One True Prompt #170: Analysis & Decision Making (0339)
One True Prompt
10 practical AI prompts every day. Copy, paste, and learn.
Today's theme: Analysis & Decision Making
Here are 10 prompts you can use today. Each one is ready to copy and paste into ChatGPT or Claude. Try at least one.
Prompt: Career Crossroads Analyzer (Stay or Leave Your Job)
Copy and paste this:
You are my decision coach. I am a 52-year-old project manager named Karen who has been at the same mid-sized manufacturing company in Ohio for 14 years. I am trying to decide whether to stay in my current job or start seriously looking for a new role.
Here is my situation, in detail. Please read everything, then:
1) Clarify what decision I am *really* making.
2) Separate what is “noise” from what actually matters.
3) Lay out 3 - 5 realistic options (not extremes).
4) For each option, list:
- Pros
- Cons
- Short-term consequences (next 6 - 12 months)
- Long-term consequences (3 - 5 years)
5) End with:
- What you’d suggest if you were a level‑headed mentor who knew me well
- 3 questions I should reflect on this week
- A simple one‑sentence “decision statement” I can use to explain my choice to my husband.
Here are the facts:
- Age: 52
- Current role: Project Manager, mid-sized manufacturing firm (~400 employees)
- Location: Toledo, Ohio
- Time in role: 14 years at this company, 9 years in current position
- Compensation: $102,000 base + ~5 - 8% annual bonus; health insurance is good and affordable
- Commute: 25 minutes each way
- Work pattern: Mostly in-office, some flexibility to leave early for family needs
- Manager: New VP of Operations (45, male) who started 8 months ago; style is more demanding, more metrics-focused, less personal
- Team: I manage 3 coordinators (late 20s - early 30s), good relationships but they are stretched thin
- Job satisfaction (1 - 10):
- Day-to-day enjoyment: 6
- Stress level: 7 - 8 during quarter-end, 5 otherwise
- Sense of purpose: 7
- Relationship with colleagues: 8
What I like:
- I know the business deeply and feel competent.
- I have strong relationships across departments.
- My work directly affects production efficiency, which I find meaningful.
- Schedule is reasonably predictable most weeks.
What I dislike / concerns:
- New VP pushes hard on deadlines and sometimes overrides my judgment with little explanation.
- I feel less appreciated than I did under the previous director.
- Limited clear promotion path; only one senior PM role above me, currently occupied by someone 5 years younger who is unlikely to leave soon.
- The company is slow to adopt new tools; I’m worried my skills (mostly MS Project, Excel, email) are getting outdated compared to newer project management platforms.
- I sometimes worry about age discrimination if there are layoffs in 3 - 5 years.
Family / life context:
- Married, husband (55) is a high school teacher earning ~$68,000.
- Two kids: one in college (sophomore at state university), one in 11th grade.
- We have a mortgage with 9 years left.
- Retirement savings: approximately $420,000 across 401(k) and IRAs.
- We are not in financial crisis, but college costs mean we can’t afford a long period without my income.
Options I’ve thought about:
- Stay put and “ride it out” until both kids are through college.
- Look for a similar PM role in a different company (maybe healthcare or logistics).
- Try to move internally into a more strategic or process-improvement role.
- Take a small step back in pay for a less stressful role in a more modern company that uses up-to-date tools (to future-proof my skills).
My personality / preferences:
- I value stability, but I don’t want to feel stuck.
- I’m willing to learn new tools but don’t want to work 60+ hour weeks.
- I’m comfortable managing people and cross-functional projects.
- I’m introverted but good in 1:1 or small group settings.
Please analyze this like a seasoned career coach and decision analyst. Be candid but respectful. Do not just tell me “it depends” - help me think this through systematically and make a grounded recommendation.
Use case: Karen, 52, feels stuck in a long-term job and is genuinely torn between staying for stability or moving for growth; she wants a structured way to think it through, not just “follow your gut.”
Expected result: A clear breakdown of Karen’s real decision, a comparison of realistic options, and a grounded recommendation with reflection questions and a one-sentence statement she can share with her husband.
