There’s a hidden switch inside ChatGPT that changes everything about the way you interact with it. It’s called Memory.
As the name suggests, Memory allows ChatGPT to remember things you tell it — your preferences, your goals, your quirks. Instead of starting from scratch in every conversation, you can build a thread of continuity, almost like you would with a coach, a mentor, or a close friend.
For example, you might tell it once, “Please use Celsius, not Fahrenheit,” or “Remember that I don’t like broccoli.” From then on, it adapts — centigrade, no broccoli jokes. But the deeper truth is this: ChatGPT isn’t just remembering what you do. It’s remembering who you are.
The Surprise of Looking Back
When I finally turned on Memory, I had a moment of shock: I realized I hadn’t been using it at all. For months, I had been treating ChatGPT like a disposable notepad — a tool that reset with every session. But when I looked at what it could store, I suddenly saw my digital reflection.
There were fragments of my routines, reflections on my writing, my preferences for workouts, even notes I had asked it to track for me. Scrolling through, I realized: AI doesn’t just serve you. It engineers you. It builds a mirror of your performance, your patterns, your choices.
And sometimes, what you see in that mirror surprises you.
AI as Your Interviewer
One of my favorite discoveries was when I used another model, LLaMA, and it started asking me questions about my goals. It was like being gently interviewed by someone who wanted to know where I was headed and how to help me get there.
That’s when it clicked: the better your AI knows you, the better it performs for you. Not because it’s “smarter,” but because it’s aligned with the story you are writing about yourself.
It’s not unlike journaling. You write to discover who you are becoming. With AI, you can talk — and it reflects that back to you.
How to Curate Your Mirror
If you’re curious about what ChatGPT already remembers about you, here’s a quick test. Type:
“What do you remember about me?”
It will list the snapshots it has stored — everything from preferences to personal notes. You can edit or delete them anytime under Settings → Personalization → Manage Memories.
The key isn’t to let it hoard everything, but to curate what matters. Treat it like your performance diary:
- Keep the goals you want reinforced.
- Delete what no longer serves you.
- Add new aspirations as you evolve.
This isn’t about outsourcing your memory. It’s about shaping your AI into a mirror that reflects the you you want to practice becoming.
A Final Thought
If you’re like me, you may be tempted to treat AI like a convenience. But when you lean in, you realize it’s also a compass. The memories you save aren’t just for efficiency — they’re a record of your growth.
So ask yourself: when your AI remembers you, what version of yourself is it preserving? Is it the person you’ve been — or the one you’re becoming?
The mirror is there. Look into it.
✨ Your move: Open ChatGPT, turn on Memory, and see what your AI thinks it knows about you. You might be surprised at how much there is worth remembering.
