Honestly speaking, we all enjoy a good "cheat code." Something that makes us not have to grind, faster results and feel like we have broken the system.
And AI, that seduction is more than ever. Individuals believe: If only I could find the right inspiration... I'll 10x my output overnight."
However, there is a twist to this matter it is not what you pose to AI that is the actual cheat code. It's how you work with it.
THE RELATABLE INTRO
One of my friends recently took several hours to make ChatGPT compose the ideal sales email. He continued to twiddle the nudge, introducing frilly directions such as using emotional story telling, following the style of Alex Hormozi, and making it impossible to resist.
After 15 tries, he sighed:
"Bro, this AI just doesn't get it."
The truth? The AI wasn't the problem. And he was operating it like a vending machine, insert an immediate, magic to come flying out.
But AI isn't a vending machine. It is rather a kind of an intern who may be a genius once you know how to train him/her.
THE ACTUAL CHEAT CO-Code: Co-creation.
The most intelligent individuals in the modern world who use AI do not merely prompt, but cooperate. They do not use AI as a one-premise automation tool; rather, they treat it as a creative partner.
Here's the real cheat code:
Stop the effort to get AI to take the place of your brain. Use it to extend it.
Consider AI as your innovative magnifier. It steals your thoughts, your orientation, your experience - and magnifies it.
You can only give it vague instructions and then you will have vague output. It works when you provide it with context, feedback and purpose... then the magic happens.
How to collaborate with AI (rather than compete with it).
The following is a basic outline of my strategy which I refer to as the C.A.R.E. Method of smarter collaboration:
Context - Explain to AI what you require, not what.
Rather than: Write a product description of headphones. Write: The assignment is to compose a product description of noise-cancelling headphones in 100 words and target it at a remote worker who cares about comfort and being focused.
Question, do not command - Interact with AI as though you were brainstorming with a colleague.
How do we creatively position this offer? How do you think a 10 year old would define this? What would make you purchase, then, as a customer of mine?
Refine - The initial response is not usually the best. Repeat, develop it and drive further.
Now make this a more conversational sound. Make this simpler, easier to read at the 7th grade level. Add a metaphor so that it is easier to remember.
Assess - It depends on your human judgment. Don't copy-paste -- curate. The AI gives you speed. Your brain gives it soul.
MINI-BREAKDOWN: WHY This Works.
Better Your Brain - The smarter you are, the smarter it becomes.
Feedback Loops Matter - With each refinement, AI gets to know what you want.
Setting is King - When there is no setting, AI is playing guessing.
Human + Machine > Either Alone You give the direction; AI performs these.
This isn't about using AI more. It's about using it smarter.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
This attitude change manifests itself in other areas in the following ways:
Content Creation: Do not merely tell them to write a blog post. Instead, say:
Please brainstorm on my five blog topics on productivity among freelancers who find it hard to overcome burnout. Turn every one of them into new and particular.
Business Strategy: Don’t question: What is a good business idea? Ask:
I would like to open a low-cost startup based on service business in the field of marketing. What are 3 niches with unmet needs in 2025 of small businesses?
Creativity: Don't command: "Design a logo." Instead, collaborate:
I have a logo request: I am creating a brand around a minimalist productivity app, and the proposal is the top three logo concepts that are indicative of simplicity, calmness, and focus.
See the difference? You are not hiring someone to do the thinking of your brain, you are enhancing it.
A QUICK TIP TO TRY TODAY
The next time you are using ChatGPT or any other AI tool, begin your prompt with the following phrase:
"Let's work on this together."
Then explain:
What you're trying to achieve
Who it's for
What "good" looks like
And how you'd like to iterate
You will immediately find your results are on a higher plane- not due to improved prompts, but due to improved alliances.
A STORY TO REMEMBER
It is said that Picasso was drawing in a park and a lady approached him and requested him to draw her portrait. He finished it in 30 seconds. When she offered to buy it, he told her, $10,000.
Half a minute, I just took you, "it only took you half a minute, gasped. No, madam, no 40, said Picasso smiling.
This is what it is like working with AI. It is capable of drawing the lines within seconds yet what you are left to know is the art in it.
THE TAKEAWAY
The actual cheat code is not the one that involves seeking the ideal prompt. It is not about AI utilization but AI thinking.
AI doesn't make you smarter. It enhances the smartness you had to start with.