I’ve recently shared thoughts on prompting frameworks and finding what works for you. ROCC. CRIT, CRAFTSS. There are probably a dozen more with clever acronyms and step-by-step processes. And honestly? I rarely remember what the letters stand for when I actually need them.
The other day, I caught myself reaching for an acronym cheat sheet before writing a prompt. That’s when it hit me: I’m so busy trying to remember the framework that I’m forgetting to do the thing it’s supposed to help me do. Which is think.
So I started keeping five principles in mind before reaching for the AI. They seemed like common sense reminders, nothing fancy. Just habits I needed to build.
Five Reminders Before You Prompt
Take a breath
Pause for a moment. Don’t reflexively reach for the AI chat window the instant a question pops into your head. I’ve noticed that our first instinct is often to outsource thinking rather than engage it. That pause helps me notice which one I’m actually doing.
Hold your horses
Your first instinct about how to phrase a prompt might be wrong. Maybe you’re asking too broadly, or you’re presupposing a solution in the question itself. I catch many of us doing this sometimes: asking “how do I do X with Y” when I haven’t actually clarified whether Y is the right tool for the job. Slow down.
Intent matters
Know what you actually need before you start typing. Are you looking for a quick answer, a deep explanation, or help thinking through something you haven’t fully formed yet? The same question leads to very different responses depending on what you’re really after. I’ve learned that being honest with myself about my intent produces better prompts and better results.
Navigate first
Try your own brain before outsourcing. Spend thirty seconds sketching out what you already know, what you suspect, and where you’re stuck. Sometimes the act of articulating it clears things up without needing to click “send.” Other times, you realize you need the AI, but now you can ask a much sharper question because you’ve done the preliminary navigation yourself.
Keep thinking
This is the big one. The AI gives you an answer, and your job isn’t done. Engage with it. Push back. Ask follow-ups. Verify what sounds off. I’ve seen people copy-paste AI outputs directly into production code, presentations, or important emails without a second glance. That’s not using AI as a tool. That’s using yourself as a conduit.
The Realization
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Take a breath.
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Hold your horses.
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Intent matters.
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Navigate first.
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Keep thinking.
That is what I need to remember.
After putting these together, I did some research and discovered that THINK is already a known framework in AI prompting circles. Most versions spell it out as Task, Helpful Context, Instructions, Nuances, Knowledge. That one is about structuring what you hand to the AI: making your prompt more complete and precise.
My version is aimed at something earlier in the process. Before I think about what to give the AI, I want to make sure I’m actually thinking at all. It’s a prompt for me, not for the model.
THINK Before, THINK After
The irony isn’t lost on me. I created an acronym to remind myself not to get lost in acronyms. But the word earns its place here because it is, in fact, the whole point.
My research also surfaced something I want to hold onto: some educators use a different THINK acronym to evaluate AI output before publishing or sharing it. True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind. That version is less about crafting a prompt and more about asking yourself whether what the AI produced is worth putting into the world.
I like that framing a lot. It means THINK can bookend the whole interaction: use it before you prompt to make sure your brain is engaged, and use it after to make sure the output deserves to go any further.
The thinking part is still on you. The AI can help you think better, faster, or differently, but it cannot think for you. Not in any way that matters. And no framework, however cleverly named, changes that.
What would happen if you paused before your next AI interaction and just thought for a moment?
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