Pro tip: To adapt this, change the role, salary, and family context to your own situation, but keep the structure of facts and the 5-part analysis request exactly the same so the model can compare options clearly.
Prompt: Home Downsizing Decision (Sell, Rent, or Stay)
Copy and paste this:
You are my financial and lifestyle decision advisor. My name is Robert, I’m 64, and I’m trying to decide what to do with my current home as I approach retirement: stay, sell and buy smaller, or rent it out.
Please:
1) Clarify the exact decision I’m making.
2) Summarize my current financial and lifestyle situation.
3) Compare **three specific options**:
- Stay in the home
- Sell and buy a smaller condo nearby
- Rent out current home and move into a smaller rental myself
4) For each option, analyze:
- Financial impact (cash flow now, long-term equity)
- Lifestyle impact (stress, maintenance, social life, health)
- Risk factors (market risk, vacancy risk, unexpected costs)
5) End with:
- A recommended option and why
- 3 key numbers I should double-check with a human financial advisor
- 2 - 3 “if-then” rules (e.g., “If X happens in the housing market, then consider Y”).
Here are my real details:
- Name: Robert
- Age: 64
- Location: Sacramento, California
- Current home: 3-bedroom house, bought in 1998 for $215,000
- Current estimated market value: ~$630,000
- Remaining mortgage: $92,000, 3.1% fixed, 7 years left
- Monthly mortgage payment (principal + interest): $1,280
- Property tax + insurance: ~$620/month
- Maintenance over last 3 years: average ~$400/month (roof repair, landscaping, AC maintenance)
Other assets & income:
- 401(k): $510,000
- IRA: $110,000
- Savings/checking: $38,000
- Pension: Expected $1,450/month starting at 67
- Social Security estimate at 67: $2,050/month
- Current job: State government analyst, salary $78,000/year; planning to retire or go part-time at 67
Family:
- Divorced, no dependents living at home
- Two adult children living in other states (Oregon and Texas)
- I have no plans to move out of California in the next 5 years, but may want flexibility later.
Housing alternatives I’ve looked at:
- 2-bedroom condo in same general area:
- Purchase price around $420,000
- HOA fees ~$350/month
- Lower utilities and maintenance
- Local rental for myself if I rent out my house:
- 2-bedroom apartment: ~$1,950/month
- Similar neighborhood
Rental potential of current home:
- Local agents estimate I could rent my current house for around $2,600 - $2,900/month
- I’m not very handy, would likely hire a property management company (they charge ~8% of rent).
Preferences:
- I don’t enjoy yard work or major repairs.
- I do like having space for my kids to visit and stay over.
- I value financial security and dislike debt, but I’m not trying to leave a huge inheritance.
Please walk through the analysis step-by-step in plain language. Use rough, rounded numbers and scenario thinking (e.g., “If rent is on the low end vs high end”). Focus on decision structure more than exact math.
Use case: Robert, 64, is approaching retirement and genuinely unsure whether keeping his larger house makes sense; he wants a structured analysis that weighs money, stress, and flexibility.
Expected result: A clear, scenario-based comparison of the three housing options, including financial and lifestyle tradeoffs, plus a practical recommendation and follow-up questions for a human advisor.
Pro tip: Swap in your own house value, mortgage, and local rent estimates, but keep the 3-option structure and the step-by-step analysis request so the model compares like-for-like.
Prompt: Small Business Offer Comparison (Which Client to Prioritize?)
Copy and paste this:
Act as a decision analyst for a small service business. I’m Angela, 47, and I run a 3-person bookkeeping firm in Richmond, Virginia. I’m trying to decide how to prioritize between two new client opportunities, since we realistically cannot take both at full capacity without overworking.
Please:
1) Restate the decision in one sentence.
2) List what truly matters for this decision (no more than 7 factors) and what is noise.
3) Analyze each client option across those factors using a simple 1 - 5 score (5 = best).
4) Identify key tradeoffs and hidden risks for each option.
5) Suggest a practical “hybrid” strategy if that makes sense (e.g., trial period, phased approach).
6) End with a concise recommendation and a paragraph I can copy into an email to my business partner explaining the reasoning.
