Adapting to New Tools

Simon Willison's presentation "Making Large Language Models work for you," struck a chord. He said, "language models make me more ambitious with the projects that I’m willing to take on," a sentiment many are beginning to share.

Just this week, I used Copilot to quickly solve three different problems I was having using technologies that I had no prior experience with: Cloud Functions, Cloud Run and interactive Bash scripts.

These AI boosts and power-ups embolden me to question my old norms, nudging me toward dedicating more time to projects that pique my interest—even those that stretch beyond my comfort zone. The thrill of taking on what once seemed 'unattainable' creates a self-perpetuating cycle. Each success bolsters my confidence and resets the bar on what I deem achievable.

I'm adapting my mindset to match the unprecedented capabilities of today's tools. In reassessing the level of effort I previously associated with projects, I'm finding it easier to commit to endeavors that previously felt outside my comfort zone. The lowered barriers are very motivating to me.

This reminds me of the old adage that the only true constant is change. Everything evolves, and so must we if we aim to stay relevant. The real danger isn't change but our reluctance to adapt. Simply put, I don't want to be the dinosaur suing the ice age; I want to evolve, leveraging the tools that are part of this era not just to survive, but to genuinely level up. With this mindset, the possibilities feel endless.