it out because, at least not as of yet, ChatGPT is not a job stealer, a secret spy, or a grand threat - it’s a polite tool that can help you overcome writer’s block, get inspiration, formulate strategy, craft SEO friendly blog posts, and write comprehensive conclusions (I HATE writing conclusions.)
In this post, I want to share some of the platform's limitations as well as its benefits. Instead of hiding your head under a pillow and hoping it will all go away, I recommend jumping in and trying out the platform for yourself because while AI may not be taking anyone’s job soon, it will soon take the jobs of those who don’t learn how to use AI to maximize their output.
3 Limitations of Using ChatGPT
#1 It’s not funny…yet.
If you want your copy to be informative, you’ll be ok with an AI content writer, but if you want it to be sharp-witted and knock your socks off funny, it just isn’t there. You’d be better off hiring a self-deprecating millennial or a harshly honest Gen Z to deliver relatable quips.
#2 It’s not always factual.
I’ve found that AI sometimes lies, especially when quoting famous people or identifying book excerpts. I’m sure it also gets other statistics wrong. Again, you can use AI to help you set a structure for your writing and overcome writer’s block but don’t trust it to deliver accurate info, especially if you are a health professional. You’ll still need a savvy human researcher or professional to fact-check and edit.
#3 It’s easy.
This is a plus side because it can save you a lot of time, but I’ve found that when I am not in the mood to write something I am very capable of, I will sometimes use ChatGPT to help me. In other words, it’s easy to rely too much and become dependent on it. Again, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but once you start using AI to help you write content, you will begin to recognize others who use it, too, because it will sound very formulaic. Creativity is not its strong suit yet, so make sure you or someone on your team adds some flair, humanness, and relatability.
3 Benefits of Using ChatGPT
#1 It’s free (for now).
There are premium services and upgrades, but ChatGPT currently offers a basic plan that is free to use. They have recently implemented a limit on how many searches you can make per day, but I rarely ever reach the limit. And if I do, it’s usually because I am procrastinating on something important and just seeing how far I can go down the rabbit hole. That means if you master AI, you can save a TON of money on content marketing services.
#2 Time freedom.
Entrepreneurs often have the highest of aspirations. They expect not only to understand and master every aspect of their business but also to be high-income earners overnight, loving and adoring partners, friends, parents, and citizens, and physically and mentally in tip-top shape. It’s an unattainable goal, especially if you are starting, which means you will likely be lacking in a few areas of your life. Though creating content is my wheelhouse, implementing AI has freed up so much of my time that I can brainstorm for future business endeavors or spend time with people I love doing things that light me up. It’s funny when people complain that AI is making art, which wasn’t the future they hoped for, but I’ve had a different experience. Implementing AI has allowed me to spend more time crafting my art - I am currently illustrating an oracle deck I wrote a few years ago with the help of AI because I couldn’t find a human illustrator that was interested in helping me navigate the project, or they just straight up never emailed me back. AI, on the other hand, is always eager to help.
#3 More value added to the world.
If you are reading this, you are probably already a conscious business owner, nonprofit organizer, healer, or aspiring to be. You have likely dedicated your life to helping others but are struggling to make ends meet or stay on top of your business.
In conclusion (yes, I used ChatGPT to help me write this conclusion, LOL), while AI tools like ChatGPT may have their limitations, such as lacking humor, occasionally providing inaccurate information, and the potential for overreliance, they offer significant benefits that can elevate your work and free up your time. As entrepreneurs, creators, or professionals dedicated to making a positive impact, mastering AI can be a game-changer. It can save you money, provide valuable time freedom, and ultimately help you add more value to the world. The key is to approach these tools with an open mind and a balanced perspective, using them to supplement your creativity and expertise rather than a replacement. By doing so, you’ll keep pace with the evolving landscape and ensure you’re using AI to its fullest potential—enhancing your work while maintaining your unique human touch.
***I couldn’t have said it better myself, ChatGPT. Thank you for your thoughtful contribution :)
Want to learn how to amplify your impact with the help of ChatGPT and other AI tools? Book a one hour session with me where we will deep dive into your business and I’ll show you exactly how to create content effortlessly. More details can be found here.
