Let’s be brutally honest.
You fired up your go-to AI tool, typed in a prompt you swore was solid, hit enter with high hopes… and then—
Boom. Disappointment.
The response? Bland. Generic. All over the place. Maybe even flat-out wrong.
You sit back and mutter the same thing millions have:
“This AI just doesn’t get it.”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth no one tells you:
It’s not the AI. It’s your prompt.
Before you roll your eyes—stay with me.
Most people aren’t bad at using AI because they lack intelligence.
They struggle because prompting well is a skill, and no one ever handed them the playbook.
That ends now.
Let me show you how to flip the script—and get powerful, precise, high-quality output every single time.
What You’re Probably Doing Wrong
1. You’re Being Vague
If your prompt sounds like a foggy day in London, don’t expect sunshine results.
Bad prompt:
“Tell me about climate change.”
Okay… but how, for whom, and in what tone?
Better prompt:
“Write a 150-word summary of the latest UN climate change report for a high school student. Use simple language and end with a hopeful call to action.”
The Fix: Be specific. Define the task, format, audience, and desired outcome.
2. You’re Not Assigning a Role
AI is like a chameleon—it becomes what you tell it to be. If you don’t assign it a role, it defaults to bland.
Bad prompt:
“Explain inflation.”
Explain it like who? An economist? A teenager on TikTok?
Better prompt:
“You are a senior economist writing for a newspaper. Explain inflation using a relatable grocery store example in clear, non-technical language.”
The Fix: Always assign a role. Think teacher, coach, expert, influencer—who’s “talking”?
3. You’re Overloading the Prompt
Trying to stuff everything into one massive prompt is like ordering 10 different meals and expecting them all to be hot and fresh in 5 minutes.
Bad prompt:
“Write a business plan, investor pitch, and product roadmap for my fintech startup.”
Slow down, Steve Jobs.
Better prompt(s):
“Write an executive summary for a fintech startup targeting underbanked millennials.”
“Now, create a 10-slide pitch deck using that summary.”
“Next, outline a 6-month product roadmap with major milestones.”
The Fix: Break big requests into clear, manageable steps. Chain your prompts like building blocks.
4. You Forgot the Tone
AI will happily generate content in whatever tone it guesses you’re after—which often means none at all.
Bad prompt:
“Write a paragraph about therapy.”
Better prompt:
“Write a warm, encouraging paragraph aimed at college students considering therapy for the first time. Keep the tone friendly and non-clinical.”
The Fix: Define your tone. Is it witty? Professional? Casual? Bold? Tone shapes trust.
5. You Expect Magic in One Shot
This might hurt:
Your first prompt is just a draft. Not a masterpiece.
Stop expecting AI to spit out gold on the first try. It’s a conversation, not a vending machine.
Instead of quitting, follow up with:
“Make it shorter.”
“Add humour.”
“Now rewrite it as if you’re talking to a 12-year-old.”
The Fix: Iterate. Refine. Prompting is a process.
6. You Didn’t Provide Examples
AI loves patterns. If you don’t give it one, it’ll make one up—and you probably won’t like it.
Bad prompt:
“Write a tweet about the moon.”
Better prompt:
“Write a witty tweet about the moon, in the style of @neiltyson. Stay under 280 characters. Example: ‘The Moon doesn’t shine—it reflects. Which is basically science’s way of saying it’s a giant cosmic mirrorball.’”
The Fix: Give an example. You’ll be shocked how much better the results are.
7. You Forgot the Audience
AI has no idea who you’re writing for unless you tell it. Academic? Kids? CEOs? TikTokers?
Bad prompt:
“Summarize this report.”
Better prompt:
“Summarize this 10-page research report in under 200 words for a group of local government policymakers with no technical background.”
The Fix: Always include who the content is for. Audience = context = clarity.
The Prompt Formula That Rarely Fails
Here’s a repeatable structure you can use every single time:
[You are…] + [Do this task…] + [In this format…] + [For this audience…] + [With this tone…] + [Using this example…]
Example:
“You are a UX copywriter. Write a friendly, upbeat welcome message for a meditation app. Keep it under 25 words. Example: ‘Welcome, calm seeker. Let’s breathe, relax, and find your peace.’”
Bonus Tips from a Prompt Pro
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Use bullet points for complex instructions
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Chain prompts: Use follow-ups to refine
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Label each prompt phase (e.g., “Phase 1: Brainstorm headlines”)
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Use time-saving keywords like “in 3 bullet points,” “as a table,” “short summary,” etc.
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Always proofread AI output before you hit publish
The AI Isn’t Broken—Your Prompts Are
Look—AI is powerful, but it’s not psychic.
You are the architect of the output.
The clearer you are, the better the results. It’s not about fancy tools or premium subscriptions. It’s about how you talk to the AI.
So next time the output sucks, ask yourself:
“Did I prompt like a pro—or just wing it?”
Because behind every brilliant piece of AI-generated content…
…is a damn good prompt.
Now go fix yours—and watch the magic happen
