#82 A Whole Lot of Chattin' With GPT!

Welcome back!

A very popular tactic amongst writers is to save the introduction for last, and I’m no different. I lay out the sections I want to feature each week; I write them up; I look for a common thread or theme; and then I come back and write the intro.

This week, the unintentional-yet-super-obvious commonality across most sections is everyone’s favorite bot, ChatGPT. So I figured who better to write this introduction!

Here’s the prompt followed by the bot’s response:

In our ever-evolving journey of personal and professional growth, finding the right tools to enhance our productivity and creativity is crucial. This week, we're diving deep into one such powerful resource: ChatGPT.

Whether you're looking to brainstorm ideas, draft compelling content, or simply find a sounding board for your thoughts, ChatGPT can be a game-changer in your toolkit. Whether you're a seasoned professional or someone just starting out on their development journey, there's something here for everyone.

So, let's get started and discover how you can make the most of ChatGPT to elevate your personal and professional life!

Ehh, not the worst, but not great, either. I mean, it didn’t use even a single emoji! Now that’s dry 🌵

Anyway, let’s get on with it…

Looking for a Better Growth-Letter? Don’t BOTher 🔥 

Fattening The Wallet 💰️ 

• 7 ChatGPT Side-Hustles in Hustle Hub

Elevating Your Brand 🤝 

• Become a Better Writer (with a helping 🦾) in Cool Communicator

• How To Use Fantasy Sports as a Networking Hack

Boosting Your Productivity 📊 

• Working With AI to Make Your Prompting More Efficient

• A Food For Thought To Get Your @$$ in Gear

Working With AI 🤖 

Become a Prompting Machine.

I have used ChatGPT every week since it first became available to us in November of 2022.

I believe using this tool appropriately can relieve mental stress and exhaustion, among a myriad of other benefits.

I dug into the archives and found this for you because you need to start thinking of ChatGPT like this:

So EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU PROMPT THE BOT, remind yourself…

…to tell the bot to “act as” 

DON’T say: I need a marketing plan for my ice cream shop.

Say: “I need you to act as a chief marketing officer to develop a marketing plan for my ice cream shop.”

… to tell the bot to “respond in the tone of voice you’re looking for.” 

DON’T say: “Write this in a way that makes me appeal to a younger audience.”

Say: “I need to make sure my tone of voice resonates with the age groups between 25 and 35. When you respond, please make sure to keep the tone of voice I am requesting consistent so it appeals to that target audience”

…to BE SPECIFIC.

DON’T say: “I need your help so I can make $10,000 online in the next 6 months. Please list out 25 ideas.”

Say: “I have a passion for ____. My skills are the following ____. My longest tenured job I enjoyed I did ____. Keep in mind, I don’t like to do _____. But I do LOVE to do _____. When you respond, I need you to respond to the best of your ability. Please ask me any more questions you need answered so I can make $10,000 online in the next 6 months.”

O.T.F
O.F.T: One Final Thought

Don’t get lazy. Think of using ChatGPT as an investment (like a stock) and you’re someone who wants to invest.

To get the best ROI (return on investment), you would take your time to make sure you’re doing it right. Same thing when using ChatGPT. To get the best return, use the 3 tips above.

Hustle Hub 📈 

(Starting with “Their Success” today and only featuring a single “Your Success.” As you scroll, you’ll see why.)

• THEIR SUCCESS: This new mom makes $200K “from my couch” - here’s how.

• YOUR SUCCESS: I asked ChatGPT how I could use it to make money with a side-hustle - it responded with a comprehensive, 400-word write-up. Here’s the condensed version:

If you want the original comprehensive response, complete with specific monetization strategies, email me at [email protected] with “ChatGPT Side Hustles” in the subject line, and I’ll send you the PDF.

Cool Communicator 💯 

ChatGPT may not be the best ghostwriter out there, but it can be a very helpful writing assistant. This week’s Cool Communicator, focusing on an article from Forbes (behind a paywall 🤮), aims to help improve your use of the bot in this role. Which, in turn, will make you a better writer when communicating with fellow humans.

Takeaways:

1. Analyze the Opening - As seen in our intro, ChatGPT isn’t great at writing hooks. But give it more than one shot, and there’s a good chance it spits out something you can work with.

“Analyze my opening paragraph for _____________.”

[Paste it here."]

“Rewrite it three different ways to make it more compelling and hook the reader instantly…”

The article goes on to suggest that, after fielding these options, you can ask the bot for “general tips for crafting attention-grabbing openers that keep readers hooked.”

