Before moving forward, conduct this honest assessment of your current AI usage:
The Five-Mistake Checklist:
□ I often use short, Google-style searches □ I rarely iterate or refine outputs □ I provide minimal context □ I accept whatever format AI provides □ I don't understand why some prompts work better
Score yourself: - 0-1 checked: You're ahead of the curve - 2-3 checked: Typical user with room to grow - 4-5 checked: You're leaving massive value on the table
The 7-Day Transformation Challenge
For the next week, before typing any AI prompt, ask yourself:
1. Role: Who would be the perfect expert for this task? 2. Context: What background does AI need? 3. Specificity: How can I make this request clearer? 4. Format: What structure would be most useful? 5. Iteration: How will I refine the output?