Using ChatGPT for Personal and Professional Growth

Jay Averitt has a great post asking what you use LLMs for. I know talking about that is like admitting you're wearing a girdle (Spanx?) but we see you. So, I'll come clean. Here are some use cases. Nothing unsafe, all highly helpful. 1. I use it to draft SOWs. Feed it the basics, and get a usable draft in seconds. Massive time saver, especially when you are working with contractors. 2. YouTube summaries. You all talk too much (well, not you, but you know who you are). Just like most meetings should have been an email, most videos should have been a blog post. ChatGPT gets that. 3. Study buddy. ChatGPT is like having a smart grad student who can explain things to you. I am an information omnivore, and when I run into a tough concept or don't quite get what the researcher is driving at, a quick query with some pasted text usually puts me back on track. This is the Feynman technique on steroids. 4. Recipe brainstormer. I've got leftover chicken, brocolli, and a jar of pickles. ChatGPT to the rescue! 5. Code explainer. I have basic coding skills and am always finding some cool new GitHub repository. ChatGPT is a great help in walking me through some complicated (to me) piece of code and explaining what it is doing. 6. Metaphor maker. When you give a lot of presentations, you sometimes find your description of something doesn't click with the audience. Feed the process to your LLM and ask it to come up with a metaphor or story. Not always perfect, but guaranteed to spark your own creativity. 7. Fake book contents. For unfamiliar topics, I ask ChatGPT to roleplay as an expert and give me the table of contents for its famous "introduction to" book on the topic. It is a great way to help me organize study plans, etc. I probably have at least seven more of these, but this post is long enough. What are you using it for? #ai

I suspect most of us use ChatGPT or another AI chatbot daily. However, I doubt that most of us are as rigorous in our prompting as possible. Having well-written prompts can make a massive difference in the outputs. I have noticed when working with others that they often ask questions and need to provide complete instructions. Crafting effective prompts for ChatGPT isn't just about asking questions. It's a skill where understanding the model's capabilities meets the precision of our requests. This is where you can uplevel your results—not just providing a generic role but a specific one. Why Specify Roles? Specifying roles in fields like medicine, law, or engineering, where expertise is valuable and necessary, ensures that the output aligns closely with real-world expectations. In addition, remember that models like ChatGPT was trained on a large corpus of the Internet so specifying the writing style of a specific author like Mark Twain or style of a particular publication like Rolling Stone can give you results that match your desired style. Examples to Guide the Way Here are examples of roles I have been using in my prompts, and they are helping improve my results.  I used companies and publications that worked for my industry, but you should substitute your own. Market Analyst from Gartner: A deep dive into the AI market's current state, spotlighting trends, key players, and growth opportunities. Business Writer in the Style of The Economist: Crafting articles that blend insight with accessibility, addressing C-suite concerns over cloud computing adoption. Corporate Communications Manager at Edelman: Designing a communication plan for a significant corporate event, ensuring clarity, professionalism, and engagement. Roles in ChatGPT prompts are more than a feature; they're a strategy to unlock the model's full potential, making interactions more meaningful, effective, and tailored to our needs. P.S. If you like this content, give it the  👍 P.P.S. Also, if you want more tips and tricks, get my weekly newsletter on AI here on LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/eqJNArYx

If you think ChatGPT is just a fancy chatbot, think again! Here's my secret to turbocharging GrowthMentor sessions using ChatGPT: As a dedicated mentor on Growth Mentor, I've taken my sessions to the next level using ChatGPT. Before each session, I prepare thoroughly using a prompt I engineered on AIPRM, tailoring my approach to each mentee's needs and goals. Here is the prompt: " Act as an expert mentor, you will help me prepare for my sessions where I mentor at a community called Growth Mentor. The mentees usually books sessions with me and they fill up a form that has three sections, one is the Topic, one is called Problems/Challenge and another called Desired Outcome. Here is an example of a session request: {I have a full example of a session request here} Here are details about the mentee, I will give you their full name, linkedin about section and any other information I find about them: {Here I add the details about the mentee} We will now work on preparing for a new session, here are the details for this new session: The topic is: [VARIABLE1] The problem/challenge is: [VARIABLE2] The desired outcome is: [VARIABLE3] Now give me a quick description of what you think and know about the topic. Summarise the problem/challenge in 3 to 5 bullet points and then give me a few ideas and tips of what you think about that problem/challenge. Give me an actionable strategy/plan according to the Desired Outcome, search the web for the latest if you do not have enough information. Prepare a set of 3-5 super value-driven questions that a great coach or mentor would ask according to the details of the session. DO NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS, ACT AS A MENTOR. FOCUS ON ACTIONABLE STUFF NO FLUFFY INSPIRATIONAL STUFF. [VARIABLE1:Topic] [VARIABLE2:Problem/Challenge] [VARIABLE3:Desired Outcome]" But the real magic happens after the call. I use Fathom's or Zoom AI Summary transcripts, tag crucial moments, and feed them back into ChatGPT. I then instruct, "Now combine the suggestions and questions we had before the call with the transcript from the call, and make an awesome follow-up document and email so I can send to the mentee to give even more extra value." This creates an incredibly personalized and valuable follow-up email, ensuring that every mentee receives a comprehensive summary of our session, along with actionable insights. This method isn't just about using AI; it's about enhancing the human experience. I lead each session with my expertise and knowledge, while ChatGPT helps me prepare, document, and follow up in a way that adds significant value to the mentoring experience.

I use ChatGPT in my work as a writer, every single day. Here's how: 👉 1. I ask it to analyze my writing for any logical reasoning gaps. 3 out of 5 times it points out things I've overlooked. For example, I sometimes skip an explanatory sentence to keep things "succinct". And I've learnt this because it been pointed out to me repeatedly by ChatGPT. Note: it's absolutely no replacement for an editor. It just scratches the surface. 👉 2. I ask it to build analogies. This serves two purposes. One, I sometimes find a creative way to express a common idea. Two, sometimes a non-sensical analogy will reveal a poorly-reasoned argument. The second one is a legit writing hack. 👉 3. I ask it to give me "one word for many words". For example, I couldn't think of one word for "smile very wide", and it came up with "beam". This helps me maintain my creative flow without having to pause for iteration. Put together, these three things save me 20-25 minutes per blog across outlining, writing, and self-editing. So I thought I'd share :D What are some things you use it for?

The best way to learn how to use AI tools well is to explore their capabilities. I use AI tools every day for work, but I've found just as much magic in incorporating AI into my personal life. There are thousands of practical ways to use AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Copilot to make life more enjoyable. Here are five practical examples of how I'm using AI outside of work. 😴 Interactive Bedtime Stories with ChatGPT I have a 9yo daughter, and I know I'm counting down the days until I read the last bedtime story to her. We've been using ChatGPT and, lately, the Voice feature, to create interactive stories. She loves it, and I can try to sneak in a few life lessons. Prompt: "Start a bedtime story where I get to choose the world, the hero, and a special item for their quest. After every message, you will end by asking a question that will direct the story." 🛋️ Interior Design with Midjourney While we're not quite to the point of giving AI a photo of your room and receiving a high-quality design in response, we're getting very close. For now, we have to settle for inspiration. Using Midjourney, you can quickly brainstorm ideas, from practical to fantasy. Prompt: "A beautiful home office in the Midwest overlooking hills, bohemian style, mid-century style, floor to ceiling windows that can collapse to open, natural light, large green plants --ar 3:2" 👨🏼🍳 Learn to Cook with ChatGPT Vision One of my first uses of GPT-3 was designing a meal plan based on our diet, budget, and preferences. It's only gotten better since those early days. With Vision in ChatGPT, you can take a picture of your fridge and ask it to make a meal using the ingredients shown. Prompt: "Create a recipe and cooking instructions for a gourmet meal based on the items in the photo. Preparation time under 25 minutes." 🗣️ Take a Long Walk Explore Ideas with ChatGPT Voice A long walk can solve nearly any problem. Since the launch of Voice in ChatGPT, which allows you to talk to the AI and hear a response in a natural-sounding voice, I've used it to break through mental blocks and explore ideas. I pop in headphones, walk on the trail, and have a discussion about whatever it is I'm working through. Prompt: "I'm struggling with {insert topic} and would like to discuss it with you." 📖 Create a Study Partner with Custom GPTs ChatGPT and, more precisely, GPT-4 has always been a great study partner. However, it has become much more powerful since the launch of Custom GPTs a few weeks ago. Now, you can build a mini ChatGPT tailored to a specific task. I've created several based on my favorite books and topics to be a study partner as I read and learn. To learn more about building custom GPTs, check out the OpenAI website or send me a DM. --- ChatGPT has changed the world. The best way to use it is to start experimenting. I hope some of these ideas will make your life a little better. #ChatGPT #AITraining #AI

How do you use tools like #chagpt to improve your own professional abilities and communication? Lately, I've been reflecting on the use of ChatGPT in crafting emails. As a non-native speaker, I must confess, I sometimes have to rely on it to tighten my writing. A recent discussion with a friend who is an executive at a health system sparked an intriguing question: "How do I know if someone is writing in their own words or using ChatGPT?" My perspective on this might be unconventional, but honestly, it doesn't bother me if someone uses ChatGPT. Why? Because ChatGPT serves not just as a tool for tweaks, but it's a tool for better self-expression. It helps people find the right words -- makes them even stronger at communicating their point. Analogously, I was once told that this is why people like poetry. Empowered by poetic devices, people can truly express what they want to say on any subject matter that's dear or important to them. Our conversation also touched upon how ChatGPT can adapt to individual writing styles over time. Interestingly, I've noticed this learning is a two-way street. Not only does ChatGPT learn from my style, but I also find myself picking up new expressions and vocabulary from it. In my view, using ChatGPT isn't about hiding behind someone else's words. Rather, it's about using the best tools are your disposal and making an effort to communicate more clearly and authentically. #chatgptprompts #professionaldevelopment