I spend a lot of time trying to get more out of my AI tools. It’s easy to get summaries or rewrites, but getting ChatGPT to do some heavy-duty thinking with me? That’s always been the real challenge.
Well, I just stumbled across a post from a LinkedIn creator that completely changes the game. The author makes a brilliant point: most people confuse being skeptical with actual critical thinking. To fix this, the post’s author shared a set of prompts designed to force a deeper, more structured analysis. I was blown away.
This isn’t about asking for a simple list. This is about turning ChatGPT into a proper thinking partner.
Here are a few of my favorite frameworks the expert shared:
- 📌 The Steelman: Instead of arguing against a weak version of an idea, this prompt makes ChatGPT build the strongest possible counterargument. Then you have to refine your own position to beat it. So smart!
- 🚀 The Pre-Mortem: This one is wild. You tell the AI your plan has already failed catastrophically and ask it to work backward to figure out why. It’s a fantastic way to spot weaknesses before you even start.
- 💡 First-Principles Deconstruction: This is how you break a problem down to its absolute core. This talented creator provided this exact prompt to copy and paste, and it’s pure gold.
Here it is:
“Act as a first-principles analyst. Decompose the problem: “{insert problem}” into its smallest assumptions, physical/financial/logical constraints, and causal mechanisms. For each assumption, evaluate its necessity (must-have vs convenience) and testability (how to falsify). Rebuild a solution from only the indispensable parts. Output in sections: Assumptions, Constraints, Mechanisms, Tests, Rebuild, Risks, Final Recommendation.”
This is just a small sample of the 25 prompts the original poster provided.
Seriously, go check out the full LinkedIn post to see the rest and level up your AI game. It’s a masterclass in using AI for real critical thinking.