Focusing the Next Step
AI, Disruption, and the Art of Releasing the Paste
Introduction: AI as Augmentation, Not Just Replacement
For some time, I’ve held back from writing about AI and its impact on jobs. Not because I lacked opinions, but because I wanted to ground my perspective in direct experience. I didn’t want to just theorise. I wanted to build, test, and push AI to its limits, see where it broke, excelled, and where it needed human intervention.
So I built my own multi-user, enterprise-grade RAG system. I wanted to see what was possible, what was hype, and what was genuinely transformative.
Here’s what I learned:
AI is a force multiplier, but not a simple replacement for human judgment, architectural governance, or systems knowledge. It can generate vast amounts of code, but without a knowledgeable human at the helm, someone who understands security, scalability, business continuity, and regulatory compliance, that code can be brittle, insecure, or simply not fit for purpose.
I hear the ‘working apps in 5 minutes’ crowd sighing, “Old guy doesn’t get it.”
Actually, I do. The productivity gains are real. I built in two months what would have taken a year in the past. But it did take that time, because I insisted on it being secure, scalable, multi-user, and fully parameterised. If I hadn’t spent years in the industry, I wouldn’t have known what to demand of the system. AI didn’t replace the need for governance; it amplified it.
AI augments human beings. But let’s be clear: augmentation is the ideal, not always the reality. For low-skill, repetitive jobs, AI isn’t augmenting, it’s replacing. For creative fields, arguably, AI tools don’t just assist; they compete. The challenge is ensuring that augmentation benefits everyone, not just those with the privilege of governance roles.
The ‘bottom line’ thinking that salivates at the prospect of replacing millions of workers? That’s not AI’s fault. That’s a failure of policy, of ethics, of how we choose to wield these tools. But it’s also a failure of imagination. We need to ask: What should good policy look like? Should there be mandates for human oversight? How do we redistribute productivity gains so they don’t just accrue to shareholders? What retraining or safety nets are needed for displaced workers?
But let’s be clear: AI is massively disruptive. Many of us are already feeling the impact, whether it’s the fear of obsolescence, the reality of job shifts, or the exhaustion of trying to keep up. Disruption isn’t just technological; it’s emotional, psychological, and existential. And faster iteration can lead to more burnout. It can devalue deep work if ‘good enough, fast’ becomes the norm.
From Scarcity to Vision: The Next Workshop
In our last workshop, we focused on dissolving scarcity habits; those ingrained patterns of thinking that narrow our focus, contract our identity, and leave us feeling like we’re never enough. We worked on restoring connection with our own energy, reclaiming internal authority, and seeing possibilities where there once seemed only constraints.
In the next workshop, we’re going deeper.
Disruption doesn’t just change what we do; it changes how we see ourselves. The memories of past hurts, disappointments, and setbacks can linger, shaping our expectations and limiting our vision of what’s possible. To move forward, we need to do more than just ‘think positively.’ We need to actively release the old stories and program the subconscious with a new, compelling vision of the future.
That’s the focus of this workshop: releasing the weight of the past while installing a new, generative orientation toward the future.
We’ll use The Night Voyage, a guided relaxation designed to help you cross the threshold from old limitations to new possibilities. This isn’t about bypassing reality or pretending the challenges aren’t there. It’s about meeting them from a place of clarity, agency, and creative power.
But let’s be honest: individual resilience isn’t enough. The real work is also scaling this mindset to institutions. How do we ensure that the tools we use to reclaim agency aren’t just band-aids for systemic wounds?
Workshop Details: Authoring Your Next Move
What to Expect:
- A guided journey to release residual hurts and disappointments.
- Techniques to program the subconscious with a positive, actionable vision.
- Practical tools to carry forward into your daily life.
- A discussion on how individual resilience connects to broader systemic change.
Date and Time:
Thursday, 19th March
9 am Pacific Time
Noon Eastern Time
5 pm UK Time
6 pm Central European Time
Cost $30. Complimentary places available, please email mike@liminalcoaching.com
Why This Matters Now
Disruption is here. The question isn’t whether things will change, but how we’ll meet that change. Will we be dragged along by fear and scarcity, or will we author our next move from a place of vision and internal authority?
This workshop is for anyone who wants to:
- Release the emotional weight of past setbacks.
- Install a new, empowering narrative for the future.
- Move from reaction to creative response.
- Explore how personal agency connects to collective action.
But it’s also a call to think bigger. If AI is reshaping our world, then our response must be as systemic as the disruption itself. That means rewriting labor laws, taxing gains from automation, funding reskilling, and ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared, not hoarded.
Let’s talk: How are you experiencing the intersection of AI, disruption, and your own work? What’s one old story you’re ready to release? What’s one systemic change you’d demand if you had the power? Reply and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
The Liminal Brain: a place for continuity
The Liminal Brain is coming. Watch this space for an invite to a free introductory webinar in a few weeks.
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Free Mini Course
The Mental Tools for Neurodivergents (MTND) mini course is a free email series designed to help you deal with “normal” when it’s not designed for your brain.
Initially written for neurodivergent people, but helpful for anyone stressed by navigating neurotypical systems, it’s not a reset like one of our Guided Relaxations or Moments.
It’s a set of precise, field-tested strategies for coping with overload, executive function challenges, sensory strain, and expectations that don’t match how you work best.
You’ll get one short email a day for 5 days. Then, if it’s helpful, you can go deeper.
P.S. As always, we're interested in your feedback. If you have questions or want to discuss any aspect of Liminal Coaching, including 1-to-1 and group coaching programs, please book a complimentary half-hour chat.
Liminal Coaching Services
1-to-1 Coaching Sessions
These sessions can help with various areas, including reducing stress and anxiety, setting boundaries, managing overwhelm, and accessing your natural abilities for ideation, synthesis, innovation, and problem-solving.
All sessions include solutions-focused cognitive coaching, followed by a customized Guided Relaxation session. You will also receive a downloadable recording of the Guided Relaxation for you to use in an ongoing practice.
If you would like to know more, please book a FREE half-hour introductory session.