Talking to myself always ends up with us both laughing …..

Are you at all curious what others think about you? I think most people are….

Even the most “narcissistic” people among us—those with an inflated sense of self-importance—must wonder at times what others really think of them. It’s part of being human isn’t it?
But what’s even more interesting is how our curiosity about others’ perceptions often loops back to something deeper and infinitely more interesting: it’s what we believe about ourselves.

Mind Prober, AI, and the Mirror We Hold to Ourselves

Back in the day—specifically the early ’80s—there were a handful of software applications that attempted to answer that question in a surprisingly creative way. They didn’t tell you what others thought about you. Instead, they used your own answers to tell you who you were.

One tool I loved to play with was Mind Prober, a personality-analysis application released in 1984 by Human Edge Software. It ran on DOS systems (or a Commodore 64 or Apple II if you were lucky) and asked users to respond to about 60 adjectives—agree, neutral, or disagree. From that, it spun out an impressive multi-page personality report. It covered relationships, stress, work style, deeper motivations, and more. And it did all of that using less computing power than your digital watch has today.

I had a bootleg copy of Mind Prober back then. (Didn’t we all?) And I’d gather with friends and dive into these deep self-assessments that felt equal parts playful and revealing. For the time, it was shockingly accurate—and perhaps more importantly, it made us think.

🧠 Recreating the Experience with AI

Fast forward to today, and I wondered: Could using Artificial Intelligence (AI) help recreate that experience using modern tools?

I turned to ChatGPT to find out. We built a short list of adjectives—similar in spirit to those old Mind Prober prompts—and I responded with my honest gut reactions. From there, the AI built a full personality profile, updated for today but very much in the tone and structure of what I remember from those sessions in front of a glowing black and white CRT monitor.

And just like that—it was like being back in time, only now with more life behind me to reflect upon.

🔍 The Results: My AI-Generated Personality Summary

What emerged was a portrait that felt both familiar and eye-opening. Here’s a snapshot of what it said:

• Core Traits: I’m driven, values-oriented, and resilient. I process stress well, challenge myself often, and prefer purpose over passivity. I reflect deeply and act deliberately—often combining intuition with experience.
• Relationship Style: I’m emotionally perceptive but direct. I seek depth in connection, dislike games, and challenge others to grow. I sometimes withdraw to process emotions, which can be misread as detachment.
• Work & Motivation Style (Even in Retirement): While I’m no longer in the workforce, I still carry the patterns I had in professional life. I like clarity, momentum, and meaning. I can be restless in the absence of challenge, and I’m wired for building and leading more than following or fading into the background.
• Stress Response: I carry pressure well, often staying composed under fire. But I can also overextend and need time to recharge—usually in solitude. I value control and stability but have learned to make room for the unknown.
• Growth Areas: I was reminded that sometimes it’s not about having the answer—it’s about creating emotional space for others. That I don’t always need to lead, and that a bit of self-compassion is just as important as drive.

🫂 Reflections on Social Dynamics Now

Now that I’m retired, my focus has shifted away from work relationships and toward personal ones—family, friendships, and the small circles that make life rich.

I learned that I still thrive in spaces where purpose and curiosity are present. I still want to bring depth to conversations. And I’m learning (sometimes the hard way) that when I go silent to reflect, it helps to tell others I’m still emotionally present.

In social settings, I’m the one who likes to ask questions that go deeper than the weather or the score of last night’s game. I’m most comfortable in small groups or one-on-one conversations where story, meaning, and humor can breathe.

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The Mirror Still Works

What strikes me is how this modern Mind Prober style moment reminded me of something timeless: The tools change. The software evolves. But our need to understand ourselves—and connect with others through that understanding—remains the same.

Whether it’s a dot-matrix printout in 1984 or an AI-driven profile in 2025, the value isn’t just in what you learn. It’s in the process of slowing down, asking real questions, and opening yourself to what the answers might reveal.

And if you’re curious what you might learn from a session like this… I say go for it.

After all, the mirror only works if you dare to look.

To see how Mind Prober was done back in the early computing days before AI watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyNHz7WyVQU

Enjoy!