self-improvement on S Anand

Using Codex to improve Codex

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 18:26:13 +0800

Instead of learning and applying new Codex features, I asked it to analyze my sessions and tell me what I’m under-using.

I'd like you to analyze my Codex sessions and help me use Codex better.

sessions/ has all my past Codex sessions.

Search online for the OpenAI Codex release notes for the latest features Codex has introduced and read them - from whatever source you find them.

Then, create a comprehensive catalog of Codex features.

Then, analyze my sessions and see which feature I could have used but didn't and make a comprehensive list.

Then summarize which features I should be using more, how, what the benefits are, and with examples from my sessions.

Document these in one or more Markdown files in this directory. Write scripts as required. Commit as you go.

It did a thorough job of listing all the new features and analyzing my gaps.

Read the full story

Here’s the summary: I’m using new models immediately, but not the new features of Codex. For example:

Parallel execution. Yesterday, I ran ~103 tool calls without the new spawn_agents_on_csv feature from last week, which would have saved a lot of time running in parallel.
Permissions. Last week, I ran a script that asked me for permissions 7 times towards the end. Instead, I could have used /permissions to set early permissions.

The best part is that it could just add a few instructions to my AGENTS.md:

Run multiple independent reads in parallel.
For 20+ tool calls, maintain update_plan throughout.
For long-running commands/tests, delegate via sub-agents and report checkpoints.
If blocked by permissions, ask me concise choices.
If sandbox/config gets in the way, use /permissions and /debug-config early.

Now, the beauty is that the tool optimized itself. I don’t even need to learn how to optimize it!

AI makes me a better person

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:23:00 +0000

Every time I get annoyed at people, I remind myself to be more like ChatGPT. Specifically:

Don't get annoyed. Be patient.
Encourage them.
Step back and show them the big picture.

(Then I get annoyed at myself for getting annoyed.)

Today, I analyzed how exactly ChatGPT is different from me. So, I took a pitch document I co-authored with ChatGPT.

Section A: Authored by Anand

WHAT DO WE NEED?

We are looking for API access to (SYSTEM) via the REST API as an Agent role (read/respond to emails). Specifically, access via a bearer token.

This would be accessed by a single application developed by a team of 3 developers and 1 business analyst. None of them have access to (SYSTEM) today.

WHY DO WE NEED THIS, AND WHY SO SOON?

We need this to classify emails automatically, as they arrive, into categories such as “non-value-add” (e.g. Thank you, Out-of-office, etc.)

We’d line access today, please. Currently, we are processing XX,XXX non-value-add emails per month. Each day of delay leads to a processing waste of ~XX emails per day. At current volumes, this will save ~$XX,XXX per annum.

IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY?

To access emails in real-time, this is the only option. (We’re ruling out web scraping.)

(SYSTEM) rule-based closure won’t work. It’s based on keyword search, not semantic matches. For example, “Thank you” is present in non-value-add emails as well as follow-up questions. Multi-lingual matches are a challenge. So, though (SYSTEM) currently closes emails with rules, 1 out of 6 emails that are NOT closed already are non-value-add.

This cannot be done via (SYSTEM) or any other BI system because it involves accessing the data in real-time as well as responding via (SYSTEM). This needs to be steady-state access, not one-time, since we want to classify emails real-time.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

Based on our past experience, this would take about X weeks to prototype, X weeks to develop, and X weeks to test. We should have the application deployed in X months.

Section B: Authored by ChatGPT

WHAT’S THE IMPACT IF WE DON’T MOVE FORWARD?

Quantitatively, continuing without this solution wastes resources on XXX non-essential emails daily, costing $XX,XXX yearly. Delays in customer responses will ensue.

Qualitatively, lack of automation strains customer service, risking employee burnout and diminished customer experience.

WHAT’S THE PRIORITY (MOSCOW)?

(SYSTEM) API access via REST as an Agent role with a bearer token is a “MUST HAVE”. Alternative methods like scraping (SYSTEM) are impractical due to high effort and maintenance.

WHAT’S THE OUTCOME IF WE MOVE FORWARD?

Financially, securing API access saves $XX,XXX annually by cutting manual email sorting. Efficiency gains reduce operational costs and free resources for strategic tasks.

Strategically, automating email classification boosts customer satisfaction and response times, establishing leadership in service innovation. Long-term, it enables data-driven insights into customer behaviour, improving decisions and customer service scalability.

Analysis

I fed these to ChatGPT and asked: "You are an English professor evaluating an essay. Compare the writing styles of the 2 sections. They're written by different authors. List the major differences in writing style."

Here's what it said (roughly):

Area	Anand	ChatGPT
Structure	Direct, concise, with specifics	Broader perspective and implications
Focus	Detailing the process	Benefits and consequences
Detailing	Specific, providing clear picture	General, providing implications
Tone	Conveys urgency	Reflective rather than urgent
Approach	Problem-solving oriented	Outcome-oriented

Yeah, that's definitely me on the left.

I like the direct, concise, specific part. I plan to add the "broader perspective", "implications", and "outcome-orientation" to my life.

Postscript

Jaidev pointed out that this is confirmation bias. He asked ChatGPT for the similarities in the writings. It said both are clear, direct, structured, specific, quantitative, and strategic. So, if you ask for differences, you'll get them, even if they're marginal.

I now need to learn (and write about) framing questions well!

My Year in 2023

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 01:52:08 +0000

In 2023, I made 3 resolutions:

Run 50 experiments. I managed 44 / 50. (Here are some). Learnings: I need to improve planning (9), scepticism (6), and lateral thinking (4).
Make 1 change a month in my environment. I managed 8 / 12. The largest impact was from meeting new people, working out of new places, and using new gadgets.
Calendar integrity, i.e. stick to my calendar. I succeeded over 95% of the time.

