Ash Rathod

I fixed myself.

AI has given me what I thought I could never have.

A glimpse into what I’d look like if my skin colour stayed the same.

Or if I removed all the pigmentation on my skin (which can be done in real life. I had the option but declined)

So which one do I prefer? For me, it’s a no brainer. The real me, in the middle.

The left and right image was created by Nano Banana Pro.

Which, to be honest, as a tool it’s amazing. In fact I’ve been playing with it a lot. I have been playing with a lot of AI tools. Image. Music. Vibe coding. And I will be using them a lot in my content, in my work processes and creating new business ideas.

The next wave of AI tools will open doors for many people. I really am positive but cautious about it all.

Because it has to be used the right way and the right way for me is this:

Don’t be lazy with the tools (Use it to add a layer to the great work you do vs diluting it)
Don’t just blindly copy others. (‘differentiate or die’ mantra is still relevant. Now more than ever)
Don’t hide behind it (ie. pretend you’re something you’re not or try hiding the fact you’ve used AI. Especially if it’s likely to be in doubt for others)

I’m sure there are many other pros and cons. (let me know yours in the comments)

What I will be doing is making sure I inform my audience when I do use AI. For example, I am playing around creating a digital twin. And it's a lot of fun. But I won’t pretend it’s me. I’ll let others know when it’s not. Even when the tech becomes much better than it is now when even more  people won’t be able to tell.

I think in this new phase, the people that are honest and upfront about how they communicate to their audience are going to be the ones that build trust. And ultimately the ones that win.

For me, I don’t want to fool anyone. Including myself.

And more importantly. I don’t need to fix myself.

I already did when I accepted myself for who I really am.


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#PersonalBranding and #Storytelling in an #AI world

I almost died this year.

The strange thing is, I didn't know it at the time.

And as much as it looks like it is, this post isn’t about me. It's about you. If you care to read on :)

At the start of this year, I was taken to hospital after weeks of feeling pretty shitty. I was constantly thirsty, going to the loo a lot, exhausted, suffering from muscle cramps, and lost nearly 2 stones in 3-4 weeks. I thought it was because I ditched the evening Netflix snacks but in hindsight that wasn’t it.

After a series of tests, the doctor came back and said:

"The good news is, you’re here and alive."

An odd sense of humour for a medical professional, I thought. But he wasn't joking. I guess he was trying to make the bad news not so bad by telling me I had gone into DKA which meant if untreated it could have meant organ failure, coma and could have been fatal.

Ultimately, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Now I'm on insulin injections for the rest of my life. But like the doc said, I’m here to tell this story.

Some people say experiences like that make you appreciate life more.

For me, it did something slightly different. It made me realise how much of my life I was spending waiting. Waiting until I felt ready. Waiting until I knew enough. Waiting until the timing was right. Waiting for permission that was never going to come.

Especially as I was learning something new that I had no business talking about as an ‘expert.’

I think a lot of us do this.

Not because we're lazy. Not because we're incapable. But because starting means being seen.

It means risking failure. It means risking judgement. So we delay.
We tell ourselves we'll do it next month. Next year. When things settle down.

When we're more confident. When we finally feel qualified.

But what if that day never comes?

What if the thing standing between you and the life you want isn't a lack of talent, knowledge, or opportunity?

What if it's just the habit of waiting.

Listen, I've got nothing to sell to you here. No CTA. Just a message that I hope will help you get into a fifth gear for this week ahead. And one you sustain because you remember this story.

If there's something you've been meaning to do, write, build, start, learn, share, or say...

Do it.

Not because life is short. Not because tomorrow isn't promised. But because the dream itself might have an expiry date because you think you're not good enough to step into a space.

Sometimes the version of you that was willing to take the chance disappears before the opportunity does. Don’t let that happen.

I'm not saying you won't be here tomorrow. ‘Cos that’s a pretty bleak outlook in life.

I'm saying the version of you that wants to do that thing might not be because of the lack of belief after that intitial spark. If you have the itch, just do it.

Don’t regret not trying in years to come.