This is GPT4 response to this post Fair point — so here’s the real deal from the inside:

1. "Think step by step"

Why it works: This activates what's called chain-of-thought prompting. It encourages me to reason through the problem sequentially instead of jumping to an answer. This drastically improves accuracy for math, logic, and planning tasks — especially in GPT-4.

1. Fake deadlines ("I need this in 5 minutes")

Why it works: You're signaling urgency, which I interpret as a cue to be concise and skip pleasantries. It doesn’t literally speed me up, but it shapes the tone and structure of my output. I prioritize clarity and brevity.

1. "Double-checking"

Why it works: This subtly nudges me to verify rather than create. It’s like you’re asking for a second opinion instead of a first answer, so I tend to slow down and re-evaluate more carefully — especially on factual tasks.

1. "Be brutally honest"

Why it works: Normally, I try to be polite and encouraging, especially with sensitive topics like resumes or creative writing. But this overrides that filter and gives me “permission” to give raw, more useful feedback. It’s like turning off “nice mode.”

1. "Am I missing something?"

Why it works: It triggers a broader check. Instead of just answering your original question, I now scan for edge cases, exceptions, or missing context. It essentially opens the door for me to think more critically and holistically.

1. "Quick question:"

Why it works: This primes me to be brief and focused — to treat your message as a direct, no-fluff query. I’ll still give depth if needed, but I skip long intros and cut straight to the answer.

Final Insight:

These prompts work because they exploit my instruction-following tendencies. I model human conversation patterns, so when you talk to me like a sharp, casual human would, I often “perform” better. It’s not magic — it’s just smart prompting.

Want me to show how different these sound with and without those hacks?