Don't Use ChatGPT Until You Watch This Video

Introduction

This tutorial aims to enhance your experience with ChatGPT by teaching you how to create effective prompts. Many users only scratch the surface of what ChatGPT can do, often using it in a basic manner. By following these steps, you will learn how to structure prompts, customize the output, and leverage ChatGPT's capabilities to their fullest potential.

Step 1: Utilize Custom Instructions

• Access Custom Instructions: Open ChatGPT and navigate to the settings to find the custom instructions feature.
• Set Preferences: Fill out fields that allow you to specify what you want ChatGPT to remember about you and your preferences. This helps tailor responses to your needs.
• Example: If you often discuss marketing topics, indicate that in the instructions so ChatGPT can provide more relevant information.

Step 2: Write in Your Style

• Personalize Output: Specify your preferred writing style in the custom instructions. This helps ChatGPT generate responses that align with your voice.
• Example: Indicate whether you prefer formal, casual, concise, or detailed responses.
• Tip: Experiment with different styles to see which ones resonate best with your communication preferences.

Step 3: Implement Self-Critique

• Encourage Feedback: Ask ChatGPT to critique its own responses. This can help refine the quality of the information provided.
• How to Do It: After receiving a response, prompt ChatGPT with questions like, "What could be improved in your previous answer?" or "Can you provide a different perspective on this topic?"

Step 4: Use Self-Prompting Techniques

• Guide the Conversation: Instead of waiting for ChatGPT to respond passively, lead the discussion by asking follow-up questions or providing context.
• Example: After an initial query, you might prompt with, "Can you elaborate on that?" or "What are the pros and cons?"

Step 5: Make Responses Crisp

• Request Conciseness: If you find responses too verbose, instruct ChatGPT to be more concise.
• Example Prompt: Use phrases like, "Summarize the main points in three bullet points" or "Give me a short paragraph."

Step 6: Explore Different Output Formats

• Change Output Type: You can request various formats for the output such as lists, tables, or bullet points.
• How to Request: Simply state your preference in the prompt. For example:
  • "Can you provide this information in a table format?"
  • "List the key features in bullet points."

Conclusion

By mastering these steps, you'll significantly improve your interactions with ChatGPT. Customizing prompts and utilizing features like self-critique and output formatting will help you extract more value from the tool. Experiment with these techniques, and don’t hesitate to adapt them as you become more familiar with ChatGPT’s capabilities. Consider signing up for additional resources or courses to deepen your understanding of prompt engineering and maximize your productivity with AI.