HUL361 Assignment 2

Shreenath Jha 2022ME11306

Section 1: Introduction & Context

1.1 Background & Motivation

As someone juggling multiple responsibilities—building a prototype for my startup [Link],

studying at IIT Delhi, bring a content creator, and continuously learning about AI, product
development, and startup funding—I often struggle with time management, mental overload,
and decision fatigue. Given my neurodivergence (autism & ADHD), traditional productivity and
reflection methods don’t always work for me.

I wanted to test an AI-powered journaling system that could go beyond just answering
questions (like ChatGPT) and instead analyze my thought patterns, pinpoint blind spots, and
surface insights I wasn’t even aware of. Enter Mindsera—a journaling AI that not only responds
to user input but also detects emotions, cognitive distortions, and recurring themes in writing.

This 30-day experiment aimed to determine:

• How well AI-driven journaling can help in structuring my chaotic thoughts.

• Whether it can reveal patterns I might not consciously notice.

• If an AI coach can replace or supplement human mentorship.

• How this approach could inspire new product ideas for [Link].

1.2 What Makes Mindsera Different?

Unlike ChatGPT, which primarily answers explicit questions, Mindsera analyzes unspoken
patterns. It dissects how I write rather than just what I write. Each day, it:

• Detects emotional states (e.g., frustration, stress, motivation levels).

• Identifies recurring phrases and themes across logs.

• Offers three alternative perspectives on my thoughts.

• Pushes me to go deeper by asking, "What else?" and "Why does this matter?"

• Connects the dots between previous logs, highlighting long-term patterns.

This analytical depth makes it more of a proactive guide rather than a reactive Q&A bot. Given
that most people (including me) don’t always know what’s holding them back, this approach
intrigued me.

1.3 Why This is Relevant to Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is all about enhancing well-being, building resilience, and reframing
negative thinking patterns. Mindsera fits right into this because it doesn’t just store your
thoughts—it actively helps you work through them. Here’s how:

• It pushes self-awareness by making you confront your recurring mental loops.

• It provides alternative perspectives, which is like cognitive reframing (a core idea in

therapy and positive psychology).

• It picks up patterns in your writing to highlight subconscious struggles and blind spots.

• It helps with goal tracking, emotional clarity, and breaking negative thought cycles.

1.4 Key Features I Used

For a full month, I tried to make Mindsera a daily practice. Some standout features were:

• AI-Powered Cognitive Reframing: Every time I wrote something—whether a rant,

reflection, or casual thought—it gave me three alternate perspectives. Sometimes they
were spot on, sometimes off, but always thought-provoking.

• Writing Pattern Analysis: This was crazy. Over time, it started picking up on repeated
phrases and themes in my writing, pointing out patterns I wasn’t even aware of.

• Deeper Prompting: It didn’t just leave me with my surface-level thoughts. It pushed me

to go deeper by asking more questions. Felt like an interrogation sometimes, but in a
good way.

• Tracking Emotional Trends: Since I was journaling consistently, I could actually see mood
fluctuations over time and correlate them with life events.

• Self-Coaching System: Instead of giving generic advice, it analyzed how I framed

problems and suggested tailored insights based on my own writing.

1.5 Research on AI-Driven Journaling & Mental Health

• Kross et al. (2014): Showed that self-distanced reflection (like what Mindsera promotes)
helps in reducing emotional distress.
 • Baikie & Wilhelm (2005): Found that expressive writing leads to better emotional clarity
and lower stress levels.

• Fitzpatrick et al. (2017): Studied AI-driven cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and found
it can mimic therapist interventions effectively.

• Tausczik & Pennebaker (2010): Found that analyzing language patterns can give deep
insights into psychological states.

Section 2: Daily Logs

Week 1: Initial Exploration & Early Benefits

• Day 1: Started with a structured journaling prompt. The AI analyzed my writing style
and highlighted some recurring themes, like overthinking and perfectionism.

• Day 2: Mindsera prompted me to reflect on my biggest mental roadblocks. Realized I

often get paralyzed by information overload.

• Day 3: Explored cognitive reframing. Wrote about stress from balancing studies and
startup work—AI suggested alternate perspectives that helped reduce my anxiety.

• Day 4: Started feeling a routine forming. The AI’s ability to analyze writing patterns
made me more mindful of my thought processes.

• Day 5: First major breakthrough—Mindsera identified my tendency to predict worst-

case scenarios. This self-awareness changed how I approached problems.

• Day 6: AI-generated insights suggested I might be over-relying on external validation.

This aligned with past experiences, making me rethink how I measure success.

• Day 7: Co-founder decided to leave for a summer research internship in Germany. Hit
me hard. Mindsera encouraged a structured approach to process emotions, and I
decided to take this as a challenge rather than a setback.

