Tears, Tech, and the Power of Rest

Also I am preparing for my "Build your First EVER AI Assistant with Nix" in real life (Cape Town)

Nix Good

Oct 03, 2024

I Blame the Moon for This Week’s Intense Letter 👀

I’m about to turn 43, a number I really don’t like, but thats another story.

Anyhow, I wasn’t sure I had the courage to write this, and yet, here I am.

Truth Time: I couldn’t show up on Monday.

Not for a meeting I had set up, nor for my business.

Honestly, not for anything that day, including being a mom and a wife.

I just wanted to collapse into a tearful heap, overwhelmed by frustration and disillusionment, all at once.

Dr Joe Dispenza, a teacher and author, writes in one of his books, this powerful intro.

"Creation is such an interesting phenomenon. The process is riddled with a landscape of peaks and valleys with indeterminate views. There are moments when we feel truly inspired and uplifted because we have made some progress in climbing to a new level to see a better view.

"In the next moment, when we see that there are bigger obstacles to overcome, we wonder if we even made a difference and if our efforts were really worth it. Like the birthing process, creation comes with labor pains…"

He is so right, I have been in this very creative phase of building with all things GenAI and NoCode.

I've put so much time and energy into this, though the results just haven't quite matched that effort, and honestly it hurts.

Of course, I’ve seen changes in my skills and confidence.

I am grateful, though exhausted 🤪, with bills that still need paying!

As we all know the currency of life is money, moola, bucks, cash (sadly)

Show Me Money GIFs - Find & Share on GIPHY

I started driving myself mad with questions.

Reasoning way too much, like ChatGPT does, with its latest model.

Working relentlessly, 7 days a week, and of course all the hours god sends, as they say!

I even stopped making the time to do all the things I loved.

Guys, before I go on a massive whinge fest, maybe we (ie ME) should take three deep belly breaths.

Let’s also grab a refreshing something or other, maybe a cortisol-reducing beetroot juice. 😆

I'm a bit of a mess this week, but wanted to share this with you, so that if you ever find yourself in a similar place, know that you too, can make it through those heavy days.

Dalle 3 depicted this quite well I thought ( well done ChatGPT)

A wonderful reminder from Dr Abbey Houde

Share Nix’s Substack

The Past 2 Years as a Full-Time Academic (And Loved It)

I’ve been at my NoCode and GenAI career changing journey for two years now, and only just recently did I start to question where I will eventually fit in.

Yes, AI Powered Hiring aka Tech Recruiting is my jam; it’s given me the work-from-home life and balance I’m so thankful for this.

Though nothing has EVER given me the kind of JOY and happiness that this time has.

That's why I began integrating this into my workday, completely changing the flow and tech used in traditional recruitment, tech sourcing, or talent acquisition (we go by many names in this business, haha 🤣)

Result= waaaaay more FUN and FLOW!

This system works ( P.S On a separate note, get hold of me if keen to learn more or how)

But today, I’m feeling extra sorry for myself, because I’ve been showing up both joyful and committed most days (except this one), and I am now growing impatient, as I soooo badly want to see a more impactful result.

Actual footage of me having a hissy fit :)

Yes, I’ve seen incredible progress, my newsletter got its first paying customer last week, and I couldn’t stop SMILE-ing!

Another cool result was that this disruptive time in tech, made me look at our business model and realize all the risks we carry.

I might not have created new service offerings like my “Build Your First AI” workshop or partnered with Tanye to host our first AI & You Friday conversations.

I even updated our site with all our new service offerings: check it out below, and also Meet: Theo our T&H Virtual AI assistant.

https://tandh.co.za/our-services/

Just last week, I was in my element hosting my first AI-Powered Hiring Workshop. {Thank you Juli)

This time has TRULY awoken me, in ways I didn’t expect, giving me a much more braver version of myself.

But I am also scared.

Like Naomi Shibah Nye reminds me in her hauntingly beautiful poem called Kindness:

“Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.

There is a lot of uncertainty right now, and just so you know, its A-okay to feel overwhelmed.

Come grab my hand and somehow with tons of kindness, we will get through this.

P.S Link to rest of her poem

Why So Many Changes Right Now?

I mean I used to get annoyed when Outlook changed its interface.

Now, Thanks to GenAI, software is being updated daily, with AI baked into existing tools and new platforms launching while we sleep.

The old “Nicky” before she was “Nix!” 😂, preferred things staying the same.

Now, I’m learning to make friends with change.

Even though I have ONLY myself to blame, as I engineered this all myself.

I wanted more for myself and our business, and I now have that mental stimulation and a whole new way of seeing, as well as doing business.

Caught Up in the GenAI Hype: A Wake-Up Call

I unconsciously got caught up in the hype around GenAI, like so many of us.

I hate to admit it, but its true. 🙄

With YouTube and LinkedIn subtly feeding us ads that push the message of “make money now with GenAI,” it’s easy to get swept into that FOMO mindset.

But the truth is, we need to understand this technology first before rushing into it.

Yes, the potential is HUGE, but it’s not just about making money overnight, it’s about learning, adapting, and integrating GenAI in a way that’s meaningful.

Unexpected Lessons from GenAI and NoCode:

Be More Human: Join communities. Be tolerant. Communicate better.
Be a Responsible Business Owner: It’s made me reflect deeply on how I run things. Its just not business as usual anymore.
Ask, “Is There a Better Way?” This journey has made me question old processes.
Tech Belongs Everywhere: When tech works in harmony with every department, you can make better decisions.
Find Your Voice: I’ve become clearer and more direct, and that’s from prompting (thanks, GenAI and my beloved Chipp).
Meet Amazing Humans: I’ve connected with warm, inspiring people all over the world. {Sigh, You know who you are}
It’s Not About the MVP: The real work starts when people use your product.
Think About UX: When you build, think about the experience you want people to have. It’s a huge question.
Give Yourself Time: Be patient, especially if you crawled out from under a rock like me. 😲
Aladdin Moment: Take a breath. It’s perfectly okay if you don’t know how to use GenAI or what to create with NoCode yet. You’re not alone, it will come with time.

Rest and Reflect

The past decade has been about prioritizing my physical and mental health.

But right now, I feel exhausted because I didn’t prioritize rest.

I just got OTT excited when ChatGPT first came out.

From that day to this one, I sprinted ahead Usain Bolt style, as I knew intuitively this was a gargantuan moment for humanity.

At first, I just watched.

Not sure I belonged in virtual rooms with all of this immense talent.

I hadn’t kept my skills sharp you see, and that made me feel insecure.

Just so you know, after talking to a lot of incredibly talented tech people, I’ve realized even the best of us feel that way sometimes.

And you know what? That’s okay!

But now, my tools are a lot sharper, and I’ve built skills that have and ARE changing my entire career.

Book your Seat on My Workshop

Win a Seat at Our Upcoming Workshop! 🎈

I’m proud and excited to announce that I’ll be co-hosting a NoCode & Hiring Workshop with Mel and Miranda on Friday, October 18th 2024, and I’m giving away a FREE seat valued at R1750!

Here’s how you can enter: