It only takes 5 words.

That's all.

Five simple words to transform AI from a frustrating waste of time into the thinking partner you actually need.

The Problem Every Founder Faces

I work with founders daily in my AI cohort and custom services.

And I hear the same complaint over and over:

"AI isn't that useful to us."
"AI gives me garbage."
"I spend more time fixing AI output than if I just did it myself."

Sound familiar?

You're not alone. And you're definitely not doing anything wrong.

The problem isn't with AI.
The problem is with how we're asking.

Most of us treat AI like Google. We throw a request at it and hope for the best.

But AI isn't a search engine.
It's a thinking partner.

And thinking partners need context, clarity, and collaboration to do their best work.

The Real Issue Behind Bad AI

Here's what's really happening when AI gives you garbage:

Gap #1: Missing Context
AI doesn't know your business, your audience, or your specific situation. So it guesses. And those guesses are usually wrong.

Gap #2: Vague Instructions
"Write a marketing email" could mean a thousand different things. AI picks one interpretation. It's probably not the one you wanted.

Gap #3: No Feedback Loop
You ask, AI responds, you get frustrated. There's no back-and-forth to refine and improve.

Gap #4: Wrong Expectations
You expect AI to read your mind. It can't. But it can read your instructions if you give good ones.

The solution isn't better AI.
The solution is better prompting.

And it starts with these five simple phrases.

The 5-Word Fixes That Actually Work

Here's how to fix bad AI with five simple prompts. Each one is exactly 5 words. Each one solves a specific problem.

1. "Ask me questions before starting."

What it does: Forces AI to fill knowledge gaps instead of guessing.

Why it works: This single phrase transforms AI from a guesser into an investigator. Instead of making assumptions about what you want, it digs deeper.

Real example:
- Before: "Create a proposal based on this sales call."
- After: "Ask me 10 clarifying questions about:
- The prospect
- The call
- The outcome
- Next steps
- What the proposal should contain before you begin drafting."

The result: Instead of a generic proposal template, you get a customized document that directly addresses their specific needs and concerns.

Pro tip: Use this for any complex task. The questions AI asks will often reveal gaps in your own thinking.

2. "Make it 10x more detailed."

What it does: Turns 3 bullet points into 30 actionable steps.

Why it works: Most AI output is surface-level because that's what most people ask for. This prompt forces depth.

Real example:
- Before: "Here are 3 ways to improve your website conversion."
- After: A detailed breakdown with specific copy changes, button placements, color psychology, user flow analysis, and A/B testing frameworks.

The result: Generic advice becomes production-ready. You go from "interesting ideas" to "I can implement this today."

Pro tip: Use this when AI gives you something that feels too high-level. The detailed version often contains the real gold.

3. "Describe it back to me."

What it does: Ensures AI actually understands your context before proceeding.

Why it works: This catches misalignment before you waste 20 minutes on the wrong output.

Real example:
- You: "Design a workflow automation to take data from email and sales calls to enrich records in our CRM."
- AI: "I understand you want to create an automation that pulls contact data from email and sales calls to enrich records in our CRM."
- You: "Actually, I want to take deal data from closed-won opportunities and use that to enrich the associated company records with revenue and growth metrics."

The result: You catch the disconnect immediately instead of getting a workflow that's completely wrong for your situation.

Pro tip: This is especially powerful for complex projects. Make AI prove it understands before it starts working.

4. "Where are my blind spots?"

What it does: Transforms AI into your $500/hour consultant.

Why it works: This prompt shifts AI from order-taker to advisor. It looks for what you're missing, not just what you're asking for.

Real example:
Let's say you're reviewing a manufacturing client's quality control process. AI might identify that they have no standardized inspection checklists, missing documentation for defect tracking, and no root cause analysis when quality issues occur.

The result: You'd catch three major operational gaps that could be costing thousands in rework and customer complaints. That's the kind of insight you'd pay a consultant thousands for.

Pro tip: Use this on anything important. AI is surprisingly good at pattern recognition and spotting common mistakes.

5. "Why is this so bad?"

What it does: Your hail mary when everything's off-track.

Why it works: Sometimes you need brutal honesty to unlock the real solution. This prompt gives you that.

Real example:
- You: "This marketing campaign isn't working. Why is this so bad?"
- AI: "Your messaging is trying to appeal to everyone, so it appeals to no one. Your call-to-action is buried. And you're solving a problem your audience doesn't think they have."

The result: Clear, actionable feedback that cuts through the noise and gets to the root issue.

Pro tip: If you're using this prompt often, something else is wrong. It's a diagnostic tool, not a daily driver.

The Deeper Truth About AI

Here's what I've learned working with hundreds of founders:

There's a small difference between AI that wastes your time and AI that saves it.

And it all comes down to how you think about the interaction.

Bad AI thinking: "AI should know what I want."
Good AI thinking: "AI needs me to be a good collaborator."

Bad AI thinking: "This should work on the first try."
Good AI thinking: "This is the start of a conversation."

Bad AI thinking: "AI should replace my thinking."
Good AI thinking: "AI should enhance my thinking."

The most successful founders I work with don't use AI to avoid thinking.
They use AI to think better.

They ask better questions.
They provide better context.
They iterate until they get what they need.

Your Next Steps

Here's what I want you to do this week:

1. Pick one frustrating AI interaction from last week. Something that didn't work the way you wanted.

2. Try it again with one of these 5-word prompts. Start with "Ask me questions before starting."

3. Notice the difference. Pay attention to how the conversation changes when you give AI permission to dig deeper.

4. Build the habit. Start every complex AI request with one of these phrases.

The goal isn't to become an AI expert.
The goal is to become a better thinking partner.

Because that's what great founders do.
They don't just use tools.
They master them.

What's Working for You?

I'm always collecting new prompt strategies from the founders I work with.

What AI prompts or prompt fixes actually work for you?

Hit reply and let me know. I read every response, and the best ones often become the foundation for my next deep dive.

Keep building,

-Dan

P.S. If you're ready to go deeper on AI implementation for your business, I'm opening up a few spots in my next AI Mastery Cohort next month. We spend 14 weeks building AI systems that actually move the needle for your business. Hit reply if you want details.