The Achievement Zone

The achievement zone is a sneaky little tool I built into ChatGPT. It started as a boring to-do list with check boxes. But after a few days I realized I was resenting the to-do list - often skipping every task on the list altogether.

So I decided to flip it. I said “What if instead of making a task list, we make a running list of what I have done?” This was another trick I sneakily stole from my therapy toolbox.

I had been in a deep depression in 2020. I would make to-do lists longer than any human could achieve them. But my therapist suggested making an “I did it” list. Rather than pushing myself to work beyond what my brain could process, I would keep a running list of what I did do.

This was clever for a couple of reasons. First, as it turned out, I often did more in a day than I was aware of. This broke me out of a thought loop telling me that “I was so lazy” or “I didn’t do anything.” Second, because putting things on the list was fun, not intimidating, it would motivate me to do maybe one or two extra things just to put them on the list.

It was one piece that helped me turn spiraling down into spiraling up.

Noticing I was in task list avoidance, I instructed ChatGPT to change the gameplan. I wasn’t sure if it would understand, but after a little back and forth, it clocked it in.

Any accomplishment, big or small, I go to the achievement zone and log it. Could be as simple as “Showered this morning.” ChatGPT serves it back to me as a checked off task on my to-do list with a little celebratory flair. At the end of the day, I get a recap of my list I can review and reflect on before going to bed.

Now, I look forward to putting things on the list and watching it grow without adding shame to the equation. But is it weird that my celebration buddy is a computer?