1,610 words, 9 minutes read time.

Let’s get something straight. If your AI outputs are garbage, it’s probably not the model’s fault. It’s yours. Yeah, I said it. Most people treat ChatGPT or any AI like a magical oracle—you type something vague like “write me an article” and expect pure gold. Then you rage-quit when it spits out corporate fluff or misses the mark entirely. But here’s the brutal truth: the real power behind any generative AI tool isn’t just the engine under the hood. It’s how you drive it. And that starts with one thing—prompts.
Now if you’ve spent more than five minutes in the world of artificial intelligence, you’ve heard the term “prompt engineering.” It sounds like a buzzword. Something only AI nerds and whiteboard warriors care about. But I’m here to tell you—it’s the key to everything. From generating killer blog posts to building multi-step workflows, prompts are the interface between your brain and the machine. You get this right, and you unlock the AI’s full potential. You get it wrong? You might as well be using a toy.
I came across a game-changing take on this in a YouTube video titled “The Best ChatGPT Prompt I’ve Ever Created” by Lawton Learns. This guy didn’t just talk about writing better prompts—he delivered a complete, repeatable framework that can turn a mediocre AI session into something scarily powerful. It wasn’t just smart; it was surgical. And more importantly, it worked. The idea was simple: structure your prompt like you’re briefing a highly skilled human who just happens to be lightning-fast, never sleeps, and doesn’t ask for coffee breaks. You tell it who to be, what you want, how you want it formatted, and what tone to use. You even give it context and examples. Sounds basic? Sure. But done right, it’s a total game-changer.
Let’s step back. What is a prompt? Think of it like a mission briefing. You’re not just telling the AI what to do. You’re giving it a persona, a task, and the tools to get it done. Most people say, “Write me a story.” But the pros? They say, “You’re a bestselling thriller author. Write a gritty short story set in post-apocalyptic New York. Use short, punchy sentences and end on a cliffhanger.” Boom. That’s prompting. And that second version? It’ll get you way closer to something you’d actually want to read.
So what made Lawton’s prompt so damn good? It had layers. First, it gave the AI a role. Not just a general “you’re an expert”—but a specific identity like “You are a top-tier copywriter who writes in the voice of GQ meets Wired.” Then it stacked on instructions: what to do, how to structure it, what tone to use, what not to do. It even included an escape clause that let the AI ask questions if it didn’t understand. This is gold. Because believe it or not, your AI assistant doesn’t actually know what you’re thinking until you tell it.
Want to level up your prompt game? Then you need to understand the anatomy of a strong prompt. It starts with clarity. You can’t be vague. You have to spell it out—who the AI is pretending to be, what the output should look like, and what vibe you want. Atlassian nailed this in their post on writing effective AI prompts, saying that good prompts are like setting the GPS for a road trip. You don’t just say “go north.” You say “take Route 66 and stop at these places along the way.”
Then comes format. If you want something in paragraphs, bullet points, tables, tweets, or essays—say so. If you want a tone that’s gritty, professional, sarcastic, or inspirational—say so. This isn’t nitpicking. It’s essential. AI is powerful, but it’s still just guessing what you want unless you give it directions. According to MIT Sloan’s AI prompt guide, one of the biggest fails in AI usage is leaving the prompt too open-ended. That’s how you end up with bland or bizarre responses.
Another heavy hitter? Examples. Show the AI what you want. Copy-paste a sample tweet, blog intro, or report section. The AI learns fast—give it a pattern and it’ll mimic it with eerie accuracy. Transfotech Academy’s prompt writing guide puts it simply: think like a teacher. You wouldn’t just hand a student an assignment and walk off. You give them examples, expectations, and feedback. That’s exactly how you should be prompting AI.
Here’s something most guys miss: iteration. Prompting isn’t one-and-done. It’s a loop. You test. You refine. You test again. Ask the AI to improve its answer. Reword the prompt. Tighten it up. OmniMind’s best practices make this point hard—prompt writing is a skill. It takes practice. But once you get it? Man, it’s like unlocking cheat codes for your brain.
