Before You Prompt: The Step Most AI Beginners Skip
The magic isn't in clever wording—it's in getting clear about what you actually want first.
You've probably been there. You open Claude or ChatGPT, stare at the blank text box, and think... now what do I actually say?
You type something. The AI responds. It's... fine. But not quite what you wanted. So you try again. And again. Twenty minutes later, you're frustrated and wondering what all the hype is about.
Here's the thing: most of us are skipping the most important step in working with AI. And it happens before we type a single word.
The Missing First Step
When most people approach AI, they jump straight into writing their prompt. They start typing whatever comes to mind, hoping the AI will somehow read between the lines and deliver exactly what they need.
But here's what experienced AI users have figured out: the magic isn't in clever wording—it's in getting crystal clear about what you actually want first.
Think of it like giving directions. If someone asks you how to get to "that good restaurant downtown," you'd probably need to ask a few questions first. Which restaurant? Are you driving or walking? Do you need parking? The clearer the destination, the better the directions.
The same principle applies to AI. Before you can write a good prompt, you need to know:
- What's the actual outcome I'm looking for?
- What format should this take? (An email? A list? A summary?)
- What's the context the AI needs to know?
- What would "success" look like here?
This is what I call the intent formation stage—and it's the step most beginners accidentally skip.
A Simple Framework for Better Results
Instead of diving straight into your AI chat, try this approach:
Before typing anything, finish this sentence: "At the end of this, I want to have ____________."
Be specific. Not "help with my email" but "a professional email to a contractor explaining why their invoice doesn't match our agreed scope." Not "ideas for my project" but "three talking points I can use in tomorrow's team meeting about our timeline delays."
What does the finished product look like? Is it a paragraph you can paste into an email? A bulleted list? A step-by-step guide? A table comparing options?
Knowing this upfront helps you ask for exactly what you need—and helps the AI structure its response in a way that's actually useful to you.
What does the AI need to know to help you well? This might include your role, your audience, constraints you're working within, or background information that shapes what "good" looks like.
Now—and only now—start typing in the chat. You'll find that having done the thinking upfront, your prompt practically writes itself.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Let's say you need help preparing for a difficult conversation with a vendor who missed a deadline.
"Help me with a vendor conversation"
First, you think through:
- Outcome: I want a clear plan for addressing the missed deadline while preserving the relationship
- Format: Maybe 3-4 talking points I can reference, plus a suggested opening line
- Context: This is a vendor we want to keep working with, but we need to address the pattern of delays
Then your prompt becomes:
See the difference? Same situation, dramatically different results.
The Bottom Line
The AI tools themselves are powerful. But they're only as good as the clarity you bring to them. Taking even two minutes to define your intent before you start typing can be the difference between "this AI thing is useless" and "I can't believe how much time this just saved me."
Next time you open Claude or ChatGPT, pause before you type. Ask yourself: what do I actually want to walk away with here? Get clear on that first, and you'll be amazed at how much better your results become.