I was supposed to be working on a client project at 3 AM but ended up in this weird rabbit hole of prompt engineering instead (classic me).

What I discovered completely broke my understanding of how to talk to AI and I started collecting them.

These tricks feel like actual cheat codes for getting better responses:

1. Start with “I’m probably wrong, but…” – This stops AI from taking your assumptions as gospel truth.

“I’m probably wrong, but doesn’t quantum computing use regular bits?”

Gets way better explanations because it knows to correct misconceptions instead of building on bad info.

2. Say “Think step by step” – Four magic words that unlock reasoning mode.

“How do I launch a SaaS product? Think step by step.”

Suddenly you get a proper roadmap instead of generic startup advice. It’s like switching from Google to having a consultant.

3. End with “What am I not seeing?” – This is borderline unfair.

“I want to quit my job to freelance. What am I not seeing?”

It surfaces blind spots you didn’t even know existed. Taxes, healthcare, client acquisition – stuff you’d learn the hard way.

4. Use “Actually” for corrections – Way better than “wait, no.”

“Actually, I meant for complete beginners.”

It completely reframes the response instead of just adding more info. Clean slate approach.

5. Ask “What would you do in my position?” – Transforms it from assistant to advisor.

“What would you do in my position to get promoted?”

You get opinions and strategy instead of just information. Feels like real advice.

6. Say “Break this down for me” – Works even for simple stuff.

“Break down how to make coffee for me.”

You get the science, the technique, the variations. More depth than you expected.

7. Try “Let’s think about this differently” – Instant perspective shift.

“Let’s think about this differently. How can introverts network effectively?”

Flips the script completely. Instead of “fake it till you make it,” you get authentic approaches.

8. Add “No yapping” – Cuts through AI verbosity.

“Explain blockchain, no yapping.”

Gets straight to the point. No fluff, no corporate speak, just clarity.

9. Use “Explain like I’m 5” – Not kidding, this works for everything.

“Explain SEO like I’m 5.”

Drops all jargon. Even experts use this when they want crystal clear understanding.

10. Ask it to “roast” something – Better than asking for criticism.

“Roast this business idea: selling ice to Eskimos.”

Real criticism instead of that sandwich feedback method. Brutal honesty mode activated.

11. Say “Connect these dots” – Give it 3 random facts and watch magic happen.

“Connect these dots: I hate mornings, love puzzles, get energized by deadlines.”

Finds patterns you missed. Great for self-awareness and project planning.

12. Add “What’s the 80/20 here?” – Cuts to what actually matters.

“What’s the 80/20 of learning guitar?”

Shows you the 20% of effort that gets 80% of results. Efficiency hack.

13. Try “Play devil’s advocate against yourself” – AI debates itself.

“Remote work is better than office work. Play devil’s advocate against yourself.”

Full analysis from both sides. Like having a debate team in your pocket.

14. Use “What story is the data telling?” – Makes numbers make sense.

“Here’s my website traffic data. What story is the data telling?”

Gets insights instead of just statistics. Patterns become obvious.

15. Say “Translate this into everyday language” – De-jargons anything.

“Translate this legal contract into everyday language.”

Suddenly you understand what you’re actually signing.

16. Ask “What’s the counterintuitive move here?” – Skips obvious advice.

“Everyone says ‘just be yourself’ in interviews. What’s the counterintuitive move here?”

Gets unconventional strategies that actually work.

17. Try “I need you to be brutally honest” – Removes politeness filters.

“I need you to be brutally honest. Is my website actually good?”

Real feedback instead of gentle suggestions.

18. Use “Help me think through this” – Makes it collaborative.

“Help me think through whether I should quit my job.”

Becomes a thinking partner instead of just answering questions.

19. Say “What would [expert] do?” – Channels specific expertise.

“What would Gary Vaynerchuk do to grow this social media account?”

Gets perspective from that exact mindset and approach.

20. Add “Walk me through your reasoning” – Shows the thinking process.

“Should I invest in crypto? Walk me through your reasoning.”

You see the logic, not just the conclusion. Helps you make better decisions.

21. Try “Assume I know nothing” – Removes assumed knowledge.

“Explain investing. Assume I know nothing.”

Starts from absolute zero. Perfect for learning new fields.

22. Use “What are 3 ways this could backfire?” – Risk assessment mode.

“I want to go viral on TikTok. What are 3 ways this could backfire?”

Spots potential problems before they happen.

23. Say “Give me the contrarian view” – Challenges conventional wisdom.

“Everyone says follow your passion. Give me the contrarian view.”

Gets you Cal Newport-style alternative perspectives.

24. Add “What would happen if…” – Scenario planning made easy.

“What would happen if I raised my prices by 50%?”

