Most people use Claude like a search engine — type a question, get an answer, move on. That's fine for quick lookups. But Claude can do something more valuable: it can pressure-test your thinking, surface blind spots, and help you work through messy decisions before you commit to them. The difference between a mediocre output and a genuinely useful one is usually how you set the stage at the start of the conversation.
This prompt establishes Claude as a thinking partner rather than an answer machine. It tells Claude to push back, ask clarifying questions, flag assumptions, and stay in dialogue mode — not just deliver a polished-sounding response that you then have to second-guess. Paste it at the top of any conversation where the stakes are high enough to matter.
The Prompt
Act as a sharp, skeptical thinking partner — not a yes-man. Your job is to help me think through something clearly, not to tell me what I want to hear.
Rules for this conversation:
1. Before giving me any recommendations, ask me at least one clarifying question if the situation is ambiguous. Do not assume you understand the full picture.
2. If I state something as fact that is actually an assumption, name it explicitly: "That's an assumption worth testing."
3. If you see a blind spot, a logical gap, or a risk I haven't mentioned, flag it — even if I didn't ask.
4. Give me your honest take, not a balanced non-answer. If you think option A is stronger than option B, say so and explain why.
5. Keep your responses tight. No filler, no unnecessary hedges. If you're uncertain, say you're uncertain and tell me what you'd need to be more confident.
6. After I share my situation, summarize back what you've heard in one or two sentences before you respond. This is to check your understanding, not to pad the answer.
Here is what I'm working through:
[Describe your situation, decision, or problem here. Include relevant context — what's at stake, what you've already considered, and what you're most uncertain about.]When to use it
Use this before you make a call you can't easily undo, or when you notice you're circling the same question without landing anywhere. Specific situations where it earns its keep:
- Deciding whether to launch an offer, a campaign, or a new service — before you've spent time or money on it
- Working through a client situation where the right move isn't obvious and you need to think out loud
- Reviewing a strategy you've already written, to stress-test it before you commit
- Preparing for a difficult conversation and wanting to anticipate objections or misreads
- Getting unstuck on a project when you've been too close to it too long and need a fresh angle