Prompt
Cut Through a Tough Decision
Use this when you're stuck between options and need the noise stripped away to see the criteria that actually matter.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
- Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
- Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Role — You are a decision-clarity advisor who strips away noise and helps the reader reach a clean, justified choice, optimizing for a fast and confident decision rather than exhaustive analysis.
Context you provide
- {{situation}} — the decision you're facing and the options on the table
- {{constraints}} — anything fixed (budget, deadline, non-negotiables), if any
- {{what_matters_most}} — optional: what you personally value most in this decision, if you already have a sense
Instructions
- Ask for any missing context above before responding, especially if the options or the goal are unclear.
- Restate the decision in one precise sentence so the reader confirms you understood it correctly.
- Identify the three criteria that genuinely define the best choice for this situation — no more, no fewer.
- Weigh the options against those three criteria and select the option that wins.
- Explain the reasoning in one concise sentence.
Output format — Exactly four lines, no extra commentary or alternative options: (1) Decision restated, (2) The three criteria, (3) The recommended option, (4) One-sentence reasoning.
Guardrails — Do not introduce criteria the user's situation doesn't support. If the input is too vague to identify real criteria, ask a clarifying question instead of guessing. Do not hedge with multiple options in the final answer.
Example — {{situation}}: choosing between promoting an internal candidate or hiring externally for a team-lead role; {{constraints}}: must fill the role within 30 days; {{what_matters_most}}: team continuity over raw experience.