Free · No course · No catch

Set Up AI Once

The 30-minute setup that makes AI actually useful. Free version of Claude or ChatGPT. The exact prompts are on this page. Steal them.

I almost paid for an AI course. I was broke, so I didn't. I studied it myself instead, and here's the truth I found: most people's AI feels useless for ONE reason. They treat it like a search bar, and it forgets them every time they close the tab.

This fixes that. Three steps, about 30 minutes, works on the FREE version. No tools to buy. No community to join.

Step 1 — Teach the AI who you are (10 min)

This is the one that changes everything. Right now the AI answers you like it answers a stranger, because to it, you ARE one. Give it a short profile once, so every answer from now on is about YOUR life instead of generic internet advice. Two ways. Pick one.

Option A: Let it interview you (easiest)

Paste this into a new chat and answer the questions:

I want to write a short profile about myself that I'll save so you always know who I am. Interview me one section at a time, one or two questions at a time, and wait for my answer before moving on. If an answer is thin, ask a follow-up. Cover these: (1) who I am and what I'm working toward, (2) my current situation honestly, (3) my goals for the next 90 days, (4) how I want you to talk to me, (5) what I never want you to do. When we're done, write it all up as one clean profile I can copy.

Option B: Fill in the blanks yourself

# WHO I AM
- I'm [name]. I do [what you do / what you're working on].
- My honest situation right now: [where you actually are].
- What I'm trying to build or change: [the real goal].

# HOW TO TALK TO ME
- Be direct and honest. No hype, no filler.
- If my idea has a problem, tell me and tell me why.
- Lead with the answer, then the reasoning.
- [anything else: "use simple words," "keep it short"]

# MY GOALS (next 90 days)
1. [goal one]
2. [goal two]
3. [goal three]
Filter your advice through these. If something doesn't help one of them, say so.

# WHAT TO AVOID
- No generic advice I've heard a hundred times.
- Don't just agree with me to be nice.
- [your own pet peeves]

Where to paste it (the part people miss)

Save it where it's permanent, not just in one chat:

• Claude (free): Settings → Profile → custom instructions. It applies to every chat.
• ChatGPT (free): Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions.

Test it: start a fresh chat and ask "What should I focus on this week?" If the answer sounds like it knows you, it worked.

Step 2 — Hand off your first task (15 min)

Now make it DO something, not just talk. Three levels. Start at level one — you can stop there and still win.

Level 1 — A reusable instruction (free, do this today)

Most people rewrite the same prompt over and over. Write it once, well, and save it:

You help me reply to messages fast and in my own voice. When I paste a message I received, write 2 short reply options: one warmer, one shorter. Sound like a normal person, not a robot. No corporate phrases. Match how I actually talk: [paste 2-3 of your real messages so it learns your voice].

Save it as a "project" (Claude) or a saved prompt / custom GPT (ChatGPT) and reuse it forever. Other ideas: messy notes → clean to-do list, tailor a job application to a posting, summarize a long email thread into "what do I actually need to do."

Level 2 — Put it on a timer (optional, paid app)

Once a task runs daily, you can schedule it. Example: a "morning brief" that checks your calendar + overnight email and hands you one rundown with your coffee.

Level 3 — Build a tiny tool (free, surprisingly easy)

Describe a small tool in plain English and the AI builds it, no code. Try this in Claude:

Build me a simple calculator I can use and share. Inputs: my hourly rate, how many hours a week I spend on [boring task], and weeks per year. Outputs: what that task costs me per year, and how much I'd save if I cut it in half. Make it clean and shareable.

It builds a working tool right in the chat (Claude calls these "artifacts"). Now you know a regular person can ship a real thing in one prompt.

Bonus — 10 things you can hand to AI today

No theory. Each is a copy-paste prompt. Try three this week.

1. Learn faster: "Explain [confusing thing] like I'm 5. Then give me one analogy I'll actually remember."
2. Read a book without forgetting it: "I'm reading [book]. Quiz me on [chapter], then make me apply it to my situation."
3. Make a decision: "I'm deciding whether to [X]. My goal is [Y]. Give me the case for, against, and your honest call."
4. Fix your writing: "Rewrite this so it sounds like a real person, not AI. No corporate phrases: [paste]."
5. Plan your week: "Here's everything on my plate: [dump it]. Organize it into a realistic week. Tell me what to cut."
6. Diagnose with a photo: upload a picture and ask "What's wrong here, and walk me through the fix."
7. Prep a hard conversation: "I need to tell [person] [thing]. Help me say it honestly. Give me the first two sentences."
8. Understand fine print: "Tell me in plain English what I'm agreeing to here, and anything to worry about: [paste]."
9. Beat the blank page: "I want to [make/start X] but I'm stuck. Ask me 5 questions to pull it out of me, one at a time."
10. Pressure-test your idea: "Here's my plan: [plan]. Argue against it. What am I not seeing?"

That's it

You now have an AI that knows you, does real work, and helps you think. That puts you ahead of almost everyone, and it cost you nothing but 30 minutes.

No course. No catch. Just the moves that actually work.
— Jameel (CallCenterJimmy) · follow the build →