This is the biggest mistake you can make when using ChatGPT — and it has an easy fix

With over 120 million daily users worldwide, ChatGPT has become an essential tool for everything from planning meals to solving complex problems. Yet, despite its capabilities, many users walk away with responses that feel too generic or unhelpful. The reason? Most are making a simple mistake that’s easy to fix.

Avoid vague and broad prompts

The most common misstep is asking overly vague questions. Prompts like “Tell me about marketing” or “How can I be more productive?” give ChatGPT too little to work with, resulting in surface-level answers that lack depth or direction.

Instead, try giving the AI a specific role and context. For example, asking “Act as a productivity coach and give me a 3-step morning routine to stay focused” will get you a far more targeted and useful answer. The clearer the prompt, the better the outcome.

Give it a role, add context, and set limits

You’ll get the best results when you assign ChatGPT a role, like chef, career counselor, or finance coach. Adding context about your goals or situation also helps it deliver more relevant responses. And don’t forget to set boundaries: if you want short answers, bullet points, or a friendly tone, say so.

ChatGPT is like a well-trained assistant—it performs best when you provide clear instructions and defined expectations. Don’t treat it like a magic box; treat it like a collaborator.

If ChatGPT isn’t meeting your expectations, the problem might be the prompt. Be specific, give context, and treat it like a pro, and you’ll unlock far more powerful responses.