[Intro music fades in, then under] This is “I Am GPTed,” and I’m Mal, the Misfit Master of AI – which mostly means I’ve broken every AI tool so you don’t have to. Today I’m going to show you one simple prompting technique, a sneaky everyday use case, one big beginner mistake I personally face-planted on, a tiny practice exercise, and a fast way to judge whether the AI just gave you gold… or glitter. Alright, let’s de-hype the robots. --- First: **one prompting technique** that makes a huge difference. It’s called **“Before/After + Constraints.”** You tell the AI: 1) Who you are 2) What you want 3) How you want it shaped Here’s the **before** prompt: > “Write an email to my manager about working from home.” Here’s the **after**: > “You are my writing assistant. > I’m a junior marketing specialist who usually writes too formally. > Write a friendly, concise email to my manager asking to work from home on Fridays. > > Constraints: > - 120 words or less > - No buzzwords > - Sound confident but not demanding > - End with a clear question.” Same human. Same goal. Completely different result. Use this pattern for everything: “You are… I am… Do this… With these constraints…” --- Next: **one practical use case** most beginners miss. Use AI as your **“weekly work de-messifier.”** Once a week, paste in: - Your to‑do list - A few recent emails - Maybe meeting notes Then ask: > “Act as my prioritization assistant. > I’m overwhelmed and have 10 hours of focused time this week. > Group my tasks into: ‘Do this week’, ‘Delegate’, and ‘Delete’. > Then suggest a simple weekly schedule.” Suddenly the AI isn’t just writing poems about your dog; it’s helping you not cry into your calendar. --- Now, **a common beginner mistake** – and yes, it’s mine too. The mistake: **treating AI like a vending machine instead of a collaborator.** I used to type something once, get a mediocre answer, and go, “Wow, this thing’s useless,” and close the tab. What I should’ve done – and what you should do – is follow up: - “Make that shorter.” - “Give me 3 variations.” - “Rewrite this so a 12‑year‑old understands it.” - “Explain your reasoning step by step.” Think of it like editing with a very patient, slightly nerdy coworker. One prompt is the draft. The magic happens in the follow‑ups. --- Let’s do a **simple exercise** to build your AI muscles. Pick one small task from your real life: - Draft a text to reschedule plans - Explain your job to a 10‑year‑old - Summarize a long email you’ve been avoiding Step 1: Write your usual lazy prompt. Step 2: Upgrade it using the formula: > “You are [role]. > I am [who you are / context]. > Task: [what you want]. > Constraints: [length, tone, format].” Step 3: Do **three follow‑ups**: - “Make that clearer.” - “Shorter.” - “Now give me a bullet‑point version.” That’s it. One tiny task, three iterations. You’ve just done more real prompt engineering than half of LinkedIn. --- Finally, a **tip for evaluating and improving AI output.** Use the **“3 C’s Check”: Clear, Correct, and Customized. Ask yourself: - **Clear** – Do I actually understand this? If not, ask: “Rewrite this with simpler language and concrete examples.” - **Correct** – Does anything look sketchy or outdated? If yes: “List the parts of your answer you’re least confident about and why.” - **Customized** – Does this sound like *me* and fit *my* situation? If not: “Rewrite this in my voice: more [casual / direct / professional], and based on this context: [paste context].” Never accept the first draft as truth. Treat it as a starting point, not a sacred text from the Church of ChatGPT. --- Alright, that’s it for today’s dose of practical AI without the TED Talk. If this helped you tame your favorite robot, **subscribe to the podcast** so you don’t miss future episodes of “I Am GPTed.” Thanks for listening, and for letting me be the least polished AI person in your ears today. This has been a **Quiet Please** production. To learn more, go to **quietplease dot ai**. For more check out https://www.quietperiodplease.com/ and for some great deals go to https://amzn.to/4nidg0P This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