Here are the real details:
My firm:
- 3 people total: me + 2 staff bookkeepers
- Current active clients: 26 small businesses (retail, restaurants, consultants)
- Average monthly revenue per client: ~$650
- We are at about 80 - 85% capacity now.
New Client A - Local Construction Company:
- 18 employees, based in Richmond
- Wants full-service bookkeeping + payroll + quarterly forecasting
- Estimated monthly revenue to us: ~$2,400
- Would be about 30 - 35 hours of work per month
- They have messy books from the last 2 years, some clean-up needed (~40 hours one-time)
- Owner is communicative but a bit disorganized; sometimes late with documents
- Likely long-term (their prior bookkeeper retired after 12 years)
New Client B - Online Coaching Business:
- Solo business owner, 38-year-old woman who sells online courses and group programs
- Revenue: around $40 - 60k per month
- Needs monthly bookkeeping + Stripe/PayPal reconciliation + basic management reports
- Estimated monthly revenue to us: ~$1,400
- Time: 15 - 18 hours per month
- Books are relatively clean but lots of small online transactions
- She is very responsive and tech-savvy, prefers cloud tools and async communication
- Business is growing quickly; she mentioned possibly adding CFO-level services later.
Constraints & preferences:
- I want to avoid burning out my staff.
- I prefer reliable, long-term relationships over “flashy” short-term wins.
- We are not actively hiring in the next 6 months.
- I enjoy working with both traditional local businesses and online entrepreneurs.
Please do a structured comparison, including a simple table in text form if useful (no need for perfect formatting). Be explicit about your assumptions. Focus on helping me choose a practical path, not just describing both options.
Use case: Angela runs a small bookkeeping firm and has two real client opportunities; she needs help seeing the tradeoffs clearly and deciding whether to favor bigger revenue with more work or smaller revenue with less strain and future potential.
Expected result: A factor-by-factor comparison with scores, an explanation of tradeoffs, and a recommended approach she can easily explain to her business partner.
Pro tip: To customize, plug in details from your own two offers or opportunities (jobs, clients, contracts) and keep the scoring and tradeoff structure so the AI can compare them systematically.
Prompt: “Should I Help My Adult Child Financially?” Decision Clarifier
Copy and paste this:
You are my calm, non-judgmental decision coach. I’m Linda, 59, and I’m deciding whether to give my 27-year-old son a $15,000 interest-free loan to help him pay off his high-interest credit card debt.
Please:
1) Clarify the core decision and the main alternatives (at least 3 realistic options, not just “yes” or “no”).
2) Identify the main values and priorities in my situation (e.g., financial security, relationship with my son, teaching responsibility).
3) For each option, analyze:
- Short-term effects (next 12 months)
- Long-term effects (5+ years), including on our relationship
- Financial impact on me using approximate numbers
- Emotional risks (resentment, guilt, enabling, etc.)
4) Point out any cognitive biases or emotional thinking that might be influencing me.
5) End with:
- A balanced recommendation (not just “help him” or “don’t help”)
- 4 - 5 specific sentences I could use when talking to my son, depending on which option I choose.
Here are the facts:
- My name: Linda
- Age: 59
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Son: Mark, 27, single, lives in an apartment with a roommate
- His situation:
- Works full-time in IT support, earns about $60,000/year
- Has about $18,000 in credit card debt at ~23% interest
- Has $7,000 in federal student loans at ~4.8% interest
- Pays rent of $1,150/month
- No known substance issues or gambling; overspending is mostly eating out, travel, and convenience spending
- My finances:
- Household: married, husband earns ~$95,000/year as an engineer
- Mortgage: $1,650/month, 12 years left
- Retirement accounts: about $620,000 combined
- Emergency fund: $28,000 in savings
- No credit card debt
- What he asked:
- He asked if I could “help him clear his high-interest debt so he can start fresh”
- He suggested paying me back $400/month until it’s repaid
- My feelings:
- I want to help him, but I’m worried about setting a precedent.
- I’m not sure if giving him money will truly change his habits.
- I don’t want money to become a permanent source of tension.
