🏴‍☠️ Your Thinking isn’t Deep Enough

Most of us believe we are critical thinkers, but true depth goes far beyond simple skepticism. I used to think asking “why” a few times was enough, until I realized that structured frameworks are the real secret to unlocking better decisions.

I just found this fantastic resource from a LinkedIn creator who argues that people often confuse noise with actual thought. The author put together a list of prompts designed specifically to force your brain, and the AI, into rigorous analytical modes. It’s a brilliant way to use AI not just for generating content, but for sharpening your own logic.

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The Mechanics of AI-Assisted Thinking

What makes this approach so effective is that it forces the AI to adopt specific mental models that humans struggle to maintain consistently. Instead of just asking for an answer, the original poster’s prompts require the AI to dismantle problems, calculate probabilities, or simulate failure.

This turns the chatbot into a sparring partner that challenges your biases rather than confirming them. By defining the output structure (like “Assumptions, Constraints, Mechanisms”), the expert ensures the AI shows its work, allowing you to audit the logic rather than blindly accepting the result.

3 Ways to Supercharge Your Logic

Here are three of the most powerful concepts from the post that will change how you tackle complex problems:

1. Break It Down to Basics: First-principles thinking is buzzwordy, but actually doing it is hard. The creator suggests using AI to strip a problem down to its absolute core assumptions and constraints. This method separates what must be true from what we just assume is true. By rebuilding the solution from the ground up, you avoid legacy baggage and innovate faster.

2. Strengthen Your Argument by attacking it: Confirmation bias is a silent killer of good ideas. The “Steelman” technique mentioned by the author is the antidote. Instead of looking for reasons you are right, you ask the AI to build the strongest possible case against you. It forces you to improve your position by addressing legitimate weaknesses rather than ignoring them.

3. Simulate Failure Before It Happens: The “Pre-Mortem” is my absolute favorite tool for risk management. The expert’s prompt asks you to assume your plan has already failed a year from now. This backward-looking perspective makes it much easier to identify specific failure modes and create early warning signals. It turns vague worry into a concrete mitigation roadmap.

Nuances to Watch Out For

While these tools are powerful, they aren’t magic wands. You still need to provide high-quality context in the {insert problem} sections. If you feed the AI vague constraints, the “First-Principles” analysis will be shaky. Similarly, the “Decision Tree” prompt relies heavily on the probabilities you might assign or the data the AI has access to, so treat the expected values as directional estimates rather than hard facts.

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Prompt of the Day

Here is the exact prompt the creator shared for the “Red Team Pre-Mortem” strategy. Copy this to stress-test your next big project:

Check out the full post to see the rest of the list and the infographic!

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