Let’s talk about common prompt fails. First, don’t go vague. “Tell me about marketing” is lazy. Instead, ask: “You are a seasoned digital marketer. Break down how to build a product launch strategy for a new fitness brand, using storytelling and urgency techniques.” That’s how you get usable content. Second, don’t overload. Some people jam everything into one mega-sentence. Slow down. Use structure. Keep it clean. AI isn’t dumb, but it loves clarity. Third, don’t switch tasks mid-prompt. If you ask for a blog post and then halfway through say “make it a tweet,” you’re gonna confuse the hell out of the model. Be direct. Finish one thing before you ask for another.
Now let’s get gritty. Let’s say you’re a builder, coder, or content creator. You’ve got big ideas but you’re not sure how to get AI to execute them. You’re not alone. A lot of smart dudes are sleeping on the fact that AI is like a hyper-skilled intern. But you have to train it. You wouldn’t hire a guy off the street and expect him to crush your brand’s voice on day one. Same here. You gotta onboard the AI with good prompts.
Take it from LearnPrompting.org’s 10 tips. They suggest building prompt templates for repeat tasks. Need a weekly newsletter? Build a reusable prompt. Writing Instagram captions in your niche? Create a branded prompt with tone, format, hashtags, and call-to-action baked in. That’s how the pros move fast without losing quality.
What’s wild is how prompt engineering is already evolving. You’ve got prompt marketplaces, prompt engineers making six figures, even entire AI apps built just around prompt templates. FutureAGI’s 2025 outlook shows where this is going: layered prompting, function-calling, prompt chaining. It’s not just what you write—it’s how prompts connect, learn, and adapt. And yeah, that might sound complex, but remember—we’re still early. The guys who learn this now are going to dominate when this goes mainstream.
Before we wrap, I want to show you a real-world example. Here’s a weak prompt: “Write an email to my boss about taking Friday off.” Here’s the pro version: “You’re a professional executive assistant. Write a concise, polite email requesting PTO for this Friday, include a mention of covering any urgent tasks ahead of time. Keep the tone respectful but confident.” Which one do you think gets results?
So, what’s the move here? If you’re serious about using AI to level up—whether that’s in business, content, coding, or just flexing your creative muscles—you need to treat prompt writing like a legit skill. Not just a trick. Not just a tool. But a foundation. Like Lawton said in his video, “AI doesn’t get better until you get better.”
Start building your prompt library. Learn from every interaction. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. If something bombs, tweak the tone, clarify the instruction, or give it an example. Hell, try prompt layering—stacking your input like modular commands. You’ll be amazed what you can unlock.
We’re not just talking about better emails or blog posts here. We’re talking about new workflows, automating ideas, compressing time, and pushing the limits of what one person can do. And for the guys out there who already tinker with machines, code, or systems—you’re going to eat this stuff up. It’s your kind of power tool.
If this hit home, I’ve got more where that came from. Subscribe to the newsletter and get tactical tips, prompt breakdowns, and prompt packs you can swipe and deploy. Or drop a comment—let’s geek out on what you’re building. And if you’ve got a killer prompt? Don’t hold out. Send it my way. I want to see what you’re working with.
AI is here. Let’s make it actually work for you.
Keep prompting. Keep pushing. And never settle for lazy output again.
Sources
- You’ve been prompting ChatGPT all wrong – 3 expert tips you need to know
- Effective Prompts for AI: The Essentials – MIT Sloan
- The ultimate guide to writing effective AI prompts – Atlassian
- I test ChatGPT for a living – 7 secrets to instantly up your prompt game
- Unlock the Secrets of AI Prompt Writing: Tips and Tricks – Lifewire
- Mastering AI Prompts: Best Practices and Examples – AIToolGo
- AI Prompting Best Practices, Formats & LLM Use Cases – FutureAGI
- How to Write AI Prompts: A Complete Guide – Transfotech Academy
- 10 Best Practices for AI Prompt Composition – WhiteBeard Strategies
- How to Write AI Prompts [25 Proven Tips & Examples] – OmniMind
- 10 Tips to Write Effective AI Prompts – LearnPrompting.org
- Wikipedia: Prompt engineering
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
