Most people think prompting is about “typing better sentences into ChatGPT.”
That mindset is exactly why their prompts fail.
The truth is uncomfortable, but it needs to be said:
Most people don’t get bad AI outputs because AI is limited; they get bad outputs because their thinking is limited.
Prompting isn’t a trick.
It’s a way of structuring thought.
Once you understand this, AI stops feeling like a gamble and starts becoming a precision tool.
Let me show you why most prompts fail, and the 5-step method I use to fix them.
The Real Reason Prompts Don’t Work
Weak prompts have one or more of these problems:
- Vague Input: “Write an article on AI.”
- No Context: AI doesn’t know who you are, who it’s for, or why it matters.
- Zero Constraints: Without boundaries, AI produces generic filler.
- No Expected Outcome: If you don’t define “good,” AI can’t deliver it.
Bad prompt = Bad thinking → Bad output.
AI isn’t replacing humans.
It’s replacing low-quality thinking.
The 5-Step Method I Use to Fix Any Broken Prompt
This is the framework I personally rely on daily, whether I’m writing books, building products, training founders, or designing AI workflows.
Step 1: Set the Identity
Define who the AI should be.
AI performs at the level of the identity you assign to it.
Example:
“Act as a senior Python engineer with 10+ years of experience in scalable backend systems.”
Step 2: Provide Context
Tell AI where this information lives.
Give background, purpose, audience, and constraints.
Example:
“I’m creating a guide for intermediate developers who know Python but are new to AI automation.”
Step 3: Define the Objective
One sentence describing the exact outcome you want.
Example:
“Create a step-by-step tutorial that helps them automate a daily 20-minute task using Python + AI.”
Step 4: Add Rules & Constraints
Great output requires boundaries.
Examples of constraints:
- Tone
- Format
- Length
- Examples required
- Tools allowed/not allowed
Example:
“Keep it under 700 words, include 2 code snippets, and make it actionable enough to try in 30 minutes.”
Step 5: Ask for Improvement
Never accept the first output.
Real AI mastery begins at iteration.
Refinement Prompt:
“Improve the above content using clearer examples, stronger transitions, and a more practical flow. Highlight key steps.”
This step alone separates AI dabblers from AI thinkers.
The Insight
The world is stuck believing prompting is a “hack.”
It isn’t.
Prompting is the new cognitive skill set — the language of directing intelligence.
The old world rewarded learning answers.
The new world rewards learning how to ask better questions.
If schools won’t teach this, workplaces must.
If workplaces don’t, individuals must.
Those who master this shift will lead.
Others will follow.
Final Thought
Don’t treat AI like a machine waiting to impress you.
Treat it like a high-bandwidth partner whose performance reflects the quality of your thinking.
If your mind is clear, structured, and intentional, your prompts will be unstoppable.
Next Article:
“Inside My AI Workflow: How I Get Real Work Done With Prompts”
I’ll show you my actual AI workflow as a founder, creator, and educator.
Top comments (3)
Don’t treat AI like a machine waiting to impress you.
This hits hard ...prompting really is cognitive design
Totally agree — prompting isn’t typing better, it’s thinking better. Loved the 5-step breakdown, especially the part about iteration 🔥