Walks through likely outcomes and consequences.

25. Try “I’m stuck because…” – Gets targeted unsticking help.

“I’m stuck because I can’t decide between these two options.”

Addresses the exact blocker instead of generic advice.

26. Use “Make this stupidly simple” – Cuts complexity.

“Make investing stupidly simple for me.”

Removes all the confusing parts. Gets to the core actions.

27. Say “What’s missing from this plan?” – Spots gaps.

“Here’s my business plan. What’s missing from this plan?”

Finds holes you didn’t see. Better than any checklist.

28. Add “Be specific with examples” – No more abstract advice.

“How do I write better emails? Be specific with examples.”

Gets actual templates and real examples instead of vague principles.

29. Try “Challenge my thinking on this” – Stress tests your ideas.

“I think AI will replace writers. Challenge my thinking on this.”

Forces you to defend or refine your position.

30. Use “What’s the fastest way to…” – Efficiency focus.

“What’s the fastest way to learn Python?”

Cuts out the slow methods. Gets you the express lane.

31. Say “If you had to bet your own money…” – Skin in the game perspective.

“If you had to bet your own money, which marketing strategy would you choose?”

Gets more realistic, practical advice.

32. Add “What would you ask me?” – Flips the dynamic.

“I want to hire a developer. What would you ask me?”

Discovers the right questions you should be considering.

33. Try “Convince me otherwise” – Tests your convictions.

“I think I should quit my job tomorrow. Convince me otherwise.”

Gets counterarguments to help you think it through.

34. Use “What’s the unconventional wisdom here?” – Skips clichés.

“What’s the unconventional wisdom about public speaking?”

Gets tactics beyond “imagine everyone naked.”

35. Say “How would a beginner mess this up?” – Avoids common traps.

“How would a beginner mess up email marketing?”

Shows you the pitfalls before you fall into them.

36. Add “What am I optimizing for?” – Clarifies your real goal.

“I want to grow my audience. What am I optimizing for?”

Helps you figure out if you want size, engagement, or revenue.

37. Try “ELI5 but make it interesting” – Combines clarity with engagement.

“ELI5 but make it interesting: How does the stock market work?”

Gets simple explanations that don’t put you to sleep.

38. Use “What would success look like?” – Defines the end goal.

“I’m starting a podcast. What would success look like?”

Helps you set the right metrics and expectations.

39. Say “Give me the insider perspective” – Gets behind-the-scenes knowledge.

“Give me the insider perspective on the music industry.”

Access to knowledge you wouldn’t find in public articles.

40. Add “What’s the meta-game here?” – Strategy beyond the obvious.

“What’s the meta-game of networking events?”

Gets the game within the game. How things really work.

41. Try “Pretend you’re coaching me” – Changes the tone completely.

“Pretend you’re coaching me through a difficult conversation.”

Gets encouragement and specific guidance instead of just information.

42. Use “What would you want to know?” – Gets the right questions.

“I’m about to start a business. What would you want to know?”

Surfaces important factors you hadn’t considered.

43. Say “Help me avoid the obvious mistakes” – Shortcuts learning.

“I’m learning to code. Help me avoid the obvious mistakes.”

Learns from others’ failures instead of making them yourself.

44. Add “What’s the reality check here?” – Grounds unrealistic expectations.

“I want to be an influencer. What’s the reality check here?”

Gets honest assessment of what’s actually involved.

45. Try “Turn this into a system” – Makes things repeatable.

“Turn my morning routine into a system.”

Gets frameworks instead of one-off advice.

46. Use “What are the unspoken rules?” – Gets insider knowledge.

“What are the unspoken rules of job interviews?”

Access to the stuff nobody tells you explicitly.

47. Say “How do I know if this is working?” – Gets measurable outcomes.

“I’m trying to build trust with my team. How do I know if this is working?”

Specific signals to look for instead of guessing.

48. Add “What would you do first?” – Gets prioritized action steps.

“I want to start freelancing. What would you do first?”

Shows you the actual first step instead of overwhelming to-do lists.

49. Try “Make me see this from their perspective” – Empathy mode.

“My client is upset about the delay. Make me see this from their perspective.”

Helps you understand the other side before responding.

50. Use “Give me the version nobody talks about” – Gets uncommon angles.

“Give me the version of entrepreneurship nobody talks about.”

Raw truth instead of Instagram highlights.

The weirdest part? These work because they trigger different modes in how AI processes information. It’s like having access to different personalities or thinking styles within the same system.

The casual, conversational approach consistently outperforms formal “professional” prompts. AI responds better to human-like curiosity than corporate templates.

For more unique, battle-tested prompts that actually work, check out our free AI prompts collection.