Your business is stuck. You solve identical problems weekly. You make predictable mistakes. Bottlenecks drain your energy and slow your progress. Your business runs you instead of you running it.
Mental shortcuts can snap you out of these patterns in minutes. When you’re tired, distracted, or overwhelmed, these prompts keep your business moving forward. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.
ChatGPT prompts that force founder clarity and action
List everything you could delegate
Free up time for needle-moving work. Founders waste time on tasks others could do. You convince yourself you’re the only one who can do it right. You’re wrong. I built and sold my social media agency because I learned to let go of control and trust my team to execute. Your growth depends on your ability to focus only on what needs you.
“Based on what you know about me, list everything I’m currently doing that someone else could do 80% as well. For each task, suggest: 1) The ideal person to handle it (existing team member, new hire, freelancer, or automation), 2) The exact steps to transition this responsibility, and 3) How I should measure success to ensure quality doesn’t drop. Organize these from easiest to hardest to delegate, and explain why I should make these changes now rather than later. If needed, ask for more information about my task list and business operations.”
Identify decisions you’re avoiding
Procrastination kills businesses. That voice telling you to wait for more data or the perfect timing is lying. Move fast and learn faster. The real cost is letting important decisions sit unmade while opportunities fade and problems compound.
“Based on what you know about me and my business, identify 3 decisions I appear to be avoiding or delaying. For each one: 1) Calculate the approximate weekly cost of not deciding (in money, time, missed opportunities, and team impact), 2) Pinpoint what’s really causing my hesitation, and 3) Suggest a decision-making framework I can apply immediately. Ask for more detail if required.”
Find your costliest business assumption
Every business runs on assumptions that seem obvious until they’re proven wrong. The most dangerous ones are the ones you don’t recognize. The ones you act on without questioning. When I launched Coachvox, I had to challenge my beliefs about what coaches really wanted from AI technology.
“Based on our previous conversations, what’s the most costly assumption in my business right now? Analyze what I’ve shared about my business model, customers, and growth plans to identify the core beliefs I’m operating on that have not been fully validated. For each potential assumption: 1) Explain why it matters, 2) Suggest 3 ways I could test it quickly and cheaply, and 3) Create a contingency plan if it proves false. Focus on assumptions that could sink my business if wrong.”
Think like your sharpest rival
Success makes you comfortable. Comfort makes you vulnerable. The founders who stay ahead constantly question their approach and imagine what a hungry competitor would do differently. Put yourself in their shoes to find your blind spots. Use this prompt every time you get settled.
“If a brilliant, world-class CEO took over my business tomorrow, what 4 immediate changes would they make? Based on what you know about my current operations, identify: 1) Inefficiencies they would eliminate, 2) Opportunities they would seize that I’m missing, 3) Bold moves they would make that I’ve been hesitating on, and 4) How they would reposition the business for faster growth. Be brutally honest about where I’ve become complacent or overly cautious.”
Spot team members who’ve checked out
If you want to win, your whole team has to play. One disengaged person drags down everyone around them. The sooner you address this, the faster you can either turn them around or find someone who brings the energy your business deserves. Don’t wait until the damage is done.
“Ask me questions about a member of my team I have doubts about. Create a checklist of 8 observable behaviors that indicate someone has mentally quit before physically leaving. Then develop a 3-step intervention process I can follow when I notice these signs. Include specific conversation starters, questions to ask, and ways to determine if the situation is salvageable.”
Score your founder effectiveness
Most founders have no system to track their own performance separate from their business metrics. But you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Create a personal scorecard to identify where you’re crushing it and where you’re falling short each week. Make decisions like a top CEO when you get honest about your blindspots.
“Create a founder’s effectiveness scorecard to evaluate my performance this week. Design a system with 6 key performance areas (such as decision-making speed, team development, strategic focus, etc.). For each area, include 3 specific metrics I can use to rate myself from 1-5. After I share my scores, analyze the patterns, highlight my biggest areas for improvement, and suggest 3 specific changes I can implement immediately. Ask me to commit to reviewing this scorecard every Friday.”
Shortcuts to move your business beyond plateaus
Force sharp thinking, fast execution, and better delegation. Go beyond daily operations to find exactly what needs your attention. Unpack your assumptions, transform struggling team members and don’t waste energy on tasks others can handle or decisions you can automate. Your business needs you operating at your highest level.
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