Please be practical and compassionate. Use simple language, not therapy jargon. Help me think like a wise aunt or uncle who has seen this situation many times.
Use case: Linda, 59, wants to support her adult son without undermining his financial responsibility; she needs help seeing options beyond a simple yes/no and understanding emotional and financial consequences.
Expected result: A clear breakdown of three or more realistic paths (loan, partial help, tough love, etc.), including impacts on money, relationships, and future dynamics, plus suggested wording for a real conversation.
Pro tip: To adapt, swap in your own ages, amounts, and details about your child and debt, but keep the structure that asks for values, biases, and suggested phrases - that’s what makes the analysis truly useful.
Prompt: Health Tradeoff Analyzer (Medication vs Lifestyle Changes)
Copy and paste this:
Act as a health decision support coach (not a doctor). I understand you are not giving medical advice or replacing my physician. I am a 61-year-old man named James deciding whether to start a prescribed cholesterol medication now or try 6 months of lifestyle changes first.
Please:
1) Restate the decision in neutral terms.
2) List the key factors that usually matter in this kind of decision (risk, side effects, motivation, timeline, etc.).
3) Analyze **two main options** and a combined option:
- Option A: Start the medication now as my doctor suggested.
- Option B: Delay medication and focus aggressively on lifestyle for 6 months.
- Option C: Start medication now AND also make lifestyle changes, with a plan to re-evaluate later.
4) For each option, discuss:
- Potential health benefits and risks (qualitatively, not exact percentages)
- Practical day-to-day impact on my life
- How it fits with what you know about my habits and motivation
5) Suggest 5 - 7 questions I should ask my real doctor to make a better-informed choice.
6) End with a short, balanced summary of how a cautious but proactive person might proceed.
Here are my real details:
- Name: James
- Age: 61
- Sex: Male
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Height: 5'10"
- Weight: 214 lbs
- Current conditions:
- Mild high blood pressure (on medication, generally controlled)
- Pre-diabetes (A1C 5.9)
- Latest lab results (3 weeks ago):
- Total cholesterol: 238 mg/dL
- LDL (“bad”): 159 mg/dL
- HDL (“good”): 44 mg/dL
- Triglycerides: 186 mg/dL
- Family history:
- Father had a heart attack at 63
- Mother has type 2 diabetes, diagnosed at 68
- Doctor’s recommendation:
- Start a moderate-dose statin medication now
- Also improve diet and exercise
- Current lifestyle:
- Desk job (accounting manager)
- Walks 2 - 3 times per week for ~20 minutes
- Eats out for lunch 3 - 4 times a week, often sandwiches and fries
- Drinks 1 - 2 beers most nights
- Motivation:
- I’m concerned but not panicked
- I dislike taking more pills but also don’t want a heart attack or diabetes
- My wife is encouraging me to “take this seriously.”
Please answer in plain, non-technical language, with careful reminders that I must confirm everything with my real doctor.
Use case: James is facing a common midlife health decision - start a medication now or try lifestyle first - and wants a structured way to discuss tradeoffs before his next doctor appointment.
Expected result: A reasoned comparison of options, personalized to James’s situation, plus a list of concrete questions he can take to his physician.
Pro tip: Use your own real lab numbers and family history; keep the same 3-option structure and the “questions for my doctor” section so you get a useful conversation starter.
Prompt: Weekly Time Allocation Review (Fixing Overcommitment)
Copy and paste this:
You are my time and priority analyst. I’m Maria, 49, and I feel stretched thin. I want you to analyze how I currently spend my week and recommend changes based on what I say actually matters.
Please:
1) Summarize in 3 - 5 bullet points how I currently spend my time.
2) Ask: “What do you say matters most to you?” and then answer based on the information I’ve already given (don’t ask me again).
3) Show me where my time and my stated priorities do NOT match.
4) Propose a new weekly time allocation with approximate hours, including:
- Work
- Commute
- Sleep
- Health (exercise, walking, etc.)
- Family / relationships
- Personal admin (bills, errands)
- Fun / hobbies / rest
5) Suggest 5 - 7 specific changes I could try for the next 2 weeks (e.g., “Move X from evenings to Saturday morning,” “Say no to Y type of request”).
