Shall We Do This Together?

Why does it feel like I'm wearing someone else's slightly soiled underpants?

A note before we begin.

AI might be taking over the world but it really can't design a poster - or so my playing this week would suggest.

Gets all confused, spews out random words, chokes on its own unknowable confusion. It's ok, chatgpt, we've all been there.

Playing further this week, another little truth.

I have record of almost everything I've ever said or written about LeanMind. This the beauty and curse of the digital age.

I have been writing a manifesto, something that captures the who and why of LeanMind. A directional call for me, and others. Writing these things is important. And hard.

Enter stage left: chatgpt. Hero or villain?

The common telling of the story would say - input into chatgpt and ask it to write for me. Which I did. And there's no doubt the wizardy little LLM can extract, refine, synthesise a lot of faster than me. Want a manifesto? BAM! Here you go!

There's something deeply satisfying too, for my nervous little ego, to see an instant replaying of words I somewhat recognise. I've been heard! And listened to! Thank you! I am worthy! And good!

Why then, when reading, does it feel a little dirty, like I'm walking around in a soiled pair of someone else's underpants?

Because something is missing.

Craft.
Effort.
Thinking.

Or, as the modern day philosopher (i.e. football managers) frequently tell us: it's about the process, stupid. Worry less about the outcome. Invest in the inputs. And it is.

I think by writing. And talking. Writing a manifesto is a deep thought exercise - an attempt to capture the spirit of an idea, in service of someone or something bigger than you.

This should be hard. It's what makes an endeavour worthwhile. Struggle. Working something out. Crafting. It lends spirit.

Fellow LeanMind-er and wise soul, Dr. Carlos Saba, reminded me back to a healthier relationship with the quick writing digital side kick. Ask it not for writing, but to critique, coach and cajole. Leave me, invite me, demand of me to think. And write.

And so we did.

Below is a manifesto I've (yep, ME - I wrote this) written for LeanMind. The LeanMind manifesto, no less. Offered to you as an epic little movie.

The proof of its effectiveness sits with you. Does it land? Do you see you in this? If yes, hit reply with a 👍 so my sorry little ego feels the nod of love it so desperately needs. I jest. Sort of.

How does this talk to you?