The other day I was walking to my office space to start my night shift of work. I had a lot of tasks to do, but I could sense it in my body that I had no energy to do more. I had already put in a full day of work at my day job, and I could tell that my lack of enthusiasm was likely going to make it a slow, less productive night than I’d like. So, I could do one of two things: 1) force myself to work, knowing it wouldn’t yield great results, or 2) do something else.
I decided to do something else, so I turned the corner and drove home.
On my drive, I started to think about all the things I could do instead…grocery shopping, running errands, chores, cleaning; you know, the adulting stuff. I had no desire to do any of these things either. So I cranked up my music and let my mind wander. What do I want to do? The answer came back: Nothing.
Now, I’m not the type of person who can spend hours watching TV. I don’t have Netflix or anything similar, so binge-watching isn’t really an option or an interest. But my lack of enthusiasm told me I needed something to spark me back into action, not something that would just allow me to rest.—This is an important distinction by the way; knowing the difference between when you need a spark of inspiration or physical rest.
“Learning never exhausts the mind.”
Leonardo da Vinci
As I continued driving, a thought hit me: I wonder how to connect to the ChatGPT AI through its API? I had heard about people doing this and see it all over online and thought, What’s involved in this coding process? I don’t have expert experience working with APIs because it’s not a common need in my current work, but I’ve always wanted to learn more about it.
Sidebar: What’s an API?
An API stands for “Application Programming Interface” (boring acronym, I know). The full name isn’t as important. You just need to know that an API is like a bridge that allows two programs to talk to each other.
When we talk about connecting to ChatGPT through its API, it means you’re using a bridge (the API) to send a request to ChatGPT, asking it to generate a response based on the input you provide. The API takes your request, processes it, and then sends back the answer from ChatGPT, which you can use in your own app or website. It’s a simple way to access and use the AI’s capabilities without needing to understand how it works internally. Pretty cool eh?
I know what you’re thinking: My thoughts are odd and maybe even boring. It may also sound like work to you. I get it, but this is how my mind works, and I love challenging projects that help me learn. If I could have it my way I’d be enrolled in school my entire life 😄. The creative thoughts that stirred in my mind during my long drive home sparked a curiosity in me that I decided to follow. And I’m a firm believer that curiosity is never something to ignore.
A Night of Learning, Coding & Self High Fives
That night, I dove deep into learning how to connect to the API. I didn’t have any expectations. I didn’t have any specific projects in mind to create. I didn’t care if I failed to get my code to work by the end of the night. My goal was to simply have a better understanding of APIs and the ChatGPT API specifically because that’s where my curiosity was. So, I just let myself explore. I simply followed my thirst for knowledge and let it lead me.
By the end of the night, I surprised myself and created three different web apps: an email writing assistant, a substance info generator, and a fine artist info generator. I didn’t stop to worry about perfection or whether I was wasting time. I just went with the flow.
What amazed me wasn’t just that I had created something I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to grasp quickly, but that I had rediscovered the joy of creating without a specific goal in mind. I wasn’t working on a task or checking off an item on my to-do list. I was allowing myself to learn purely for the sake of learning. I was a student and teacher at the same time.
Conclusion
You don’t need to be in school to keep learning. You should be an ongoing learner. When you give yourself the freedom to explore new ideas and try things that you’re curious about, you gain more than just knowledge. You start to see the world with fresh eyes. You become more creative, more confident, and more engaged with life. For myself, this night of coding gave me a spark of energy so high I was beyond ready to tackle the real items on my to-do list. I got the fuel I was looking for.
So give yourself permission. Let go of the pressure to always be productive or to always have a reason for doing something. Follow your curiosity, wherever it leads. You might be surprised at what you discover—not just about the world, but about yourself.