6) End with a simple one-paragraph “Time Plan” I can print and put on my desk.
Here are my real details:
- Name: Maria
- Age: 49
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Work:
- Role: HR manager at a regional hospital
- Hours: Typically 8:00 - 5:30, Monday to Friday
- Commute: 35 - 40 minutes each way (driving)
- Family:
- Married, husband (51) works shifts as a firefighter
- Two kids at home: daughter 15, son 12
- Current weekly time (rough estimates):
- Work at office: ~47 hours/week
- Commute: ~7 hours/week
- Sleep: ~6.5 hours/night (~45.5 hours/week)
- Exercise: very inconsistent; maybe 1 walk per week (~30 minutes)
- Cooking / dishes: ~8 hours/week
- Kid activities (sports, homework help, driving): ~10 - 12 hours/week
- TV / scrolling on phone: ~10 - 12 hours/week, usually 9 - 11 pm
- Sunday church + social time: ~3 hours/week
- Errands / groceries: ~4 hours/week
- How I feel:
- Tired most days by 3 - 4 pm
- Guilty about not exercising and not being fully present with kids in the evenings
- Behind on small things (dentist, car maintenance, etc.)
What I *say* matters to me (in my own words):
- “Being healthy enough to enjoy my 50s and 60s.”
- “Not missing my kids’ teenage years.”
- “Doing my job well without letting it swallow my whole life.”
Please be practical and realistic (do not suggest 2 hours of exercise every day out of nowhere). Focus on small, do-able shifts.
Use case: Maria, 49, feels like her week runs her instead of the other way around; she wants a clear look at where her time goes and simple, realistic adjustments aligned with her values.
Expected result: A mirror showing how she really spends her time vs what she says matters, plus a new weekly plan and a short “Time Plan” paragraph she can keep visible.
Pro tip: Insert your own real weekly hours and honest descriptions of how you currently spend your time; the more specific you are, the more precise the AI’s recommendations will be.
Prompt: Subscription & Expense Audit (What to Cut, What to Keep)
Copy and paste this:
Act as my personal expense analyst. I’m Daniel, 57, and I want to review my recurring monthly expenses and decide what to keep, renegotiate, or cancel in the next 30 days.
Please:
1) Organize my recurring expenses into categories (Home, Utilities, Entertainment, Subscriptions, Health, etc.).
2) For each item, classify it as:
- Essential
- Nice-to-have
- Low-value / questionable
3) For the “Nice-to-have” and “Low-value” items, suggest:
- Cancel
- Downgrade
- Negotiate
- Keep, but put a reminder to re-evaluate in 6 months
4) Estimate how much I could save per month and per year with your recommended changes (rough numbers are fine).
5) End with a short action list for the next 7 days (specific steps).
Here are my real recurring monthly expenses:
- Mortgage: $1,780
- Property tax escrow (in mortgage): included above
- Home insurance (in mortgage): included above
- Electric: average $165
- Gas (home heating): average $48
- Water/sewer: average $62
- Internet: $89 (cable company bundle)
- Mobile phone plan (2 lines): $142
- Streaming services:
- Netflix: $15.49
- Hulu: $17.99
- Disney+: $13.99
- Max: $15.99
- Spotify Family: $16.99
- Cable TV: $83
- Gym membership (local gym): $39
- Peloton app subscription: $24
- Cloud storage:
- iCloud: $2.99
- Google One: $9.99
- Software:
- Microsoft 365: $69.99/year (assume ~$5.83/month)
- Donations:
- Church: $120
- Local food bank: $25
- Insurance:
- Auto insurance: $112
- Life insurance policy: $63
- Other:
- Lawn service: $95 (during growing season, ~8 months/year, but I’ll treat it as monthly for this exercise)
- Meal box subscription (HelloFresh-style): $86
Income context:
- Household income: ~$132,000/year (me and my wife)
- No credit card debt
- Goal: free up at least $150/month to boost retirement savings.
Please be firm but fair - do not assume I want to cut all enjoyment. I want a good life *and* more savings.
