If you’ve been using ChatGPT just to handle tasks, then you’re only scratching the surface of what it can do. AI isn’t just for writing emails, summarising articles, or helping with quick to-do lists. It’s becoming something much more valuable. More and more people are using it to enhance their thinking and problem-solving abilities at work. A recent McKinsey report found that around 25% of top-level professionals now use generative AI in their roles. They don’t only use these tools to save time on specific tasks but also to gain clarity and sharpen their decision-making.
I rely on ChatGPT to clarify my thoughts, test out ideas, and help me see things from new perspectives. It has become a regular part of how I think through problems, plan creative work, and learn new concepts. Sometimes I’ll ask it to break down an idea and explain it like I’m 10. It does a great job using simple examples and clear, straightforward language. It’s not thinking for me. Instead, it is helping me think more clearly and deeply on my own.
You don’t need to be an expert to start using ChatGPT in a meaningful way. For example, if you’re a writer, you can ask it to help you outline your thoughts before you even begin drafting, or get suggestions for stronger ways to open or close your writing. If you’re a student, you might use it to break down a difficult concept in plain language or quiz yourself on what you’ve just studied. And if you’re a manager, you can use it to organise your ideas for a team meeting, draft a persuasive email to win the attention of a business prospect, or weigh the pros and cons of a decision you’re considering. These might seem like small tasks, but they often lead to clearer thinking and better decisions.
Over time, these small moments of support—clarifying an idea, rewording a message, organising your thoughts—can begin to shape the way you think. The more intentionally you use AI tools like ChatGPT, the more integrated they become into your creative process, helping you maintain focus, think outside the box, and approach problems from new perspectives.
I use ChatGPT in various ways throughout the week, depending on what I’m working on. However, this article isn’t really about my routine; it’s about how you can start using AI to learn more efficiently, create with greater clarity, and think more critically, by following four simple rules.
Rule 1: Don’t Just Ask for Answers. Ask to Learn
One of the easiest mistakes to make with ChatGPT is treating it like a vending machine: you type in a question, it spits out an answer, and you move on. That approach leaves a lot of value on the table. Instead of just looking for the “right” answer, try asking in a way that helps you understand the thinking behind it.
Let’s say you’re trying to understand a difficult topic—something like how inflation affects long-term investments. You could ask ChatGPT to explain it step by step, or break it down like you’re new to finance. You might even say, “Give me two different perspectives on this issue,” or “What’s a common misunderstanding people have about this?” These kinds of questions shift the conversation from just getting a result to building knowledge.
This approach not only helps you learn faster, it trains you to ask better questions in general—something that carries over into real conversations, meetings, and decision-making. The goal isn’t just to get an answer. It’s to stretch your thinking.
Rule 2: Use It to Refine, Not Just to Generate
Many people open ChatGPT, type in a prompt or request, and expect a polished answer right away. When the response feels generic, vague, or not quite what they hoped for, they quickly lose interest, assuming that’s all it can do. You’ve just missed the real power of AI. The value isn’t in the first response you get. It’s how you guide, reshape, and build on that response to reach something better.
Let’s say you’re writing a blog post. You have a few scattered thoughts, but not sure which one should lead. Instead of asking ChatGPT to “write the post,” you can ask it to show three possible ways to frame your intro, each from a different angle. Seeing your ideas reflected like that can reveal which approach feels strongest to you. You’re not handing off the thinking but deepening it.
Say you’re working on a proposal. You know what you want to say, but your value proposition might not be persuasive enough. Ask ChatGPT to rephrase it in three tones: formal, bold, and conversational. You’ll quickly see which version is better suited for whom you’re writing to. This kind of back-and-forth helps you refine your message, sharpen your logic, and strengthen your pitch.
The goal isn’t to let AI do the work for you. It’s to turn your rough ideas into better thinking. You use ChatGPT as a creative tool to refine your ideas and improve as you go.
Rule 3: Ask Better Questions to Get Better Thinking
Garbage in, garbage out. So it is with ChatGPT. You won’t get great responses from generic prompts. The more vague your question, the more surface-level the response. Here are a few common, real-life examples of prompts that often lead to unhelpful or shallow answers:
- “How can I grow my business?”
- “Help me write a blog post.”
- “Explain this topic to me.”
- “What should I post on LinkedIn?”
- “Write me a professional email.”
The problem with these questions is that they’re too open-ended. ChatGPT doesn’t know what kind of business you run, what your blog is about, who your audience is, or what you’re trying to say. So it fills in the blanks with broad, generic suggestions.
Now watch what happens when you get more specific:
- Instead of “How can I grow my business?”
Try: “What are three low-cost ways a solo service-based business can attract new clients within the next 90 days?” - Instead of “Help me write a blog post”
Try: “I’m writing a blog post about remote work burnout for HR managers. Can you help outline the key points and a strong intro that hooks busy readers?” - Instead of “Explain this topic to me”
Try: “Can you explain blockchain like I’m 14, using a real-world example related to money or digital files?” - Instead of “What should I post on LinkedIn?”
Try: “I’m a leadership coach trying to grow my presence. What’s a thoughtful LinkedIn post I can write about handling failure that encourages discussion?” - Instead of “Write me a professional email”
Try: “Write a short email I can send to a potential client I met at a conference, reminding them of our chat and suggesting a 20-minute call next week.”
When you get specific, two things happen: First, ChatGPT gives you much more tailored, relevant responses. Second, you begin to clarify your thinking. That clarity doesn’t just help the AI but also helps you take the next step with more confidence and direction.
So don’t just ask questions to get quick answers. Ask them to refine your thoughts. Treat prompting as part of the thinking process, not separate from it.
Final Thoughts
Some people worry that AI might kill creativity or make original thinking lazy. In my experience, the opposite happens when you use it well.
Tools like ChatGPT don’t replace your ideas; they help shape them. They give you speed when you’re stuck, structure when you’re scattered, and new angles when you’re out of steam. They don’t hand you finished thoughts but push your thinking further.
But that only works if you stay in the driver’s seat. AI won’t think for you. It thinks with you. You have to stay curious, ask sharp questions, and push back on bland responses. The quality of insight you get depends on how deeply you’re willing to engage.
If you treat AI as a shortcut to easy answers, you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you treat it like a sparring partner, one that challenges your logic and opens new doors, it becomes a real asset in messy, complex work. In the end, the real benefit isn’t just faster response but clarity. And that begins not with the answers AI gives, but with the questions you choose to ask.
