My ChatGPT Guiding Principles (updated for 2025)

A year ago, I wrote about my guiding principles for using ChatGPT effectively.

They were practical approaches drawn from my early experiments with the technology.

Now, after a year of teaching workshops, coaching clients, and conducting countless experiments of my own, it’s time to revisit those principles.

What’s fascinating isn’t just what’s changed – it’s what’s stayed the same.

While ChatGPT has evolved dramatically (sometimes changing so quickly that features update between the start and end of a workshop), these core principles have proven remarkably durable.

Some have become even more important than I initially realized, while others have evolved based on real-world application.

So with that being said, here are my 10 updated guiding principles for ChatGPT for the coming year:

Think “Amazing Instrument,” Not “Artificial Intelligence”

I’ve got a piano in my basement, and it recently helped me understand something important about ChatGPT. That piano has the potential to create beautiful music – but it needs someone to play it. When we think about “artificial intelligence,” it can feel intimidating, like something beyond our control. But when we think about it as an “amazing instrument” instead, everything changes.

Just like that piano, ChatGPT is a tool waiting for your guidance. It has incredible capabilities, but it needs your input, your expertise, and your direction to create something valuable. This simple mindset shift makes the technology more approachable and helps you understand your crucial role in making it work.

The Power of “Tell Me More”

Here’s a quick exercise: raise your hand. Now, raise it higher. Could you? Most people find they can. The question is: why didn’t you raise it as high as possible the first time?

This same principle applies to ChatGPT. Its first response is rarely its best or most complete. Those three simple words – “tell me more” – can unlock deeper insights, more detailed explanations, and better results. It’s like asking someone to raise their hand higher – there’s almost always more potential there.

There Are No Experts (Just Experienced Learners)

This might sound controversial, but it’s important: in the world of ChatGPT, there are no true experts. Why? Because the technology is evolving so rapidly that what’s true today might change tomorrow. What we do have are people who’ve experimented more, made more mistakes, and learned from them.

This is actually great news for beginners. You don’t need to feel intimidated or worry about “doing it wrong.” Everyone is learning and adapting as these tools evolve. Your experiences and experiments are just as valid as anyone else’s.

Treat It Like an Intern

Imagine giving a new intern a complex task with just one sentence of instruction. How well would that work? Not very. Yet this is exactly how many people approach ChatGPT.

Instead, treat it like you would a capable but new team member. Provide context, explain background information, set clear expectations, and give feedback. The more guidance you provide, the better the results you’ll get.

The BDR Framework: Background, Detail, Revision

This is a framework that consistently delivers results. Here’s how it works:

Background: Start by explaining the context, your situation, and relevant information about your goals.

Detail: Clearly specify what you want to achieve and what success looks like.

Revision: Provide feedback, ask for adjustments, and refine the output.

Let me give you a real example. Say you’re a pet shop owner wanting to improve your social media presence. Instead of just asking for “social media post ideas,” you might say:

Leverage Multiple Perspectives

One of the most powerful capabilities I’ve discovered with ChatGPT is its ability to look at things from different viewpoints. This isn’t just about getting different opinions – it’s about truly understanding how different people might perceive or interact with your content.

For instance, let’s say you’re writing website copy about installing heat pumps. You can ask ChatGPT to review it from the perspective of both an experienced contractor and a homeowner who’s never dealt with heating systems before. The insights you get might surprise you – and they’ll definitely make your content better.

I’ve even used this for practicing difficult conversations. You can describe someone’s personality, communication style, and typical responses, then have ChatGPT take on that role while you practice important discussions. It’s like having a safe space to work through challenging situations before they happen.

You Are the Key

Here’s something that often gets overlooked: ChatGPT isn’t meant to replace your expertise – it’s meant to enhance it. Your experience, your knowledge, your understanding of your field – these are what make the tool valuable.

Think about it like this: ChatGPT is like having a really smart research assistant who knows a lot about everything but needs your specific expertise to make that knowledge truly useful. The more you bring to the conversation – your background, your experience, your understanding of what works in your field – the better the results you’ll get.

Document Everything

This is a lesson I learned the hard way, and it’s one I keep sharing because it’s so important. When you find something that works well with ChatGPT – a great prompt, a useful approach, an effective way of explaining something – save it somewhere outside the platform.

Here’s a pro tip I use all the time: When you’ve had a particularly good interaction with ChatGPT, ask it to summarize what made it successful. Say something like, “I really like where we ended up. Could you give me a prompt that would help me start at this point next time?” The response you get becomes a valuable template for future work.

Find Your Lane

One of the most frequent questions I get is “How should I use ChatGPT?” And my answer is always the same: in whatever way makes sense for you. Your needs aren’t the same as anyone else’s, and that’s okay.

Want to keep it simple? Great. Want to dive deep into complex prompts and custom applications? That’s fine too. The key is finding what’s relevant to your work and your goals. Start with what you do every day and ask yourself, “Could this be easier? Could this be better?”

Here’s a simple way to start:

Tell ChatGPT about your job, your responsibilities, and your regular tasks, then just ask, “How could you help me?” You might be surprised by the suggestions you get – and remember, you can always say “tell me more” about anything that catches your interest.

Stay Curious

If there’s one principle that ties everything else together, it’s this: maintain your curiosity. The most successful ChatGPT users I’ve met aren’t necessarily the most technical – they’re the most curious. They’re willing to experiment, to try new approaches, to ask “what if?”

Being curious means being patient with yourself as you learn. It means being willing to make mistakes and learn from them. It means staying open to new possibilities, even when (or especially when) things don’t work exactly as you expected.

The Way Forward

These principles aren’t just about using ChatGPT effectively – they’re about approaching new technology with confidence and purpose. They’ve proven themselves valuable over and over, whether I’m working with complete beginners or experienced users.

Remember, you don’t need to master all these principles at once. Start with one or two that resonate with you. Maybe it’s reframing AI as an “amazing instrument,” or maybe it’s just remembering to say “tell me more.” Begin there, and let your curiosity guide you forward.

The technology will keep evolving – that’s a given. But these principles will help you adapt and grow along with it. They’ll help you stay grounded in what matters: using these tools in ways that make your work better, your life easier, and your goals more achievable.

Stay curious, keep experimenting, and remember – you’re not just using a tool, you’re developing a skill that will serve you well into the future.

-Cary