Use case: Daniel, 57, wants to see, in one organized picture, which monthly expenses are truly worth it and where he can save without feeling deprived.
Expected result: A categorized list of expenses, with each item labeled and a concrete set of cancellation/downgrade/keep decisions, plus a rough savings estimate and an immediate action list.
Pro tip: Paste your real recurring expenses right from your bank or card statements; the more complete the list, the more money you’ll likely find to redirect.
Prompt: Volunteer & Caregiving Boundary Setter
Copy and paste this:
You are my boundary and commitment advisor. I’m Susan, 63, and I am feeling overextended between volunteering, caring for my elderly mother, and helping with my grandchildren. I need help deciding what to scale back without feeling like a bad person.
Please:
1) Summarize my current commitments in 5 - 7 bullets.
2) Identify which commitments are:
- Non-negotiable (at least for now)
- Flexible
- Optional
3) Analyze the impact of *not* changing anything over the next 12 months (on my health, relationships, and energy).
4) Propose 3 realistic adjustment scenarios:
- Scenario 1: Small changes (10 - 20% reduction in time/energy)
- Scenario 2: Moderate changes (20 - 35% reduction)
- Scenario 3: Significant changes (35 - 50% reduction)
5) For each scenario, describe:
- What specifically I would stop, reduce, or delegate
- Likely reactions from others
- Benefits and risks for me
6) End with 4 - 5 sentences I could use to say “no” or “not right now” kindly but firmly.
Here are my real details:
- Name: Susan
- Age: 63
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Commitments:
- Caregiving:
- My mother is 86, lives 20 minutes away.
- I visit her 4 times per week, usually 2 - 3 hours each visit (help with meals, laundry, appointments).
- Grandchildren:
- Two grandkids (ages 5 and 8).
- I watch them after school 3 days a week from 3 pm to 6 pm while my daughter works.
- Volunteering:
- Church: I coordinate the Sunday greeting team (1 - 2 hours/week plus some texting/planning).
- Food pantry: I volunteer every Thursday morning for 3 hours.
- Other:
- I manage most of the cooking and cleaning at home; my husband is helpful but still works full-time.
How I feel:
- I love my family and my community, but I feel like I have no time to rest or pursue my own hobbies (painting, reading).
- I have some knee pain and get very tired by evening.
- I worry people will be disappointed or feel abandoned if I step back.
Please be warm but direct. Help me see that every “yes” is also a “no” to something else, and suggest realistic ways to rebalance.
Use case: Susan, 63, wants to continue being generous but recognizes she is running on fumes; she needs concrete scenarios for reducing commitments and language for setting boundaries.
Expected result: A map of her current commitments, three levels of change with specific actions, and compassionate but firm phrases she can actually say to family and organizations.
Pro tip: Fill this with your real caregiving, grandparenting, and volunteer commitments; don’t downplay your load - the AI can only help you rebalance what you honestly show it.
Prompt: “Two Paths” Retirement Vision Comparator
Copy and paste this:
Act as my retirement scenario analyst. I’m Henry, 60, and I’m considering two broad retirement paths over the next 10 - 15 years: staying in my current city and career as long as possible, or planning an earlier, simpler retirement in a lower-cost area.
Please:
1) Restate the two main paths in your own words to show you understand.
2) For each path, paint a realistic picture of:
- Daily life at age 65 and age 72
- Financial situation (roughly)
- Social connections and sense of purpose
- Health implications (based on stress, activity, etc.)
3) Identify the main risks and opportunities unique to each path.
4) List 8 - 10 decision criteria I should weigh (e.g., money, health, family, flexibility, etc.), and briefly score each path on those criteria (1 - 5).
5) Suggest 3 small experiments I could run in the next 6 - 12 months to test which path fits me better.
6) End with a brief narrative: “If Henry chooses Path A…” and “If Henry chooses Path B…”, each in 3 - 5 sentences.
