Prozitude = Proactive Positive attitude

Positive quotes and messages for positive people.

Sunday, December 29, 2024

For All Intensive Purposes (and Not Just Extensive Ones!)


Ever asked a chatbot for ideas and gotten an encyclopedic response? They can get too helpful, suggesting grand projects when you just need a simple activity. It's like asking for a recipe for one and getting a catering menu.

I recently had this issue. I wanted personal development ideas and got suggestions like "Organize a community outreach program." Not exactly solo weekend projects. I needed something one person could do.

So, I went back to my chat and said:

"Review your recommended ideas with this new condition to evaluate along with it. For all intents and purposes please recommend only what one person can do."

It worked! Suddenly, suggestions were manageable: "Read a book," "Learn a new skill," "Start a journal."

The key phrase is "For all intents and purposes," meaning "in every practical sense." Here, it's a pun: we want intensive (focused, single-person) intents and purposes, not extensive (sprawling) ones.

This taught me about prompt engineering. It's not just what you ask, but how. By adding "recommend only what one person can do," I drastically improved the response.

So, when your AI gets carried away, remember this tip. Use the "for all intents and purposes" trick (emphasizing "intensive"). It might be the key to the help you need, saving you from extensive searches!

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