AI Mindset - ChatGPT Cheat Sheet

The Essential ChatGPT Guide

Stop making it complicated - here's what actually matters

Most people are using ChatGPT like a search engine. They're missing the point entirely.

Think of ChatGPT as having a brilliant colleague sitting next to you, not a tool you occasionally check.

"The truck is sitting in your garage while you move bricks with a wheelbarrow."
The Basics
Key Features
Model Selection
Effective Prompting

It's Not a Search Engine

Mindset Shift

ChatGPT isn't Google. When you approach it like Google, you're getting maybe 10% of its potential.

In a conversation with a colleague, would you ask one question and walk away? Would you accept a partial answer without follow-up? Absolutely not.

  • Treat it like a conversation, not a command-response tool
  • Don't stop until you get your "quarter-inch hole" (the actual result you need)
  • Keep iterating and refining - the magic happens in the back-and-forth

Quick Tip

Start your session with "I'm going to ask several follow-up questions as we go, so please keep helping me refine this." This sets the expectation for a conversation.

Chain Tasks Together

Productivity Hack

Your brain is wired to treat ChatGPT like Google - get answer, walk away. Fighting this is key to your success.

Chain multiple tasks together to achieve complex goals in one conversation. The model retains context from earlier in your conversation.

  • After getting a first draft, ask for improvements
  • Take the output from one task and feed it into the next
  • Ask for different formats, perspectives, or angles on the same content

Put a post-it note on your monitor: "What's the next thing I should ask ChatGPT?"

Remember This

The model doesn't check facts the way Google does. It reasons through things based on patterns it's seen during training. This is where you come in - you're the human with critical thinking skills who can evaluate and verify.

Custom GPTs

Power User

Think of Custom GPTs as personalized AI assistants that remember your preferences and specialized knowledge.

Creating your own takes minutes and saves hours. Upload documents, set specific instructions, and customize capabilities.

  • Upload employee handbooks, product manuals, or training materials
  • Create specialized versions for different departments or projects
  • Share with team members to maintain knowledge consistency

Real-World Example

I created a Custom GPT called "Office Admin Aid" with our 30-page admin guide uploaded. New staff can ask it anything without paging through documentation. It's like having a talking operations manual.

Advanced Data Analysis

Data Processing

Upload spreadsheets and data files for ChatGPT to analyze - it's like having a data scientist on speed dial.

  • Upload CSV, Excel, or other data files directly
  • Generate visualizations (charts, graphs) from your data
  • Perform complex statistical analysis with a simple request
  • Ask follow-up questions to refine analysis: "Now segment this by region"

Pro Tip

Start with a simple "What insights can you find in this data?" then get more specific based on what emerges. The model often spots patterns you'd miss.

Vision

Visual Analysis

ChatGPT can now see and analyze images - from charts and diagrams to screenshots and photos.

  • Analyze charts, graphs, and data visualizations
  • Extract text from documents and images (OCR)
  • Get help with complex diagrams and technical drawings
  • Troubleshoot tech issues by sharing a screenshot

This is your IT help desk, design consultant, and document assistant rolled into one!

Practical Use

Take a photo of error messages, complex diagrams, or product labels. Ask "What's wrong?" or "How does this work?" for instant clarity.

Image Generation

Creative Tool

Create images from text descriptions - perfect for presentations, concepts, and creative projects.

  • Generate realistic and artistic images from detailed prompts
  • Create custom illustrations for presentations and documents
  • Visualize concepts, products, and design ideas
  • Free tier offers basic access; paid tiers provide more generations and quality

Better Prompts

For best results, specify style, composition, lighting, and details. Try: "Create an image of a modern office with plants, natural light, people collaborating, photorealistic style."

Advanced Voice Mode

Conversational

Have natural, flowing conversations with ChatGPT - it's like talking to a knowledgeable assistant.

  • Low-latency responses for natural conversation flow
  • Multiple voice options for personalized experience
  • Ability to interrupt and redirect conversations naturally
  • Available in free tier (with limitations) and all paid tiers

When To Use

Perfect for multitasking, brainstorming while walking, or when you need a more natural interaction. I use it while driving to process ideas and plan my day.

Deep Research

Premium Feature

For Plus users, ChatGPT can conduct comprehensive research across hundreds of sources.

  • Analyzes hundreds of sources to answer complex questions
  • Provides citations and references for all information
  • Synthesizes information into coherent, structured reports
  • Available to Plus users (10 queries/month) and Pro users (120 queries/month)

Best Applications

Use for market research, competitive analysis, literature reviews, and complex purchase decisions. Be specific with your research questions for best results.

Canvas

Collaborative

An interactive editing environment for text and code - great for collaboration and iterations.

