My AI Journey: A Personal Guide to Upskilling with ChatGPT and Beyond - AI Skills for Beginners

It's been a while since I last posted anything here... Impostor syndrome hit me hard. But today, I’m starting fresh.

What I want to share with you is the exciting new journey I’ve just embarked on: upskilling in the world of AI.

Technically, it’s not completely new for me—I’ve been using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney for a while. But today, I decided it’s time to go back to basics and take a proper course.

Why? Because while I’m a big advocate of learning by doing (for me it’s often the best way to learn), I’ve recently been asking myself: Do I really understand and get the best out of this technology? Isn’t the 2024 a year of AI? Am I not a bit behind?

What if I need to structure my learning better, or just dive deeper into the subject to unlock its full potential?

Here’s the thing: I’ve been feeling a bit… off lately. Maybe it’s the lingering effects of an anxiety disorder, or maybe it’s just that dreaded feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out). I realised I have put too much focus on my burnout and the comfort of shielding myself from the outside world but as the year draws to a close, I started to wonder: Have I made any progress this year?

And as much as I did some sort of progress, I realised I’m not where I used to be. I used to be the ambitious go-getter, the person who thrived on being ahead of the curve. Maybe at expense of my mental health, but lately, I’ve really felt a bit behind. So, I decided to make a concrete change and start upskilling within the AI.

How ChatGPT Helped Me Structure My Learning

I turned to ChatGPT to help me structure my learning journey. And for anyone out there struggling with feeling overwhelmed or just unsure about where to start, I can’t recommend this tool enough. It’s cheap (it’s actually free), it’s accessible, and I totally love using it.

I started by asking ChatGPT for recommendations on AI courses. And I’ll be honest—I wasn’t super specific in my prompt. Here’s what I asked:

“Hi, I really want to upskill in using both ChatGPT and other AI programs. Can you recommend a well-structured course for that, ideally one that offers a certificate? Or maybe you could just guide me through the AI learning process?”

As you can see, it wasn’t the best phrasing (note to self for future prompts!). But ChatGPT still came through, providing me with a list of fantastic course recommendations and platforms. If you’re curious, reach out to me, and I’d be happy to share the full list with you!

The Overwhelm Is Real

Exciting as it was to get all these course suggestions, I quickly felt... lost. There’s just so much out there! Where should I start? How do I avoid wasting time and get to my goals sooner rather than later? My anxious mind started spinning.

But instead of panicking, I just asked for a clear plan. SO this is the best with using ChatGPT, you can keep asking and you will always get a reply. I wanted something structured, something I could follow without feeling totally overwhelmed. So I asked:

“Can you give me a harmonogram (or timeline) to follow so that by the end of January, I could be, if not an expert, at least ahead of the average user?”

What I got was a solid plan—and for anyone who needs a roadmap to upskill in AI, I’d love to share this with you. Here’s a sneak peek of what my roadmap looked like:

Phase	November: Foundation Building	December: Skill Enhancement	January: Advanced Projects
Week 1	Understanding AI Fundamentals	Hands-on API Usage	Collaborative Projects & Peer Review
Week 2	Intro to Prompt Engineering	Data Analysis & Practical Application	Build a Showcase Project
Week 3	Intermediate Prompt Crafting & Contextual Use	Real-world Problem Solving	Presentation & Documentation Skills
Week 4	Intro to Multi-tool Workflow	Role-Specific Exercises & AI Integration	Final Review & Future Planning

Facing My Fears: Will I Ever Get There?

When I first read through the plan, I realised just how much I didn’t know. Terms like Prompt Engineering, even if already familiar, still sounded too complicated. API Usage? I’m not an IT person. And Real-world Problem Solving? Well, that felt like something I could only dream about at this stage. But then, there was ChatGPT’s reassuring message:

“By following this structured approach, you’ll be well-positioned to confidently use ChatGPT and other AI tools and stand out from average users by the end of January.”

That message kept me going and gave me a little hope.

Taking Action: My First 4-Hour Plan

To avoid overwhelming myself further, I asked for something bite-sized to get started. I wanted a concrete, actionable plan I could tackle in a single day. Here’s what I came up with—nothing fancy, just a simple, four-hour learning sprint (I understand 4 hours maybe a bit too much for someone to do after 9-5 work, but actually it’s easy to tweak it and cut the time down):

Day 1: Kickstart Plan (4-Hour Schedule)

• Hour 1: Setting Up & Getting Organised

  Create a Notion workspace (I use mostly Notion for organising my tasks) and set up my to-do list.

• Hour 2: Laying the Foundation – Introductory Learning

  Watch a beginner-friendly video on AI basics, like a TED Talk on how generative models like ChatGPT work. Take notes in Notion.

• Hour 3: Hands-on Experimentation with ChatGPT

  Try some simple prompts like:

  “Summarize the history of AI in 100 words.”

  “Explain machine learning like I’m a beginner.”

• Hour 4: Reflection & Content Creation

  Reflect on your experience in your daily log. Write about what was easy, challenging, or surprising. Then, draft a simple Instagram post about your journey.

By focusing on small, manageable steps, I felt ready to dive into my AI journey without feeling overwhelmed.

Moving Forward: A Learning Journey, Not a Sprint

What I love about this approach is that it gives me structure and a clear plan, but it’s not too rigid. It allows flexibility while ensuring progress. I could probably speed this up and condense everything into one or two weeks, but I’ve given myself a bit more time to avoid burnout.

So, as I embark on this AI learning adventure, I’m taking you along for the ride. I plan to share my progress and what I learn each step of the way. And who knows? By the end of January, I might not be an expert—but I’ll certainly be ahead of most casual users! (You would be surprised how many people do not use AI intentionally).

Wrapping Up: Upskilling with AI Is a Journey

Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, learning AI can be both exciting and overwhelming. But with the right approach, like breaking things down into manageable steps and using tools like ChatGPT, anyone can make progress and feel more confident.

If you’ve been considering upskilling in AI, I hope this post gives you a little inspiration to get started. And if you’d like to follow my journey or need resources, feel free to reach out!