You’re Using ChatGPT Wrong — Here’s How to Actually Get Smart Results

Let’s be honest — most people use ChatGPT like it’s Google with manners. They ask it questions like “What’s a good business idea?”, “Write me a YouTube script,” or “Help me with my resume.” Then they wonder why it sounds robotic, generic, or just plain boring. The truth is: if you don’t know how to talk to ChatGPT, you won’t get much out of it. But if you use it right, it feels like working with a smart, creative assistant who doesn’t sleep — and doesn’t charge by the hour. Here’s how to stop wasting time and actually get results that feel tailor-made.

1. Don’t Just Ask — Direct It

Most people ask something vague like, “Give me 5 ideas for TikTok videos.” But a better way is to give ChatGPT a role and a scenario: “Act like a content strategist. I have a parenting channel for moms ages 25–40. Give me 5 emotional, relatable TikTok ideas with hooks under 30 seconds.” That way, it's not guessing — it’s working with a plan.

2. Be Specific. Like, Really Specific.

The more detail you give, the less time you'll spend fixing what it gives you. Instead of saying, “Write a cold email,” try: “Write a short, confident cold email offering my video editing services to small YouTubers under 10k subs. Keep it casual. End with a soft CTA, no pushy language.” You’ll get something closer to ready-to-send rather than a bland template.

3. Use “Act As” to Change Its Role

This one’s underrated. You can drastically shift the tone and depth of the output by assigning a persona. Try: “Act like a strict editor. Cut the fluff from my writing.” “Act like a speech coach. Make this script more persuasive.” “Act like a Kenyan father giving parenting advice.” You’ll be surprised how it adapts once it knows who it’s supposed to be.

4. Train It to Sound Like You

Take an old email, blog post, or social caption you wrote and paste it in. Then say: “Analyze my style. From now on, respond like this — clear, grounded, a little witty, short paragraphs.” It will adopt your tone and stick to it. Now you’re not just getting AI help — you’re scaling your own voice.

5. Build, Don’t Restart

Don’t treat ChatGPT like a one-question tool. Use chains to get deeper and more customized output. For example: “Give me 10 video ideas for behavior tips for teachers.” “Turn idea #3 into a 3-minute script.” “Shorten that into a TikTok version.” “Make it voiceover-friendly for ElevenLabs.” Keep going in the same chat. That’s where the magic happens.

6. Use It to Build Systems, Not Just Text

This is where the real power lies. If you're only using ChatGPT to draft posts or summaries, you're missing out. Use it to build things like: Scripts for your YouTube channel

Full course outlines

Lead magnet ideas

Email sequences

Launch checklists

Landing page copy

It’s not just a chatbot. It’s your creative operations center — if you let it be.

7. The Prompt Is Everything

If you're not getting what you want, it's probably not ChatGPT’s fault — it's your prompt. Think of your prompt like a brief. Who’s the audience? What do you want? What tone? What format? What should it avoid? Clarity in = quality out. You’ll go from “eh, not helpful” to “this is exactly what I needed.”

Final Thought

The gap between people who use ChatGPT casually and those who use it strategically is only getting wider. The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to be ahead. You just need to learn how to talk to it the right way. So next time you open ChatGPT, don’t just toss in a lazy prompt and hope for the best. Start a conversation. Give it a role. Set the intention. Because when you do that, you're not just getting answers — you're building something real.