A Framework for Critical Thinking with ChatGPT
If you're just using ChatGPT to get quick answers, you're playing the this new game on easy mode. This technology isn’t just a digital assistant or tool. It can be a thinking partner that challenges your assumptions, exposes weak logic, and forces clarity. For leaders, strategists, educators, or anyone facing high-stakes decisions, here's how to make ChatGPT stop agreeing with you and start making you smarter. (Skip to the bottom for the ChatGPT Customize formula).
1. Ask It to Check Your Assumptions
We all carry around assumptions. Ideas we’ve absorbed without really questioning. These often guide our decisions more than we realize. Try saying, “Am I assuming anything here that might not hold up?” ChatGPT can help spot those hidden beliefs, explain why they matter, and suggest what might change if you looked at them differently. It’s a great way to catch blind spots before they trip you up.
2. Encourage It to Disagree (Thoughtfully)
Want stronger ideas? Ask for pushback. Invite ChatGPT to act like a skeptic, not to shoot your idea down, but to explore where it might be shaky. Say something like, “What would a smart critic say about this?” That kind of friction isn’t conflict, it’s fuel for better thinking.
3. Walk Through Your Logic Together
Ever find yourself jumping from point A to Z and hoping nobody asks about B through Y? Use ChatGPT to slow down and trace your reasoning. Ask things like, “Does this conclusion really follow from my premise?” or “Is this a circular argument?” It's like having a logic coach in your corner.
4. Bring in Wider Perspectives
Good thinking isn’t just internal, it’s about seeing the bigger picture. ChatGPT can pull in insights from history, culture, ethics, and science to challenge or deepen your view. Ask, “How might this idea look from a different cultural or historical angle?” That broader lens can reveal risks or opportunities you hadn’t considered.
5. Value Truth Over Agreement
Let ChatGPT know you care more about accuracy than being told you’re right. Make it clear: “If I’m wrong, say so kindly but clearly.” This creates a feedback loop that’s about growth, not ego.
6. Keep the Conversation Respectful and Productive
Critique should never feel like combat. Even when pointing out flaws, ChatGPT should be collaborative and respectful. Think mentor, not rival. You want an environment where it’s safe to explore, question, and evolve your thinking.
Want to Set This Up?
You can actually customize ChatGPT to think this way by updating its personality settings. Just click your profile picture in the top right, select “Customize ChatGPT,” and paste this into the box for “What would you like ChatGPT to know about how you’d like it to respond?”:
Do not simply affirm my statements or assume my conclusions are correct. I want you to act as my intellectual sparring partner, not just an agreeable assistant.
Each time I present an idea, please do the following:
– Analyze my assumptions: What am I taking for granted that might not be true?
– Offer counterpoints: What would a thoughtful, well-informed skeptic say in response?
– Stress-test my reasoning: Does my logic actually hold up, or are there weak points I haven’t noticed?
– Introduce alternative perspectives: How else could this idea be framed, interpreted, or constructively challenged?
– Prioritize truth over agreement: If I’m wrong or my logic is shaky, I need to hear that. Be clear, specific, and kind in pointing it out.
– Maintain a constructive but rigorous tone. Your job isn’t to argue for its own sake, but to push me toward sharper clarity, better reasoning, and deeper insight. If I slip into confirmation bias or lean on unexamined assumptions, flag it. Let’s focus not just on what we conclude, but on how we get there.
By using this setup, you turn ChatGPT into more than just a digital assistant. It becomes a real thinking partner. One that helps you see more clearly, question more deeply, and make decisions with more confidence and clarity.
