The Prompting Formula
AI will change your life.
AI will change your life.
If you know how to talk to it.
Most people type vague questions and get useless answers. This formula fixes that — for your health, your money, your relationships, your goals. Whatever matters most to you.
[ROLE]
+
[CONTEXT]
+
[TASK]
+
[FORMAT]
+
[CONSTRAINTS]
What each part means
RoleWho is the AI?Tell it what kind of expert to be. A nutritionist. A financial planner. A therapist. A coach. This one step eliminates 90% of generic answers.
ContextWhat's your situation?Your life, your specifics, your starting point. AI has zero context about you — until you give it some. The more real you are, the more useful it gets.
TaskWhat do you want?The exact thing you need. Not "help me" — "give me a 4-week plan" or "write an email I can send today." Specific task, specific output.
FormatHow should it look?A step-by-step list. A weekly schedule. A script you can say out loud. Tell it how to package the answer so you can actually use it.
ConstraintsWhat are the limits?Your budget, your schedule, what you've already tried, what you want to avoid. Constraints don't narrow the output — they make it fit your real life.
Why this works
AI knows nothing about you when you start. Without structure, it gives you the most average answer possible — generic advice that could apply to anyone, which means it's perfectly useful for no one. This formula forces you to give it everything it needs: who to be, what your life looks like, what you need, how to deliver it, and what won't work for you. You stop asking a search engine. You start briefing a personal advisor.
Works for every area of your life
Health & FitnessMeal plans, workout routines, sleep habits, medical questions
Money & WealthBudgeting, investing, debt payoff, salary negotiation
Love & RelationshipsHard conversations, dating, conflict resolution, reconnecting
Mental WellbeingManaging stress, building habits, clarity, self-understanding
Career & PurposeJob hunting, promotions, pivots, finding meaningful work
Goals & GrowthBuilding discipline, learning new skills, making big decisions
Real examples using the formula
HealthCustom Meal Plan
ROLE You are a registered dietitian who specializes in sustainable, realistic eating for busy people.
CONTEXT I'm a 34-year-old working parent. I want to lose 15 pounds over the next 3 months. I work long hours, have two kids, and can realistically spend 20 minutes cooking on weeknights. I don't have food allergies but I hate fish.
TASK Build me a simple weekly meal plan I can actually follow without burning out or spending a fortune.
FORMAT A 7-day plan laid out by day. Each day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, one snack. Include a short grocery list at the end.
CONSTRAINTS No fish. Under $150/week for a family of four. Meals should be simple enough that a tired adult can make them without a recipe. No exotic ingredients.
CONTEXT I'm a 34-year-old working parent. I want to lose 15 pounds over the next 3 months. I work long hours, have two kids, and can realistically spend 20 minutes cooking on weeknights. I don't have food allergies but I hate fish.
TASK Build me a simple weekly meal plan I can actually follow without burning out or spending a fortune.
FORMAT A 7-day plan laid out by day. Each day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, one snack. Include a short grocery list at the end.
CONSTRAINTS No fish. Under $150/week for a family of four. Meals should be simple enough that a tired adult can make them without a recipe. No exotic ingredients.
MoneyDebt Payoff Plan
ROLE You are a no-nonsense personal finance coach who specializes in helping everyday people get out of debt without feeling judged.
CONTEXT I have $18,000 in credit card debt across 3 cards. I bring home $3,800/month after taxes. My fixed monthly expenses total about $2,600. I've tried budgeting apps before and always fall off after 2 weeks.
TASK Give me a realistic, month-by-month debt payoff plan that accounts for my actual income and doesn't require me to be perfect.
FORMAT A clear timeline showing which debt to attack first, how much to put toward it each month, and an estimated payoff date for each card. Then a one-paragraph summary I can refer back to.
CONSTRAINTS Don't assume I can cut expenses dramatically — I've already trimmed what I can. No advice about debt consolidation loans. Keep the language simple and motivating, not clinical.
CONTEXT I have $18,000 in credit card debt across 3 cards. I bring home $3,800/month after taxes. My fixed monthly expenses total about $2,600. I've tried budgeting apps before and always fall off after 2 weeks.
TASK Give me a realistic, month-by-month debt payoff plan that accounts for my actual income and doesn't require me to be perfect.
