📰 The one habit that changes how ChatGPT answers you

On Tuesday, I asked you to open ChatGPT and try it once, on something small. If you did, thank you. If you did not get to it yet, that is fine too. Today builds on that step either way.

Here is what you will get out of this issue:

If you tried ChatGPT on Tuesday and the answer felt a bit generic, or not quite what you were hoping for, there is a simple reason for that. ChatGPT works best when you are specific about what you want, the same way a person would understand you better if you gave them more detail.

This matters more than it might sound. Many people type something short, like "help me write a note," and get back something a bit flat. But if you say "help me write a short, warm thank-you note to my neighbor for watering my plants while I was away," the answer comes back sounding much more like something you would actually say.

There is a name for this: being specific. And it turns out, most people who use ChatGPT, including plenty of people your age, are still learning this. According to AARP, nearly half of people in their 50s now know about and use AI chatbots, but most consider themselves beginners. That means you are not behind. You are right where most people are.

Here is your one step for today.

Read this AARP article on getting better answers from ChatGPT: Expert Tips: How to Prompt a Generative AI Chatbot

It takes about five minutes. It explains, in plain language, the difference between a vague question and a specific one, and why that difference matters so much.

You do not need to do anything else with it today. Just read it. If something in it makes you think "oh, that is what I was missing," that is the whole point.

Here is why this matters for the direction we are choosing this quarter.

Being specific with ChatGPT and being specific about your own direction work the same way. A vague goal, like "I want to feel more confident with technology," is hard to act on. A specific one, like "I want to be comfortable using ChatGPT to write a few emails a week," gives you something to actually do.

If you read this article, you will start to notice that specificity helps in both places: in what you type, and in what you are aiming for.

If you do not get to it this week, nothing is lost. The article will still be there whenever you are ready, and the ideas in it are not going anywhere.

If you read it and one part stood out to you, hit reply and tell me which part. A sentence is plenty.

You are not behind. You are right on time. Saturday, we will look at how this idea of choosing one direction applies to income ideas too.

▶️ This week's step: Read this AARP article on getting better answers from ChatGPT — about five minutes.

— Bob

If you're curious about the guy behind these emails, I put a few stories and photos over at bobcaine.com. No pressure, just a place to see the face behind the screen.