So You Wanna Be a Published Author? Here are 5 Key Things You Should Know
Skill Swapping
If you know me you know I love work trade and skill swapping.
That’s why when I saw a post pop up on a Skill Swap group on Facebook from a woman who was looking for someone to audit her website and give helpful feedback from a design perspective - I got excited! In exchange, she would dole advice about becoming a published author because she had gone through the process herself.
I’d been wanting someone I could talk to about the publishing world for some time because the path towards being published can be a daunting one. Because I’m a web designer who audits sites for a living, I reached out. She agreed to a meeting and the next day we scheduled an initial Zoom introduction.
At least that’s what I thought.
What ended up occurring was much more valuable than a meet and greet. During our 20 minutes together, she gave me a LOT of practical advice about not only getting published but also writing in general.
Here Were My Key Takeaways From My Brief Meeting With a Published Author
1/ If you find yourself waffling, or your brain is moving in lots of directions during your writing time, change up the medium.
Instead of click-clacking away at a laptop, pull out your trusty notepad and pen and write by hand instead. Your thoughts and ideas will become more clear when you are forced to slow down.
2/ If you are a nonfiction writer, don’t spend time writing a full manuscript.
Instead, focus on writing a great proposal and then reaching out to potential agents or publishers. Nonfiction agents will likely want to guide you during the writing process. If you submit a full manuscript there’s a good chance they will want to make lots of edits or tell you to rewrite completely. Save yourself the trouble!
3/ Allocate ample time to get samples of your writing published in various journals and media outlets.
Once your work is published on several sites you can submit these links along with your proposal when reaching out to agents. Or, in the case of the published author I spoke with, they might even reach out to you about writing and publishing a book.
4/ Network with the right people.
Getting published is highly dependent upon being in the right place at the right time…and on the connections you have. Increase your luck of being seen by making sure to follow publishers on social media platforms, interact with their content, and share links to your published articles on your platforms.
5/ Don’t expect to get rich.
Even if you do get signed, your publisher might ask for things such as additional pictures that you might have to pay out of pocket to obtain, for example. This can cut into your bottom line.
I have to be honest. Sometimes I wonder if my skin is tough enough to go through this process. I wonder if I have what it takes to stick it out until the end and not take all the rejection personally. And then sometimes the universe throws me a bone and says, keep going you got this. The meeting with a published author was my latest bone and I hope this blog post is YOUR bone.
As you go forth and navigate the publishing world, I recommend connecting with your why as often as possible. Ask yourself: Why do I want these ideas to spread? How do I want people’s lives to change after engaging with this content? Then print your answers on a big sheet of paper and hang it on your wall. That way when you do face rejection, you’ll be able to swiftly get back on that horse and try, try again.
Are you on the path of getting published? What do you find is your biggest challenge?
I Spent Money to Share a Personal Story to an Audience of 80 Strangers
I spent the last Friday and Saturday attending a storytelling workshop. At the end of the two-day workshop, we were invited to perform our crafted story on stage in a room full of 80 or so audience members.
For those of you who are terrified of public speaking, you might be wondering, why the HELL I would intentionally put myself in this situation, let alone pay good money for this experience.
Well, that’s the question our facilitator, Dyane Neiman, founder of The Bear, posed to me and 11 other brave souls on the first day. My answer? To push me out of my comfort zone, build resilience, and give my craft of writing a new outlet…because nobody reads anymore, LOL (thanks for reading this BTW.)
The First Day
The first day was spent breaking the ice, getting to know each other, and getting the creative juices flowing. We then split up into groups and brainstormed on the storytelling event’s topic - Best, Worst, First, and Last.
And then Dyane shared a helpful trick to help us relax when we were on stage.
Breathe -DUH, but not always easy to remember when your heart is pounding and the stage lights are beaming down on you.
