Mind of a Maker
A daily blog inspired by Matthew Dicks
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
To become better at something, you have to practice. What better way to become a better writer and storyteller than to practice by making a habit of writing daily?
In this daily blog, we’ll discuss Maker-related topics as well as what inspires projects, including YouTube videos, Movies, TV Shows, Disney, Star Wars, LEGO, Books, and more. Everything is on the table, and nothing is off-limits.
Disclaimer: The thumbnail images featured on this blog are often AI-generated. See Disclosure page for more information.
The 3 Best Methods To Insulate Your Job From Being Replaced By AI
As people fear layoffs due to AI implementations, here are 3 effective ways to increase your chances of staying employed.
1. Become your company's AI expert
2. Deliver solutions, not project results
3. Proactively seek automation
AI will not replace your job, but people who embrace change (including AI) will.
The 1 Reason Now Is The Best Time For Makers To Incorporate Microcontrollers Into Builds
Not knowing how to code isn't an excuse anymore because AI can write it for you.
More than that, AI can then help you understand the code for troubleshooting in reality too.
The Single Most Overlooked Method To Create Better AI Prompts
Instead of paying hundreds for courses, how should you start learning to craft better AI prompts?
Leverage AI to learn how to leverage AI.
Sounds cheesy, but AI knows how it processes information better than humans. So who would be better to help highlight what the differences between good and bad prompts are?
3 Reasons Writing Is Overpowered In The Age Of AI
Writing is overpowered as leverage for AI for 3 key reasons.
1. Lazy creators will let AI write 100% for them
2. Prompts are a writing skill
3. Writing clarifies your thinking
As AI becomes even more expansive and engrained, effective written communication is a required skill.
2 AI Prompts To Gain Business Clarity (Even If You Haven't Used AI Much Yet)
My 2 favorite AI prompts I’ve used to gain business clarity:
1. Clarifying target audience & value proposition
2. Identifying social content gaps
AI is not going to replace businesses, but businesses that use AI to gain leverage will.
Functional Star Wars Droids Are Closer Than Ever For Makers
I’ve always wanted my own R2-D2 and now, I might be able to make my own.
AI personalities are the brains.
Micro controllers bring them to life with attachments.
The 2 combined can create droids that think, respond, and then also move and interact with the world.
The 1 Reason Writing Is Now Essential For Business Owners
Most business owners discount the importance of writing, but they shouldn’t for 1 major reason.
AI.
Writing helps you clarify your thinking.
Better thinking leads to better prompts.
Everyone who wants to succeed in business or content must embrace AI and therefore writing for better prompts.
Most Creators Are Not Leveraging AI Effectively (And Throwing Away $1,500 Of Value)
I used to think ChatGPT was a fancy Q/A and wrote it off.
Turns out I was terrible at prompt engineering.
I spent 14 months learning AI and even gained an AI certificate from MIT xPRO.
You can leverage AI for social media strategy, saving $1,500 that a strategist could charge you.
Worried About AI? Here's How I'm Leveraging It For My Maker Business (And You Can Too)
It feels like every other post these days is about how AI is going to take away jobs, destroy your business, and we're all going to be worse off.
Hogwash!
3 Ways Maker Content Creators Can Leverage AI To Grow Their Businesses
You're a Maker, which means you cannot leverage AI since it's a digital tool, right?
Wrong. While AI is not able to build things in your garage (yet), you can still leverage it to handle time consuming tasks on your computer.
Use AI to give you more time in your shop and working on your edits (and get one step closer to your own personal protocol droid).
3 Maker Business Topics I am Exploring Right Now
There are 3 topics I am actively thinking about a lot these days:
• Effective Email Marketing
• Creator Small Business Growth
• AI
Is AI The Death Of Your Maker Newsletter?
We're all constantly bombarded with headlines about what AI is going to kill next, so will it be your newsletter?
AI is becoming more accessible to more people every day. Updates come faster than ever, whether it's updates to Chat-GPT having access to real-time internet or Claude updating how it creates documents.
Will AI Make Creators Obsolete?
Over just the past year, AI has become more advanced and more accessible at a staggering pace. With AI generating images and videos in minutes, many creatives worry that it could replace them. Some companies have already downsized staff in favor of "outsourcing" to AI for a lower expense.
The good news for creators is that this has happened before.
AI in Making Things
What if you had a personal AI assistant in your workshop—a Star Wars-inspired droid or Iron Man's JARVIS to help with measurements, inventory, and more? Here's how I'm exploring this game-changing idea.