Chances Are You’re Using ChatGPT Wrong: A 6-Step Prompting Framework to 10x Productivity

Chances Are You’re Using ChatGPT Wrong: A 6-Step Prompting Framework to 10x Productivity

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Introduction: Why Most People Struggle With AI Tools

Chances are you’re not getting the full potential out of ChatGPT—or any large language model (LLM) for that matter. This isn’t your fault. Most people treat AI like a casual chatbot, asking scattered questions without strategy. The result? Generic, underwhelming answers.

But here’s the truth: AI is only as good as the prompts you give it. Mastering prompt engineering will be one of the most valuable skills of the decade. Doctors, engineers, lawyers, marketers—professionals across industries—are already learning how to prompt AI to diagnose, solve, analyze, and create with precision.

So instead of waiting to get left behind, it’s time to learn the six-part prompting framework that will 10x your productivity and unlock ChatGPT’s full power.

How To Use ChatGPT The RIGHT WAY In 2025 (you’re doing it wrong)

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The 6-Part Prompting Framework

1. Command: Start With Authority

Most users ask vague questions like “Can you give me investing advice?” That’s a weak prompt. AI responds better to clear, action-driven commands:

• ✅ Better: “Recommend a diversified investment strategy for a moderate-risk investor saving for a home within 5 years.”

• ✅ Use verbs like analyze, create, design, recommend, generate, evaluate.

The shift from passive asking to direct commanding is the first step to better AI outputs.

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2. Context: The More, the Better

Without context, ChatGPT fills in the blanks with generic answers. You need to narrow it down with specifics:

• ❌ Weak: “Recommend a diversified investment strategy.”

• ✅ Strong: “Recommend a diversified investment strategy for a 32-year-old earning $90,000 a year, with moderate risk tolerance, saving to buy a home in 5 years.”

A simple rule: provide the Who, What, and When—so the AI can deliver the How.

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3. Logic: Show the AI the Shape of the Output

Don’t just tell the AI what to do—tell it how you want it presented. Structure matters.

• Example:

  • “List asset categories.”

  • “Explain the percent allocation for each.”

  • “Briefly justify the rationale.”

You can even define the format: Apple Notes style, a table, a graph, or a ready-to-share PDF. Logic guides the AI into producing usable, organized content rather than walls of text.

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4. Roleplay: Assign an Expert Persona

AI adapts to roles. When you tell it who to be, the quality skyrockets.

• ❌ Weak: “What’s the best investment plan?”

• ✅ Strong: “You are a certified financial adviser with 15 years of experience in personal finance. Recommend an investment plan for a 32-year-old saving for a house in 5 years.”

Roles can include:

• Financial advisor

• Marketing strategist

• Code architect

• Lawyer

• Creative director

By embedding expertise, you get depth and nuance instead of generic advice.

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5. Formatting: Structure the Response

Formatting is where you make outputs directly usable. For example:

• “Format the response as three sections: (1) Asset Allocation, (2) Rationale, (3) Risk Considerations.”

• “Output the plan as a table with percentage breakdowns.”

• “Write it as bullet points I can copy and paste into a business plan.”

Think ahead: where are you going to use the output? Formatting lets you drop it into work without re-writing or restructuring.

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6. Questions: The Secret Sauce

Here’s the ultimate hack—ask the AI to ask you questions.

• Example:
  “Ask me 10 questions that will help you tailor the strategy more precisely.”

This forces ChatGPT to find the gaps in your request. It may ask about your long-term financial goals, your tolerance for drawdowns, or your time horizon—details you didn’t think of.

Pro tip: keep going until the AI stops asking fresh questions. That means the prompt is fully fleshed out. For big projects like a business plan or content strategy, this is game-changing.

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Why Prompt Engineering Matters

• In a world where every profession is adopting AI, those who master prompts will outperform those who don’t.

• Prompt engineering = leverage. The same AI that gives one person a shallow paragraph can give another person a full business plan, step-by-step strategy, or professional-grade analysis—all depending on the prompt.

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Putting It All Together

Next time you use ChatGPT (or Gemini, or any LLM), remember the six building blocks:

1. Command – Start with strong action verbs.

2. Context – Give details: who, what, when.

3. Logic – Define the structure of the output.

4. Roleplay – Assign an expert persona.

5. Formatting – Control how the answer is presented.

6. Questions – Let the AI probe for missing info.

This framework transforms ChatGPT from a casual chatbot into a professional productivity tool.

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Conclusion: Your Edge in AI

Most people are using ChatGPT wrong, but you don’t have to. By stacking commands, context, logic, roleplay, formatting, and questions, you’ll unlock responses that are 10x more powerful, more tailored, and more actionable.

Prompting is the skill of the future. Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, or professional, mastering this framework today will give you an unbeatable edge tomorrow.