2. Do My Research For Me - The worst part of writing in my opinion is having to stop writing to find data. So don’t! Let the bot do it for you:

“Help me strengthen my _________ with compelling data. I’ll provide my main points below. For each point, suggest 2-3 relevant statistics or research findings that support my points. Include the source for each stat.”

3. Cut the Fluff - We all digress and/or use unnecessary words sometimes. But if you feel like you do it too much too often, the bot can take a metaphorical red pen to your paper and cross it all out, making your writing more direct and to the point:

“Sharpen my writing by eliminating unnecessary words.”

[Paste Your Writing Here]

“Your job is to cut it down by 30% [or any number you’d like] without losing the core message. Present the condensed version alongside the original, highlighting the key changes.”

4. Add A Personal Touch - NOTE: This just seems wrong. You don’t - or shouldn’t - need the bot to help you connect your personal experiences to whatever you’re writing. But if you’re desperate, here you go:

“Help me incorporate personal anecdotes into my writing. I’ll share the main topic of my ___________. For each key point, ask me probing questions about related experiences in my life. Help me craft these experiences into concise, relevant stories that illustrate my message.”

5. What’s My Voice? You don’t want to simply copy someone else’s style; the best communicators find their own unique voice and use it to attract readers/listeners. If you’re struggling to figure out what the key components of your voice are, ChatGPT can analyze it for you:

“Analyze my writing style to uncover my unique voice. I’ll provide samples of my writing below. Your task is to identify recurring patterns, signature phrases, and distinctive elements that define my style…after analyzing each sample, suggest how I can amplify these [traits] in future pieces to make my writing more recognizably me.”

O.T.F
O.F.T: One Final Thought

I shared all 5 prompts with you because that’s how many the original article shared. If I were to focus only on the ones I like, or truly see value in, I probably would’ve stopped after 3.

Some things, you just have to figure out for yourself, through trial and error and lots of practice writing. I’m not so confident in ChatGPT’s ability to help you hone a unique voice (everything ChatGPT says is, by its very nature, the opposite of unique), and needing it to figure out your own relevant life experiences is just scary.

Use it for critiques. Use it for research. Use it for line editing. Style and personal anecdotes? They’re already inside of you. In my opinion, it’s up to you and you alone to pull them out.

Networking Hack 🤝 

Join an Office Fantasy League or Pool

Before we begin: if you don’t know what fantasy leagues or pools are, I had ChatGPT break it down for you:

I do a handful of pools / leagues every year for two main reasons.

1) The fun

2) The NETWORKING

If you don’t like sports, #1 might not apply here, and if you’re not a gambler, the prospect of winning money might not appeal to you, either.

But we all love the opportunity to take advantage of a networking opportunity, and fantasy sports / pools present ones that could last for months, giving you chances day after day to connect with people you didn’t know previously.

Breaking It Down: How Can Fantasy Leagues Be Networking Hacks?

• Creates Common Ground: Fantasy sports provide an instant icebreaker, giving you something relatable to talk about with colleagues or new acquaintances. This shared interest can make it easier to build rapport over time.

• Breaks Down Hierarchical Barriers: Pool leagues often bring together people from different levels within a company, making it easier to connect with higher-ups or peers in a low-pressure environment where titles don’t matter as much.

• Demonstrates Personality and Interests: Your participation in something fun like fantasy sports lets others see your personality and interests outside of work, making you more memorable and approachable in both social and professional settings.

• Builds Long-Term Relationships: Fantasy leagues span several weeks or months, providing sustained interactions that help develop stronger, longer-term connections than a quick chat in a hallway.

O.T.F
O.F.T: One Final Thought

You don’t have to love the sport or know everything (or anything) about it to get involved. If you hear of an opportunity around your office, we strongly urge you to jump in.

You’re guaranteed to connect with new people, and who knows? Maybe as you learn throughout the season, you’ll discover a new hobby or interest that would’ve remained dormant otherwise.

Note: It may be too late to get in for this football season, but the big months to remember are:

• August/September - Football

• October / November - Basketball, Hockey

• March - March Madness (College Basketball), Baseball

Food For Thought 💭 

Before You Go

A quick announcement: you are now a part of a community of more than 3,000 subscribers! We couldn’t be more grateful to each and every one of you for your support along the way.

Next week, we’ll be back with Making Cents, Expert Advice, and much more, all written or summarized with a human touch. ChatGPT is taking a much needed vacation 🤣

See you then!

You are now On The Fly and In The Know