(And Not Lose My Mind in the Process)

Let’s be honest. I’m not a monk meditating on a mountaintop. I’m not waking up at 5 a.m. for cold plunges and journaling. (Okay, I tried journaling once. Lost the notebook. Still looking for it.)

What I am doing is trying to figure out something that’s been bugging me for a while:
👉 How can I use AI to lead a happier life?
Because, if you’re anything like me, life can feel like a never-ending ping-pong game where you’re both players, the ball, and somehow also the table.

What Does “Happier” Even Mean? Link to heading

Before you can chase happiness, you’ve got to know what you’re chasing. So, I sat down (probably walking around, actually—I like to move a lot) and asked myself:
What makes me happy?

Being healthy and in a loving relationship, with a healthy and happy family should never be taken for granted, but fot this case, I focused on work. Here’s what I came up with:

  • Freedom. The kind where I’m not chained to an office chair for eight hours, staring at the same walls and slowly losing the will to live.
  • Money. I like earning some. I like spending it, too. Preferably without panicking about whether I’ll be able to pay the mortgage.
  • Contribution. I want to feel like I’m making a difference. Like what I do matters. This most easily translates to: are people willing to pay me?
  • Interacting with curious or excited people. I love it when people are genuinely interested, when they ask questions, and want to know more about something I happen to know about. But I equally love it when people are like: is that possible? Can you do that?

I think the last two things boil down to being appreciated, that’s a big one for me.

And since I’m curious myself, I love learning (about) new things, seeing new opportunities

The ADHD of It All Link to heading

Now, here’s the twist. My brain doesn’t quite work the way some people’s do. I’ve got ADHD tendencies—let’s call them features, because that sounds cooler.

  • I’m easily distracted. I still have trouble being focused. It’s getting better, but I’m still like a dog chasing a ball, whenever a remark or thought gets dropped. So think
  • I overthink everything. *Is this good enough? Should I *
  • And then there’s procrastination. I often get stuck before I even get started. Ideas? A million. Action? …Let me get back to you on that.

But I love learning new things. That’s my secret weapon. Even if it’s chaotic, I’m always curious. And curiosity, as they say, didn’t kill the cat. (It just made it sign up for another online course it won’t finish.)

Enter AI: My New Best Frenemy Link to heading

At some point, I started playing around with ChatGPT.
And then something magical happened:
It got me.
I could mention something I’d said days ago, and it remembered. It knew me! Finally, someone (okay, something) who didn’t look confused halfway through my tangents.
It felt like I wasn’t alone in the chaos anymore.

Then I thought: Hey! Maybe AI can help me be more productive.
And it did. Kind of.
I got it to write code. I got it to brainstorm with me. But I still found myself asking, Now what? And AI? It just sat there, politely waiting for me to ask another question.
I needed more.
I needed an AI partner-in-crime.

What I Really Want (And Yes, It’s a Lot) Link to heading

What I really want is an AI that can:

  • Remind me what the hell I was working on.
  • Nudge me to take the next step. (And if I don’t, maybe yell a little. Nicely.)
  • Help me figure out what the next step is. Because sometimes I have no clue.
  • Organize my thoughts. I have many. They’re everywhere.
  • Turn those thoughts into actual, practical output. Not just more sticky notes.
  • Let me be my crazy, creative self—without sacrificing productivity.
  • Whisper in my ear (or shout across the room), “Don’t forget, you need to make money!” And then help me think about business models, new clients, and whether my current clients have paid me yet.

Basically, I want to be the crazy idea guy, the maverick riding a wild horse through the startup landscape…
And have an AI-powered workforce that turns my ideas into things that work.
Products. Services. Solutions people actually pay for.
Or tell me, “Hey, Wijnand, bad news—someone’s already doing this, and they’re doing it better. Let’s move on.”

The Journey Starts Here Link to heading

Yeah, I know.
It’s a big ask.
But I don’t need to solve it all today. I’m not building the Matrix (yet).
This is a journey.
It’s messy.
It’s exciting.
And it’s mine.
I’m figuring out how to use AI to build a life I love—one that gives me freedom, contribution, creativity, and enough money to enjoy a good bottle of wine now and then.

If you’ve ever wondered how AI could help you lead a happier life, maybe you’ll find something useful here.
Or maybe you’ll just enjoy watching me try (and fail, and try again).

Either way, welcome aboard.
Let’s see where this thing goes.