Thirty years. That's how long I've been in sales, marketing, and building systems that work. And if there's one lesson that applies to every tool, every technology, every "game-changing" thing that comes along, it's this:
Nobody wants a drill. They want the hole.
It sounds simple. Obvious, even. But you'd be amazed how many smart people forget it when a shiny new technology shows up. And right now, AI is that technology.
The Tool vs. The Outcome
Here's what I'm seeing everywhere I look: Professionals over 45 obsessing over which AI tool to learn. Which platform is best. Which model is newest. Spending hours comparing features, watching tutorials, reading reviews.
And you know what? They're missing the point entirely.
The drill isn't the point. The hole is the point.
When I started in solar sales, we didn't sell solar panels. We sold independence from the power company. We sold predictable bills. We sold the ability to tell your utility company to go pound sand when they jacked up rates again.
The panels were just the mechanism. The outcome was what mattered.
What AI Actually Does (Ignore the Hype)
Let's strip away all the noise. All the "revolutionary," "transformative," "disruptive" nonsense.
AI is a tool that can:
1. Do tasks you'd rather not do — Writing that blog post. Crafting that email. Researching that market. Drafting that proposal.
2. Do them faster — What used to take you an hour now takes ten minutes.
3. Do them consistently — No bad days. No "I don't feel like it." Just output, every single time.
That's it. That's the drill. But here's what people are missing:
The power isn't in the tool. It's in what you do with the time and energy the tool gives you back.
— Patrick Grabbs, 30+ years in the gameThe Real Question You Should Be Asking
Stop asking "What AI tool should I learn?"
Start asking "What hole do I need to drill?"
What repetitive task is eating up your time every week? What work could you hand off if you had a willing assistant who never got tired, never made the same mistake twice, and cost next to nothing?
What would you do with an extra 10 hours per week?
That's the hole. That's what matters.
How I Use AI (The Practical Truth)
I'm going to give you the unvarnished truth about how I actually use AI in my business:
It writes my first drafts. I give it my voice, my angle, my stories. It gives me a starting point that doesn't suck. Then I edit. Heavy editing sometimes, light editing others. But I'm not staring at a blank screen anymore.
It handles the tedious research. "Find me 10 statistics about LinkedIn engagement rates for professionals over 45." Done in 30 seconds. What would have taken me an hour of Google searching.
It creates variations. One core idea becomes 5 different social posts, each tailored to a different angle. The core thinking is mine. The production is automated.
I'm not using AI to replace my thinking. I'm using it to amplify my thinking.
What This Means for You
If you're over 45 and feeling like the AI train is leaving the station without you, here's my message:
Stop worrying about the train. Figure out where you want to go.
The tool is easy. Any tool is easy once you decide what hole you're trying to drill.
The hard part — the part that matters — is knowing what you want to build. What outcome you're after. What transformation you want to create, either for yourself or for your clients.
Get clear on that, and the tool becomes obvious.
The "Sunday Hour" System
Here's what I tell every professional I work with:
Spend one hour every Sunday — just one — thinking about outcomes. Not tools. Not features. Not "what's the best AI for X."
Ask yourself:
• What took too long this week?
• What did I procrastinate on?
• What repetitive task drained my energy?
• If I had an extra 10 hours, what would I focus on?
Then — and only then — look for the drill that makes that hole.
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Get the Daily AI InsiderThe Bottom Line
AI isn't magic. It's not going to replace your expertise, your judgment, or your relationships. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
What AI will do is take the repetitive, the tedious, and the time-consuming off your plate. If you let it.
But only if you stop obsessing over the drill and start focusing on the hole.
The professionals who win the next decade won't be the ones who know the most AI tools. They'll be the ones who knew exactly which holes to drill — and found the most efficient way to drill them.
That's the game. And you're invited to play.