Here are my real details:
- Name: Henry
- Age: 60
- Location: Northern New Jersey (commutes to Manhattan)
- Current job: Senior marketing director at a large company
- Income: ~$185,000/year + bonus
- Savings:
- 401(k): $780,000
- IRA: $130,000
- Taxable investments: $95,000
- Cash: $40,000
- House:
- 4-bedroom home, estimated value $920,000
- Remaining mortgage: $210,000, 3.2% fixed
- Family:
- Married, spouse 58 (part-time nurse, earns ~$36,000/year)
- Two adult children: one in Brooklyn, one in Philadelphia
- Health:
- Generally good, mild high blood pressure, on medication
- A bit overweight, sits a lot for work
- Path A idea:
- Keep working full-time until 68 - 70
- Stay in current house
- Max out retirement savings
- Path B idea:
- Target retiring at 64 - 65
- Sell NJ house and move to a lower-cost area (e.g., North Carolina or Pennsylvania suburbs)
- Possibly do part-time consulting or teaching
- Simpler life, more time for hiking and volunteering
Personality & preferences:
- I like structure and being useful.
- I am worried about being bored in retirement, but I also feel tired of the daily commute.
- I want to have enough money to feel safe, but not work myself into poor health.
Please focus on painting vivid but realistic pictures, not just generic financial advice. I will still speak with a financial planner; you are helping me think about lifestyle and tradeoffs.
Use case: Henry, 60, is at a fork in the road and wants two fleshed-out pictures of his future, not just numbers in a spreadsheet, so he can discuss options with his spouse and planner.
Expected result: Two contrasted future scenarios with clear pros/cons, decision criteria, small experiments to try, and short narratives he can share with his spouse.
Pro tip: Insert your own ages, savings, and “Path A vs Path B” ideas; ask specifically for day-in-the-life descriptions - they make the tradeoffs feel real, not abstract.
Prompt: “Fix My Thinking” Bias & Assumption Checker
Copy and paste this:
You are my thinking coach. Your job is to examine how I am thinking about a decision, point out flawed assumptions or biases, and suggest clearer ways to look at it. I’m Elaine, 54, and I’m wrestling with a decision about whether to accept a demanding promotion at work.
Please:
1) Briefly restate my situation and the decision.
2) Identify at least 5 possible cognitive biases or emotional distortions that *might* be affecting how I see this (e.g., loss aversion, sunk cost, fear of judgment, status quo bias, etc.) and explain each in plain English.
3) For each bias, show how it could be pulling me in one direction or the other in this specific situation.
4) Point out any all-or-nothing or exaggerated thoughts in how I’m framing this decision.
5) Suggest 5 - 7 “reframes” (new ways to think about the same situation) that are more balanced.
6) End with 5 reflection questions I can journal about over the next week before I decide.
Here are my real details:
- Name: Elaine
- Age: 54
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Job: Senior account manager at a regional insurance company
- Time at company: 11 years
- Current salary: $118,000 + annual bonus around $8,000
- Promotion opportunity: Director of Client Services
- New salary: $148,000 + higher bonus potential
- Would manage a team of 7
- Expected extra hours: +8 - 10 hours/week, at least for first year
- More travel: 1 - 2 nights away from home per month
- Family:
- Married, spouse 56, school counselor
- One child at home (17-year-old son, junior in high school)
- My current thoughts (honest version):
- “If I say no, they’ll think I’m not ambitious or can’t handle it.”
- “If I say yes and fail, I’ll embarrass myself and let everyone down.”
- “This might be my last big chance to move up.”
- “I’m already tired; maybe I should just be grateful for what I have.”
- “The extra money would really help with college and retirement.”
Please be kind but direct. I don’t need a “follow your heart” answer; I need help seeing where my thinking might be skewed so I can make a calmer decision.
Use case: Elaine, 54, is stuck in anxious loops about a promotion decision; she wants someone to calmly dissect her thinking, name the biases, and offer more balanced frames.
Expected result: A breakdown of possible biases, concrete examples of how they show up, alternative ways to think about the decision, and journaling questions to help her move from fear to clarity.
Pro tip: Replace Elaine’s situation with your own real decision and your actual thoughts (even the messy or selfish ones); the more candid you are, the more precisely the AI can point out distortions and offer better reframes.
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