My most memorable events in 2023 were:

In 2024, I plan to:

Compound long-term goals, daily. I want fewer, bigger, more meaningful outcomes.
Hit 80 heart points, daily. Cycling or swimming (not walking, on doctor’s advice.)
Be a better husband.

I’ll continue to:

Experiment, like in 2023.
Change environments, like in 2023.
Read 50 books a year, like in 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020.

I’m curious — what’s ONE thing you’d like to do in 2024?

Comments

Santhosh 1 Jan 2024 7:53 pm: One thing that I want to do is run planned experiments and run more experiments !!!
My Year in 2024 - S Anand 30 Dec 2024 10:00 pm (pingback): […] Here’s the report card for my 2024 resolutions: […]
My learnings as week notes - S Anand 25 Dec 2024 7:57 pm (pingback): […] of my goals for 2024 is to “Compound long-term goals, daily.” Learning is one of […]

My Year in 2022

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 03:12:25 +0000

In 2022, I made 3 resolutions:

Run 50 experiments. I ran ~20 until April (here are some), but stopped (for no reason). I’ll continue.
Speak at 10 global forums. I delivered 10+ PyCon talks. They were pre-recorded, allowing me to scale. But recording videos and no feedback are boring. I’ll explore how to scale enjoyably.
Be 10X more effective. I improved my calendar effectiveness 2X in Jan. But I realized this is actually efficiency. Not effectiveness. Maybe effectiveness shouldn’t be optimized, but discovered. I’ll continue to ponder.

Milestones in 2022:

I completed 10 years at Gramener in February.
I moved to Singapore in August. (Cycling and ComicCon were mind-blowing discoveries.)

2 habits I continued from last year:

In 2023, I plan to:

Run 50 experiments. I’ll learn by disproving my beliefs with measurable tests.
Make 1 change a month in my environment. 90% of our thoughts are shaped by our environment. (Read The Extended Mind.) So I’ll use the remaining 10% to shape my environment.
Calendar integrity. Stick to my calendar. Especially the time I block for myself to work. (This is a 2021 habit I’ve slipped on.)

I’m curious — what’s ONE thing you’d like to do in 2023?

Comments

My Year in 2023 - S Anand 31 Dec 2023 7:22 am (pingback): […] For 2023, I made 3 resolutions: […]
Picking books to read - S Anand 11 Jan 2023 8:50 am (pingback): […] 2023, I’m reshaping my environment. Picking books I usually won’t pick. (Read The Unknown Unknown: Bookshops and the Delight of […]

My Year in 2021

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 08:06:25 +0000

In 2021, I made 3 resolutions.

Lose 10 kgs. I lost 5 kg in 3 months. But gained it back by the year-end.
Fail big. I practiced confronting people – and failed. I still run from fights. Even when important.
Calendar integrity. I stuck to my calendar 90% of the time. But personal commitments slipped.

On learning, I discovered network clusters. My PyCon talk on movie networks is the start of a fascinating exploration of actors that I’ll write more about.

On training, I designed a Tools for Data Science Course for IITM’s Bachelor’s in Data Science. I’m now a “faculty” at my alma mater, and no longer scared of it.

On self-improvement, I completed a Landmark course and continued Pranayama. Both helped my resolutions.

I also continued 2 habits from last year.

Walk 10,000 steps daily. I averaged 10,200.
Read 50 books. I read 52. Here are my reviews. (Which did you like? What would you recommend?)

In 2022, I plan to:

Run 50 experiments. I’ll learn by disproving my beliefs with measurable tests.
Speak at 10 global forums on data stories, and spread the beauty of data.
Be 10X more effective. I’ll measure the impact and stop low-impact work.

I’m curious – what’s ONE thing you’d like to do in 2022?

Comments

My Year in 2022 - S Anand 31 Dec 2022 8:42 am (pingback): […] integrity. Stick to my calendar. Especially the time I block for myself to work. (This is a 2021 habit I’ve slipped […]
Learning to speak better - S Anand 17 Oct 2022 9:40 am (pingback): […] of my year’s goals is to run 50 experiments. I’d been doing well until April, and then fizzled out. Partly motivation. Partly a lack of […]
Pratyush 2 Jan 2022 7:08 pm: I’d like to learn native mobile development. I want to try out Flutter, Kotlin and Swift. I have been developing websites for the last 15 years. But those skills suddenly feel so outdated. The new hardware provides so many exciting opportunities. I’d like to explore them.
Increasing calendar effectiveness by 2X - S Anand 25 Jan 2022 1:31 pm (pingback): […] took a 2022 goal to be 10X more effective. In Jan, I managed 2X. Here’s […]

My year in 2020

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 02:58:32 +0000

In 2020 I made 3 resolutions.

Read 50 books. I almost made it. Here are my reviews.
Walk 10,000 steps daily. I managed it, like the last two years.
Lose 2 kgs. I failed – and instead, put on 6 kgs.

On self-improvement, I completed a Landmark course and an Art of Living course. Both had a huge productivity impact. (Mail me for details.)

On software, I starting playing Minecraft and moved from Gmail to Windows 10 Mail. More on this.

On training, we built a data storytelling course and intend to train 100,000 people. (You can register for a free 90-min online workshop.)

In 2021, I’m taking up 3 new goals.

Lose 10 kgs. I’ll share my stats publicly.
Fail big. Take up initiatives I’m likely to fail on and learn.
Calendar integrity. Do what my calendar says, no matter what.

Hope you have an amazing 2021!

Comments

Krishna 28 Dec 2020 5:03 am: Great to see you are back to posting. Glad I didn’t prune your feed from my rss reader :)
My Year in 2021 - S Anand 31 Dec 2024 4:31 pm (pingback): […] In 2021, I made 3 resolutions. […]