FORMAT A clear timeline showing which debt to attack first, how much to put toward it each month, and an estimated payoff date for each card. Then a one-paragraph summary I can refer back to.
CONSTRAINTS Don't assume I can cut expenses dramatically — I've already trimmed what I can. No advice about debt consolidation loans. Keep the language simple and motivating, not clinical.
RelationshipsDifficult Conversation Script
ROLE You are a couples therapist and communication coach with 20 years of experience helping people have honest, productive conversations without damaging their relationships.
CONTEXT I need to tell my partner that I feel emotionally disconnected from them. We've been together 6 years. Things have been distant since we had our second child. I tend to shut down when things get tense, and they tend to get defensive. I've been putting this off for months.
TASK Help me plan and script this conversation so I can say what I actually mean without it turning into a fight.
FORMAT Give me: (1) how to open the conversation in 2–3 sentences, (2) the core thing I'm trying to say rewritten clearly, (3) two ways they might respond and how to handle each one calmly.
CONSTRAINTS No therapy jargon. Language should sound like a real human, not a self-help book. Assume my partner is a good person who isn't intentionally disconnected — they're just stressed too.
CONTEXT I need to tell my partner that I feel emotionally disconnected from them. We've been together 6 years. Things have been distant since we had our second child. I tend to shut down when things get tense, and they tend to get defensive. I've been putting this off for months.
TASK Help me plan and script this conversation so I can say what I actually mean without it turning into a fight.
FORMAT Give me: (1) how to open the conversation in 2–3 sentences, (2) the core thing I'm trying to say rewritten clearly, (3) two ways they might respond and how to handle each one calmly.
CONSTRAINTS No therapy jargon. Language should sound like a real human, not a self-help book. Assume my partner is a good person who isn't intentionally disconnected — they're just stressed too.
CareerSalary Negotiation Prep
ROLE You are an executive career coach who has helped hundreds of professionals negotiate higher salaries without damaging their relationships with employers.
CONTEXT I've been at my company for 3 years. I just got a competing offer for $15k more than I currently make. I like where I work and would prefer to stay — but I want to be paid fairly. My current manager is supportive but the company has a reputation for low raises.
TASK Prepare me to have this negotiation conversation with my manager next week. Give me the exact strategy and the specific language to use.
FORMAT (1) A 3-sentence opening I can say verbatim. (2) The strongest 3 arguments for my raise, personalized to my situation. (3) How to handle it if they say "we can't match it right now."
CONSTRAINTS I don't want to sound threatening or like I'm issuing an ultimatum. Tone should be confident and collaborative. Assume I genuinely want to stay if they come close.
CONTEXT I've been at my company for 3 years. I just got a competing offer for $15k more than I currently make. I like where I work and would prefer to stay — but I want to be paid fairly. My current manager is supportive but the company has a reputation for low raises.
TASK Prepare me to have this negotiation conversation with my manager next week. Give me the exact strategy and the specific language to use.
FORMAT (1) A 3-sentence opening I can say verbatim. (2) The strongest 3 arguments for my raise, personalized to my situation. (3) How to handle it if they say "we can't match it right now."
CONSTRAINTS I don't want to sound threatening or like I'm issuing an ultimatum. Tone should be confident and collaborative. Assume I genuinely want to stay if they come close.
The difference it makes
✕ What most people type
"How do I save more money?"
No context. No situation. No constraints. You'll get a generic list of tips you've already heard a hundred times.
✓ What actually works
"You're a personal finance coach. I make $4,200/month, spend about $3,600, and have zero savings. I've tried budgets before but can't stick to them. Give me 3 specific things I can do this week — not next month — to start building a cushion. Keep it simple. I don't want to track every dollar."
Your turn — fill in the blanks
Role
You are a _________________ who specializes in _________________.
Context
I am _________________. My situation is _________________. I've already tried _________________.
Task
Give me / Help me / Write me _________________ so that I can _________________.
Format
Give it to me as a _________________ (step-by-step plan / script / weekly schedule / simple list / etc.)
Constraints
Keep it _________________. Avoid _________________. Assume _________________.
AI isn't magic. It's a mirror.
The quality of what you get back is the quality of what you put in.
Give it your real life — it'll give you real answers.