Week 2: Adjusting to the Shift

• Day 8: Journaled about taking full responsibility for product development. Mindsera
identified underlying fear of failure and challenged it.

• Day 9: Explored deeper feelings of frustration. AI-generated questions helped me

realize I was more anxious about managing time than learning new skills.
 • Day 10: Started a “skill acquisition” log. Documenting full-stack development and
DevOps learning process helped reduce overwhelm.

• Day 11: Felt imposter syndrome creeping in. Mindsera suggested reflecting on past
challenges I overcame, which boosted confidence.

• Day 12: Had a moment of clarity—this transition was an opportunity to become more
self-sufficient.

• Day 13: Explored a new journaling style—writing as if mentoring my past self. AI

reflections made it an insightful exercise.

• Day 14: First real sense of control. Mindsera showed how my writing had shifted from
anxious problem-focused language to solution-oriented thinking.

Week 3: Deeper Exploration & Breakthroughs

• Day 15: AI pointed out a recurring theme—I wasn’t giving myself credit for progress.
Started tracking small wins.

• Day 16: Discovered a pattern—whenever I was overwhelmed, my writing became

fragmented. Used this as a cue to pause and restructure my thoughts.

• Day 17: Started integrating journaling insights into my workflow. Realized

documenting failures was just as important as successes.

• Day 18: AI reframed a negative experience as a learning moment. This mindset shift
helped me take setbacks less personally.

• Day 19: Thought about long-term vision for my startup. Mindsera suggested I clarify
my intrinsic motivations.

• Day 20: Realized I had underestimated my ability to adapt. AI feedback reinforced how
much I had grown.

• Day 21: Anxiety levels significantly lower. Writing patterns showed I was using more
proactive language.

Week 4: New Mindset & Future Directions

• Day 22: Mindsera pointed out I had been writing about mentorship frequently.
Sparked an idea—what if we integrated AI-driven mentorship into my startup?

• Day 23: Started designing a concept—an AI tool that analyzes writing to provide
personalized habit-building and decision-making insights.
 • Day 24: Researched how other platforms handle AI-driven insights. Mindsera’s
approach to pattern recognition seemed unique.

• Day 25: Defined key differentiators—our product would provide recommendations for
unasked questions based on subtle writing cues.

• Day 26: Developed an early prototype sketch. Realized this idea had potential beyond
just journaling.

• Day 27: Noticed my writing had shifted from problem-solving to creation-focused

discussions.

• Day 28: AI-generated review showed a shift in emotional tone—less anxious, more
optimistic.

• Day 29: Finalized a proposal for the AI mentorship system. Excited about where this
could go.

• Day 30: Reflected on the past month. Mindsera had not only helped me navigate a
tough transition but also inspired a new direction for my startup.

Section 3: Emerging Insights & Product Ideas

3.1 Realization: AI-Driven Habit & Insight Mentor for [Link]?

Halfway through this experiment, I had a major insight: What if we built an AI-powered
journaling & mentorship tool into [Link]?

Most AI tutors answer student questions, but what about questions students don’t even know
they need to ask?

• What if AI analyzed their learning patterns, study habits, and written reflections to
surface hidden struggles?

• What if we integrated habit tracking, self-improvement recommendations, and AI-

driven emotional analysis?

• Instead of just responding to queries, what if it proactively guided students toward

better habits, much like Mindsera does for me?

This could be a game-changer for JEE aspirants who often struggle with time management,
motivation, and mindset. Instead of generic study tips, AI could tailor recommendations based
on their writing, just like Mindsera did for me.
3.2 Core Features for the Prototype

A fuNCERT AI mentor could:

• Analyze students' written reflections to identify motivation dips.

• Provide alternative perspectives on their struggles.

• Nudge them toward solutions they wouldn’t have considered.

• Track mindset shifts over time, helping students self-correct behaviors.

This experiment convinced me that AI-powered self-awareness is an untapped market. While

many focus on AI tutors for technical subjects, few leverage AI for personal growth and mental
resilience, which are equally crucial for exam success.

Section 4: Conclusion & Next Steps

This 30-day AI journaling experiment did more than just enhance self-awareness—it revealed a
potential new product direction for [Link]. The ability of AI to recognize unspoken
struggles and provide personalized, behavior-driven insights could be a game-changer for JEE
and NEET aspirants.

Immediate Next Steps:

1. Prototype Development – Exploring how AI can track study habits & mental state.

2. User Testing – Piloting a small beta group to validate the concept.

3. Technical Feasibility – Investigating integrations with NLP tools (like Mindsera) for
deeper text analysis.

This is one of the rare cases where an experiment didn’t just answer my original question—it
opened a door to something much bigger.