Give AI a Destination—and a Few Waypoints

Have you ever gotten into your car, typed nothing into the GPS, but still expected it to show you the way to somewhere useful? That’s how most people use AI chatbot tools like Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT.

A better approach is to script the route.

Start with where you want to end up, then add steps that move you there.

You are not asking once. You are layering instructions so the model knows where to go and how to get there. (Some good references to check out: AI Quick Tips 17, 73, 142)

Small changes. Big lift.

Try this waypoint workflow the next time you are creating a blog-to-LinkedIn piece.

Destination

“I want to turn the blog post below into a LinkedIn post for small business owners and professional services leaders. The final post should be about 180–220 words, make one useful point, and sound like me. Use the blog as the source for claims and examples. If something is unclear, flag it instead of filling in the gap.

Blog post: [paste]

Relevant voice guidelines or examples: [paste]”

Waypoint 1. Brainstorm three angles

“Give me three distinct angles for this post. For each, show the main point, why this audience would care, and one specific detail from the blog that supports it. Keep each option brief. Don’t draft the post yet.”

Waypoint 2. Choose and outline

“Let’s use angle [number]. Give me a short outline: an opening that identifies a familiar problem, the main insight, one concrete example or action from the blog, and a closing thought. Tell me if this angle needs a detail the blog doesn’t provide.”

Waypoint 3. Draft

“Draft the post from that outline in 180–220 words. Write for someone scrolling LinkedIn, but keep natural paragraph breaks. Preserve the blog’s meaning and use its real examples. Skip hashtags, invented anecdotes, and a generic “What do you think?” ending.”

Waypoint 4. Tighten and format

“Edit the draft for clarity and pace. Cut repeated ideas and throat-clearing. Keep the most useful example. Show me the revised post, then briefly tell me what you cut or changed.”

Waypoint 5. Tone check with R.A.C.E.

“Role: You are my editor.

Action: Review and revise the LinkedIn draft for voice, clarity, and accuracy.

Context: Here is the relevant section of my writing style guide: [paste]. Use the blog post I shared earlier to check that the draft hasn’t added claims or examples I didn’t provide.

Expectation: Give me a revised post that still sounds like me. Then briefly list any unsupported claims you removed and the most noticeable voice changes you made.”

Waypoint 6. Conversation prep

“Give me three possible closing lines: one that invites people to share an experience, one that asks a specific question, and one that ends with a strong observation and no question. Make each fit the post. Don’t add a sales pitch.”

Two common mistakes to avoid

Skipping the follow-ups

• The first draft is not the finish line.
• Ask for changes in tone, format, or length.
• Keep nudging.

Missing the voice layer

• If the output feels generic, you likely skipped expectations.
• Bring your brand rules and examples.
• The quickest way is to keep a simple style guide and paste the relevant snippets at Waypoint 5.
• If you need one, use the Writing Style Guide Template. It makes ChatGPT sound like you, not “a chatbot.”

You don’t have to create all kinds of clever prompts. But creating a simple sequence can help you turn aimless chats into repeatable results.

Still Confused?

If you’re still stuck, try our free email course that gives you practical examples of multi-step prompts in action.

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