ChatGPT for Radical Self-Betterment - Ep. 8 with Dr. Gena Gorlin
AI and I31 Tammi 2024

ChatGPT for Radical Self-Betterment - Ep. 8 with Dr. Gena Gorlin

Dr. Gena Gorlin⁠ is a clinical psychologist at UT Austin whose goal is to raise the ceiling on human potential.

I sat down with her to discuss how @ChatGPTapp has become a key tool in her quest for radical self-betterment.

In this episode, she feeds ChatGPT a list of her old journal entries, and it conducts the most thorough and insightful annual review and goal-setting session you’ve ever seen:

  • It writes a personal biography for her, unpacking themes and key questions from each year of her life
  • It helps her plan her year for 2024, aligning her focus and helping set goals
  • It allows her to see her own blindspots and avoid common failure modes
  • It predicts what the year might have in store for her
  • It helps her be more ambitious and reach higher for the things she wants

Ultimately, it acts as both a mirror and mentor for her—one that’s always on, responds instantly, and can take on any personality or psychological modality that she needs.

It’s a mind-bending example of how ChatGPT can unlock your potential.

If you found this episode interesting, please like, subscribe, comment, and share!

Want more?

Dan is running a course with Dr. Gorlin called Maximize Your Mind With ChatGPT. It’s a four-week cohort-based course marrying the cutting edge of AI with the best of what psychology knows about how to reach your potential.

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://maxyourmind.xyz⁠⁠

Want even more?

Sign up for Dan’s newsletter Every to unlock our ⁠⁠ultimate guide to prompting ChatGPT⁠⁠. It’s usually only for paying subscribers, but you can get it here for free.

To hear more from Dan Shipper:

Timestamps:

  1. Introduction 00:18
  2. An external hard drive for our brains 4:14
  3. What is epistemic hygiene? 7:25
  4. Upscaling with ChatGPT 12:25
  5. Dan and Gena’s brainstorming session 20:34
  6. Gena uses ChatGPT to analyze her years-in-review 31:43
  7. Outsourcing to ChatGPT 46:51
  8. Pushing beyond “work-life balance” 53:36
  9. Will ChatGPT replace therapists? 1:09:22
  10. Building a new version of you 1:20:00

Links to resources mentioned in the episode:

⁠⁠In Defense of Radical Self-Betterment⁠⁠

⁠⁠How to Use ChatGPT for Psychological Growth⁠

⁠⁠⁠Gena’s newsletter⁠⁠⁠

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