  • Access via Canvas button or from the toolbox
  • Execute Python code directly within Canvas
  • Edit and refine content collaboratively
  • Share Canvas assets with other users

Productivity Booster

Canvas is perfect for iterative content development. Generate content, edit it directly in Canvas, then ask for improvements without creating new prompts.

Choose the Right Model for Your Task

Not all models are created equal. Each has strengths for different tasks - knowing which to use can save time and improve results.

Model Best For Access
o3 Series Complex STEM problems, technical analysis, precise reasoning. Use o3-mini for faster responses in technical tasks. Free tier via "Reason" button; all paid tiers via model selector
GPT-4o Multimodal tasks combining text, image, and voice. Excellent for creative tasks and general use. Plus, Pro, and Enterprise tiers
GPT-4.5 (Orion) General purpose tasks requiring strong language understanding and nuance. Plus, Pro, and Enterprise tiers
GPT-4o-mini Powers free tier features with similar capabilities at lower cost. Good for everyday tasks. Free tier and above

Maximize Reasoning Abilities

Ask the model to "show its work" - you'll get much better results

  • For complex math: Use step-by-step prompting with the o3 model
  • For coding: Request test cases and edge case handling explicitly
  • For scientific analysis: Ask for multiple perspectives and confidence levels

The o3 Model for Complex Problems

The o3 model series excels at reasoning and complex problem-solving. When you need accurate math, detailed technical explanations, or step-by-step solutions, switch to o3. It's like having a professor walking you through the problem.

Access Tier Feature Summary

Free Tier

  • Basic access to GPT-4o-mini
  • Limited image generation
  • Preview of Advanced Voice
  • Access to o3-mini via "Reason" button
  • Web browsing capabilities

Plus ($20/month)

  • Full access to advanced models
  • Deep Research (10 queries/month)
  • Memory features
  • Custom GPT creation
  • Enhanced image generation and voice
  • Advanced Data Analysis

Pro ($200/month)

  • Highest Deep Research limits (120/month)
  • Priority access to new features
  • Maximum usage limits
  • Video and screensharing
  • Earlier access to experimental features

Team & Enterprise

  • Collaboration features
  • Enhanced security
  • Custom authentication
  • Administrative controls
  • Data privacy features

Forget Perfect Prompting

Research-Backed

Recent research shows we've been overthinking prompting. Here's what actually matters:

  1. Say it however makes sense to you. Whether you're formal or casual, detailed or brief, AI systems are designed to understand human language in all its forms.
  2. The bigger the model, the better it handles instructions. Newer models are especially good at understanding what you mean, even with imperfect phrasing.
  3. Use examples! Showing one good example often works better than writing a detailed instruction manual.
  4. Keep it simple. For basic tasks, AI handles pretty much any way you ask. Save your energy for the complex stuff.

Stop looking for magic words. Just be clear and conversational.

The GCEO Framework

Simple Structure

If you want a simple framework to follow, this covers all the essential elements:

  • G - Goal: Clearly state what you're trying to achieve
  • C - Context: Provide relevant background information
  • E - Examples: Show what good output looks like
  • O - Output: Specify the format or style you want

Application Example

Goal: "I need to write a short story for kids about kindness"
Context: "For 6-8 year olds, set in a magical forest, featuring animals"
Examples: "Similar to 'The Giving Tree' or 'The Lion and the Mouse'"
Output: "Around 500 words with a clear moral lesson"

The "Yeah, But How?" Technique

Fast Iteration

For complex topics where you don't even know where to start, use the simplest prompt of all:

"Yeah, but how?"

This encourages the model to go deeper on its previous response. Keep asking versions of this question to guide the conversation toward what you actually need.

  • "How would I actually implement this?"
  • "Could you break this down into specific steps?"
  • "What's an example of how this would work in practice?"

This approach lets you start with a broad topic and gradually narrow until you get your "quarter-inch hole."

Show Your Work: Chain of Thought

Quality Booster

For complex problems, asking the model to show its reasoning dramatically improves accuracy.

Simply add phrases like:

  • "Please think step by step"
  • "Show your reasoning"
  • "Walk me through your approach"

When To Use

This is crucial for math problems, business decisions, research questions, and anytime accuracy matters. By seeing the reasoning, you can catch errors in logic that might not be apparent in the final answer.

Creative Prompt Techniques

Fun & Powerful

These unconventional techniques can yield surprising results:

  • Split: Have the model play multiple roles in a conversation (e.g., "Be a skeptical customer responding to this pitch")
  • Bionic: Ask for a better version of its previous answer ("Now give me a better answer")
  • Conjure: Ask it to answer as a specific person ("What would Jeff Bezos say about this business model?")
  • Time Travel: Ask it to look back from the future ("It's 3 years from now. Why did this project succeed/fail?")
  • Mimic: Provide examples of writing or speech you want it to emulate

Remember - this is part wizard, part colleague. Play with it!

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