Prompt Claude better than 99% of people

In this solo episode, I walk through 10 concrete rules to get way more out of Claude Code and Claude Opus 4.5, based directly on tips Anthropic has shared in their docs and blog posts. I show how to move from vague prompts to architected briefs that use tone, constraints, structure, and power phrases to avoid “AI slop.” I demo examples across writing, research, teaching, and planning so you can see exactly how to apply each rule. By the end, you have a practical playbook for prompting Claude like a teammate and using it as a true thinking partner in your work. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:56 – Rule #1: Tone of collaboration 02:16 – Rule #2: Principle of explicitness (action verbs, quantity, audience) 03:20 – Rule #3: Define the boundaries with clear constraints 04:26 – Rule #4: Draft, plan, then act (outline → refine → execute) 06:39 – Rule #5: Demand structured output (tables, formats, schemas) 08:00 – Rule #6: Explain the “why” behind your request 09:05 – Rule #7: Control brevity vs. verbosity (expert, brief, simplifier) 10:21 – Rule #8: Provide a scaffold and templates 11:21 – Rule #9: Use “power phrases” and expert personas 12:28 – Rule #10: Divide and conquer complex projects 14:09 – Putting it all together with an example For founders doing $50k+ MRR+: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/offline-mode Key Points I share 10 specific prompting rules that come directly from how Anthropic suggests people use Claude. I show how friendly, clear, and firm prompts beat either vague or overly polite requests. I demonstrate how explicit constraints (length, style, audience, banned words) create more creative and focused outputs. I use outlines, scaffolds, and structured formats to turn Claude into a planning and synthesis engine instead of a random text generator. I introduce “power phrases” like “think step by step” and “critique your own response” to unlock more advanced reasoning. I wrap everything into a final Stoicism lecture prompt that combines persona, context, constraints, structure, and tone. The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/ The Vibe Marketer - Resources for people into vibe marketing/marketing with AI: thevibemarketer.com Startup Empire - get your free builders toolkit to build cashflowing business - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire-toolkit Become a member - https://startup-ideas-pod.link/startup-empire FIND ME ON SOCIAL X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/