Many of us have had frustrating experiences with AI — not because we lack intelligence or willingness, but because no one has translated it in a way that makes sense for how we actually work and live.

This is part two of a conversation with my son Slade about using AI in mindful, practical ways.

We talk about real use cases — reviewing a lease, finding a job, making a blog findable, writing show notes — and what it actually takes to communicate clearly with a tool that cannot read your mind. What emerged is something we did not expect: the skills that make AI work well are the same skills we teach in coaching. Get clear on your end goal. Offer the right context. Know where your own judgment and voice still matter.

PEARLS OF WISDOM

• AI cannot replace your authentic voice. Its output is never you, and that is where your value and job security live.

• Communicating well with AI requires the same skills as communicating well with humans — clarity, context, and knowing your desired outcome.

• AI can amplify your work and help people find you, but the creative and human parts still belong to you.

• Knowing what AI can and cannot help with brings simplicity and reduces the overwhelm of endless possibilities.

Reflection Questions

Where in our work or life might AI save us energy on tasks that are not our unique gift, so we can protect time for what is?

What would it look like to approach AI the way we approach learning a new language — with patience, curiosity, and a willingness to ask for help?

Where might we be avoiding AI out of frustration rather than true limitation, and what would one small experiment look like?

If you are curious about using AI in a more grounded, intentional way, Slade now offers sessions to help you build your own relationship with these tools. You can find him at AIWithSlade.com.

Slade will also share his wisdom and answer questions in a live Zoom session for the Mindful Healthcare Collective and Pause & Presence.

April 24th, 9:30 am Pacific Register here: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/curious-about-coaching

He will share a practical, grounded, and mindful approach to AI. You will leave able to relate to it more easily, effectively, and efficiently — so you can spend more time on what matters most in your practice, your business, and/or your life. This session will be clear, honest, and jargon-free. No technical background required.

About Slade

Slade Mahoney is an AI consultant and strategist based in San Diego — and the son of Dr. Jessie Mahoney, founder of Pause and Presence Coaching and Retreats. He got into this work because he believes AI should make us more human, not less. Too many brilliant, accomplished people are spending their most valuable hours on things that have nothing to do with why they became brilliant and accomplished in the first place — the emails, the scheduling, the follow-ups, the research — tasks that have nothing to do with why they built something of their own. The work that means most to him is helping people like his mom: smart, accomplished people who are curious about what AI can do and want to explore it for their business, their work, or their life. In his career, he has built AI tools for organizations ranging from small businesses to Kaiser Permanente, The Walt Disney Company, and the CDC — giving him a rare view into how AI is actually being deployed at every level and what it means for the rest of us. He works one-on-one with physician entrepreneurs and small business owners — teaching them how to use AI to build real tools for their businesses and get back to the work only they can do. Find him at aiwithslade.com (http://aiwithslade.com).

And if you are a physician who wants support in a deeply human space — through coaching, retreats, yoga, or simply being in community with other physicians who understand — I would love to connect with you.

www.jessiemahoneymd.com

www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats

www.jessiemahoneymd.com/yoga

www.jessiemahoneymd.com/jessies-blog

www.jessiemahoneymd.com/mindful-healers-podcast

Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.

The Healing Medicine Podcast was formerly known as the Mindful Healers Podcast.