Expand - you are supposed to envision air being puffed into your left side, right side, back side, front side, top of the head, and bottom of the feet. The reason is that when we are nervous we tend to contract our bodies. This expansion exercise is supposed to trick the mind and infuse us with confidence instead.
Connect - in this step, we were encouraged to think about someone who loves us unconditionally and feel them in our hearts. I am guessing this also has a calming effect on our brains.
The Second Day
On the second day, our first task was to break off with a partner and tell them our stories. The second task was to break off into small groups and deliver your story once again and then listen to feedback from your group.
As a writer, this was EXTREMELY challenging. I typically need uninterrupted solo time to craft and recraft my message - time we simply didn’t have. But the atmosphere was warm and inviting and the facilitator, Dyane, was encouraging, so I told myself to just trust the process. And sure enough, as unready as I felt to perform my story to the small group, by the end of it I had some great feedback on how to make my story better. I have to admit though, I am usually not that great at hearing feedback. Especially when it has to do with writing. But storytelling, I was learning, was an entirely different animal. You had to convey what you meant in less time and words…and keep the audience engaged. Which made it invaluable to hear feedback from future audience members. They let me know where there were holes in my story and gave me tips on how to spice it up. Because I lived my story, it’s easy to forget certain things that maybe aren’t clear to an outsider.
The third step was to perform our stories to the entire group on the stage we’d be performing on the following night. By this time, I was exhausted, my head was pounding, and I wasn’t feeling well prepared. I felt like I needed an hour or so just to make sure all the words were in the right place, but again, there wasn’t time. I reminded myself why I was doing this, and tried to, again, just trust the process. This time the audience was only supposed to give positive feedback. It’s amazing how so many of our stories had transformed in just a few hours. The process really works!!
We only had a couple of hours in between to go home and change before the event began. It was going to take me 40 minutes to get home but I didn’t care - I needed to take a quick nap and freshen up. The long walk from the tram gave me time to get some fresh air and reset my mind. I told myself that I would lie down and if I didn’t feel like going back, it was OK, I had already accomplished a lot.
But after a quick nap and a few run-throughs, I felt more clearheaded. I had made it this far already, it was time for me to cross the finish line.
I treated myself to a taxi ride back which gave me an extra 20 minutes to eat something and practice my story a few times in the mirror.
It’s Showtime, Baby!
There were only enough spots for 8 people to perform. And because it was an open mic night, anyone could throw in their name. That meant there were way more performers than spots. I thought, well if I don’t get chosen it won’t be the end of the world. Now, it’s out of my hands.
Well, guess who was chosen first? Me, yep. I couldn’t believe it. I probably mumbled something as such, “Oh, my god.”
When I arrived on the stage, the host mic’ed me up and I closed my eyes briefly took a deep breath, expanded my body, and connected to my heart center like Dyane had instructed us. And then I began…..
I was off to a good start, I was smiling and felt confident. Luckily when the bright lights are glaring at you, you can’t actually see anyone’s face so it was easy to disassociate. But then, my worst nightmare, I blanked. I tried to ad lib but the more I ad-libbed, the more off-track I became. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe, expand, and connect again but all I could pay attention to was the shaking of my knees. I covered my eyes, and told the audience “I’m sorry, I lost my place.” That’s when I heard a faint voice from the back yell, “the park!”
A girl from my workshop, whom I had been working with earlier that day shouted out the clue which helped jog my memory and get me back on track. I was able to finish my story without further interruptions and even heard the audience laugh for a time or two.
Oh, how grateful I am for her helping me. I probably would have walked off that stage with my tail between my legs if she hadn’t spoken up.
To sum it up, I am SO proud of myself for getting up there and sharing a personal story with a room full of strangers. I felt like I challenged myself and grew so much as a writer, performer, and creator in just 48 hours. I also loved connecting with my fellow workshop attendees and seeing how their stories transformed in such a short time. I felt proud of them too when their names got called, knowing how nervous and unsure everyone had felt just a few hours before.
If this sort of thing has been on your mind, I would DEFINITELY recommend you pull the bungee cord and jump. Your future confident self is banking on it.