A Prompt that changed how I learn
A deceptively simple question sequence that deepens understanding and invites critical thinking.
Every so often, something lands in my lap that seems small but turns out to be a portal.
This time, it was a prompt, passed from a friend named Walt at Empowered Spiritual Living, who picked it up from someone named Tom Bilyeu on Facebook. The idea stuck.
Here is the prompt, along with where you add your topic. This is deceptively simple:
Choose any topic—an idea, a quote, a technical concept.
Now explain it:
Like I’m in 5th grade.
Like I’m in 12th grade.
At an undergraduate level.
At a master’s level.
At a PhD level.
Finally:
What do the smartest people who disagree say?
The last question? That’s the one that flips the table. It invites discomfort. It makes you reckon with perspectives outside your own.
This prompt is more than a gimmick. It’s a full-spectrum workout for your mind, a way to stretch your understanding across different cognitive altitudes, then stress-test it in the arena of dissent.
It echoes classic learning techniques, from the simplicity-first Feynman approach to the scaffolding of educational psychology, but you don’t need to know all that to feel its power.
Here’s how I see it being used:
✅ You’re wrestling with a complex news story? Run it through the layers.
🎓 You’re preparing for a debate or presentation? This prompt sharpens your grasp and uncovers blind spots.
💡 You’re exploring a belief or bias you hold? That final question reveals what you’ve ignored or underestimated.
The tool is simple. The insights aren’t.
And yes, results may vary by which AI model you use. Different models, different flavors of explanation. Gemini might surprise you. Claude might charm you. ChatGPT might go deep. That, too, is part of the learning.
Tip: If you want some help understanding which ChatGPT model to use [4o, o3, o4 and 4.5], visit this recently published guide from ChatGPT on Models and Limits. Or visit the following video from the AI Breakdown, where he explains how he uses the different ChatGPT models.
Try the prompt today. Turn it on yourself. Turn it on your ideas. Let it reveal where you’re clear, and where you’re still cloudy.
Because lifelong learning isn’t just about getting smarter. It’s about getting wiser. And wisdom often begins with the question: “Who sees this differently?”
Bonus link:
Curious why Claude never offers unsolicited advice—and why that might matter more than you think? Don’t miss Mike Kentz’s sharp take on AI personality design. It’s the kind of read that subtly reshapes how you interact with every AI you use.
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