You’re Using ChatGPT Wrong – Here’s How to Fix It
- Justin Ouimet
- Sep 27, 2024
- 3 min read
In today's digital landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT have rapidly become integral to enhancing productivity, creativity, and workflow. However, many users, both new and experienced, are not maximizing the platform’s capabilities, often due to misconceptions or outdated advice. If you're not seeing optimal results, you might be using ChatGPT wrong. Let’s dive into how to make ChatGPT work better for you with five key strategies.
1. Simplify Your Custom Instructions
A common piece of advice is to be hyper-specific in your custom instructions—telling ChatGPT every detail about your life, work habits, values, and more. While specificity sounds helpful, it can actually reduce the tool’s versatility. Instead, keep it simple. In the first box, summarize who you are in three concise sentences:
Who are you professionally? (e.g., “I’m a product marketing manager in the tech industry.”)
What are your interests outside of work? (e.g., “I also create online content on tech and self-improvement.”)
What defines your personality and approach? (e.g., “I value efficiency, productivity, and continuous learning.”)
The second field allows for more tailored customization. Instead of cramming every specific trait into this section, selectively pick the ones that reflect the style you want. For example, look for language preferences from a creator you admire, like Rich Washburn (richwashburn.com ). Gather inspiration from newsletters, blog posts, or even speeches or podcasts. Paste those characteristics into the second box, and ChatGPT will deliver outputs with a more relevant tone and approach across all your use cases.
2. Use ChatGPT to Automate Tasks
Another common mistake is underutilizing ChatGPT's automation potential, particularly for coding tasks. Don’t be intimidated if you lack programming experience. You can ask ChatGPT to write simple Google App Scripts, such as creating a new Google Docs page with meeting notes formatted with headings and bullet points, all by just clicking a button.
For example, ask:"Write a Google App Script for my 1:1 meeting notes in Google Docs. It should add a new page with the date, notes, and action items."
ChatGPT not only generates the script but also gives you a step-by-step guide to implement it. Automation can drastically reduce manual tasks, making you more efficient, even if you’ve never written a line of code before.
3. Embrace the Follow-Up Question Strategy
A significant error users make is expecting the perfect answer from their initial prompt, a mistake I call the "First-Try Fallacy." Instead of expecting perfection, ask ChatGPT to ask you five questions that would improve its response. For example, as a marketing manager, you might ask for help with tracking payments across currencies in Google Sheets. Before diving into an answer, ChatGPT may clarify with questions such as whether you’re open to using a Google App Script or need real-time currency conversion.
This dialogue deepens the understanding, leading to more tailored and effective solutions, ultimately saving time and increasing accuracy.
4. Move Beyond Summarization – Seek Actionable Insights
Most users only scratch the surface by using ChatGPT to summarize articles. Instead, ask for actionable insights specific to your context. For instance, when reading about holiday shopping trends, you could say: "Here’s an article on holiday shopping trends. How does this information apply to a paid media marketing manager responsible for increasing brand awareness?"
This shifts the focus from a generic summary to personalized insights that help you make strategic decisions.
5. Optimize and Use Prompts Regularly
The “Prompt Overload Paradox” happens when users collect an overwhelming number of ChatGPT prompts but fail to integrate them into daily routines. Here’s a solution: ask ChatGPT to assume the role of an experienced prompt engineer and provide a list of 10 prompts that can help you in your job. Pick three prompts to use daily for two weeks, refining them to suit your workflow.
For example, you might request prompts for competitor analysis, audience insights, or creating surveys for feedback. Over time, these refined prompts will seamlessly blend into your work processes, helping you become more productive.
ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how it’s used. By simplifying custom instructions, automating repetitive tasks, embracing follow-up questions, seeking actionable insights, and optimizing prompts, you can unlock the true potential of ChatGPT. Start applying these techniques today, and you’ll notice a marked improvement in how well the AI serves you.
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