Never before in human history have we had access to a tool that can so quickly transform the way we live, work, and think. Ai, and tools like ChatGPT, are not just search engines or assistants. They are adaptive learning partners—tools designed to teach us how to use them better.

The most overlooked feature of Ai is this: it understands context. It doesn’t just answer questions—it guides you toward better ones. But the problem is, most people are asking the wrong questions.

Why Prompts Fail

Think about how you talk with another person. If you only give half the details, you’ll get half-formed advice. Ai works the same way. If you toss in a short, vague prompt like “write me a business plan” or “make me a marketing strategy”, don’t expect it to read your mind.

What’s missing in most people’s prompts is detail and context.

My Own Approach

Personally, I often open a blank document and spend half a page (sometimes more) writing down my goal. This might be in bullet points or rough notes. I’ll describe the situation, the problem, and the outcome I want. Then I’ll ask Ai:

• Is there a better way to approach this?

• What am I missing?

• What questions should I answer first before we move forward?

And I’m often shocked by the insights I get back. Many times, Ai reframes my problem in a way I hadn’t even considered, or it gives me a checklist of questions I hadn’t thought to ask myself.

In the past, I made the mistake of writing statements instead of asking questions. That limited the depth of the answers. Once I flipped my approach—asking questions first, and then letting Ai ask me its own questions—the responses became far more valuable.

Even this blog post started as a page of rough text. I handed that over to Ai, asked it to refine, reorganize, and improve the message, and here we are.

Suggestions for Better Prompts

If you’re new to ChatGPT or Ai tools, here are a few ways to improve your prompts immediately:

1. Provide context. Tell Ai who you are, what role you’re in, and what you’re trying to achieve.

   • Example: “I am a small business owner writing a business plan for a coffee shop in Bangkok. My goal is to attract investors.”

2. Be clear about the format. Say whether you want bullet points, an essay, a checklist, a strategy, or a story.

3. Ask Ai to ask you questions. Instead of expecting perfect answers right away, invite Ai to challenge you.

   • Example: “Before you give me a plan, give me 10 questions I should answer first so your advice is more targeted.”

4. Iterate. Don’t expect the first output to be final. Treat Ai like a brainstorming partner. Feed it more detail, refine your request, and build layer by layer.

5. Think long-form. The more effort you put into your input, the more intelligent the output becomes. A good rule of thumb: write at least a paragraph of background before you ask for a solution.

Final Thought

Ai is not a magic wand—it’s a mirror. The quality of what you get depends on the clarity and depth of what you put in. If you treat ChatGPT like a shortcut, you’ll get shortcut answers. If you treat it like a partner, it will teach you how to think better, work smarter, and see opportunities you never imagined.

The secret is simple: don’t just tell Ai what you want—tell it your story.