What eating potato chips and prompting have in common

Back in March I ended up comparing AI prompting to eating potato chips on the podcast.

“It’s like when you are eating potato chips. Just like one more. It’s gonna be fine. One more.” — Me on Slow & Steady ep. 219 (at the 46:57 mark)

That was almost a year ago and it still holds true.

After a productive day extracting my voice, ideas and themes from Slow & Steady transcripts, I’ve been going back and forth with Jean Claude on this very post. Every prompt feels like the one that’ll nail it. But I’ve been saying that for way too long and I’m noticing tension in my neck and it’s like I’m trying to kill the keyboard with every prompt 😬

I should have stepped back earlier. Think about what I actually want, write a proper prompt 🤦‍♀️ Not another quick “no, not like that, more like this” — an actual, thought-through prompt with real context and a clear outcome.

I’m far into context rot territory. Starting a fresh conversation with one good prompt would get me further than twenty more chips in the current one.

I know this. I still don’t do it. Perhaps I should take my own advice and step away!

AI has come pretty far since March of last year. I even one-shotted an Outseta demo last week. However it has not come far enough to read my mind when I’m too lazy to think through what I actually need (LOL).

Anyway. I’m going to watch Bridgerton now 📺

Without any other screens present. And no agent going.