Prompting Isn’t Cheating (Part 5 of 5): My Favorite Prompts (and Why They Work)
Behind the curtain: practical, personal, and remixable prompt patterns you can steal (or improve).
If you’ve been following this series, you’ve seen how prompting is more than a magic phrase—it’s a creative, strategic skill. But theory only gets you so far.
In this final chapter, I want to pull back the curtain.
These are real prompts I’ve used—repeatedly—in writing, consulting, and workflow building. They’re the ones I come back to again and again. Why? Because they work. They’re flexible, efficient, and built for collaboration, not just output.
Each one comes with:
💬 The actual prompt
🧠 Why it works
🛠️ Tips to remix it yourself
Let’s dive in.
🎭 1. The Perspective Shift Prompt
💬 Prompt:
"Act as a skeptical executive reviewing this AI initiative. What concerns would you raise about adoption, ROI, or impact on team morale?"
🧠 Why it works:
This flips the default AI dynamic. Instead of reinforcing your assumptions, it helps pressure-test them. You get outside-in feedback—fast—so you can refine your strategy before real-world pushback.
🛠️ Remix it:
“Act as a cautious customer. What questions would you ask before buying this?”
“Act as a board member worried about brand risk—what red flags would you flag?”
“Be a skeptical investor. What would make you hesitate to fund this?”
Add tone guidance: “Keep it curious and constructive, not combative.”
📦 2. The Repackaging Prompt
💬 Prompt:
"Take this 5-paragraph blog post and turn it into 3 concise LinkedIn posts. Keep the tone curious, slightly witty, and insight-driven."
🧠 Why it works:
You’re not reinventing the message—just reshaping it for a new channel and audience.
🛠️ Remix it:
“Turn into a Twitter thread with 7 short tweets.”
“Condense into a script for a 60-second TikTok explainer.”
“Adapt for a team meeting slide—bullet-style.”
“Rewrite for an internal email update from a team lead.”
📋 3. The Thinking Partner Prompt
💬 Prompt:
"I’m struggling to position this offering clearly. Can you ask me 5 clarifying questions to help me think it through?"
🧠 Why it works:
It reframes the AI from answer machine to mirror—perfect for strategy and creative work.
🛠️ Remix it:
“Act as a brand strategist. Ask me questions to refine this tagline.”
“Help me explore pros and cons I might not see.”
“What blind spots should I consider before launching this?”
“What would a skeptical customer ask?”
🧭 4. The Prioritization Prompt
💬 Prompt:
"Here are 6 tasks I could work on this week [insert list]. Rank them by impact vs. effort, and explain your top 3 picks."
🧠 Why it works:
You're outsourcing strategic triage, especially useful when you’re overwhelmed or juggling multiple paths.
🛠️ Remix it:
“Evaluate these initiatives based on short-term ROI vs. long-term growth.”
“Help me choose the top 2 that best align with my 3-month goals.”
“Which should I delegate vs. do myself?”
“Which one’s most time-sensitive?”
🪄 5. The “I Need to Sound Smarter” Prompt
💬 Prompt:
"Rewrite this paragraph in a voice that’s confident, clear, and conversational—but not too polished. Keep it sounding like me, just sharper."
🧠 Why it works:
It hits the tone tension most people want: professional, but human. Clear, but not sterile.
🛠️ Remix it:
“Make it sound like a TED speaker explaining it simply.”
“Give it a tone that’s persuasive but chill, like a smart friend giving advice.”
“Rewrite in the style of [name]” (e.g., Brené Brown, Steve Jobs, Adam Grant)
“Polish this while keeping it scrappy and founder-like.”
🎁 6. Bonus Prompt: The Meta Reframe
💬 Prompt:
"What’s a better question I should be asking?"
🧠 Why it works:
This prompt unlocks second-order thinking. It helps you escape tunnel vision and approach your task from an unexpected angle.
🛠️ Remix it:
“What would a more curious version of me ask right now?”
“What question would challenge my assumptions?”
“What prompt would surprise me?”
It’s a great reset button—perfect for when you feel stuck or too inside your own head.
🪞 Sidebar: What These Prompts Say About You
Prompts aren’t just productivity tools—they’re mirrors.
Do you lean on prompts that simplify complexity?
Ones that clarify voice? Prioritize ideas? Reframe strategy?
Notice which categories you return to. That pattern reveals your mental defaults—and you leadership.
📚 Bonus: Start Your Own Prompt Library
If you’ve been copying prompts into random docs, now’s the time to organize.
🗂️ Create a running Notion page or Google Doc.
🧱 Categorize by purpose: writing, planning, reflection, strategy.
🎯 Note why each one works—and how you tweak it for different needs.
💭 Final Takeaway: Prompts Are Thinking Tools, Not Magic Tricks
Prompts aren’t magic formulas.
They’re thinking scaffolds—like recipes.
You don’t need to invent every one from scratch.
Start with a structure, then tweak the flavor.
Ask yourself:
What’s the goal of this prompt?
What context or constraints would make the result better?
Would this be easier if I assigned the AI a role?
The more you play with prompts, the sharper your instincts become.
And when you build your own prompt library, you’re not just working smarter—
you’re shaping how you think.
Next time you’re stuck, don’t overwork your brain.
Reach for a prompt that already knows how to unlock you.