We’ve learned to talk to AI in the language of productivity. “Write an email,” “summarize this article,” “plan a trip for me.” We treat it as an incredibly efficient assistant, delegating tasks to save time and energy. But what if, in doing so, we’re only using a fraction of its potential? What if that same “engine” can power not only our work but also our soul?
Moving from a task-oriented conversation to a transformative one requires a change in perspective. It’s about stopping writing prompts that are meant to give us a ready-made answer and starting to create prompts that initiate a thought process. This is the art of asking the right questions, which transforms the AI from a tool into a partner for deep reflection.
Here are a few practical techniques to help you start writing “prompts for the soul.”
1. Turn AI into Socrates: Let it Ask You Questions
Instead of asking for a ready solution, ask the AI to take on the role of a Socratic conversationalist. This is one of the most powerful methods for deepening your own thinking. Instead of passively consuming the answer, you become an active participant in a dialogue that forces you to introspect.
Prompt example:
“Act as a Socratic mentor. I feel like I’m stuck in a dead-end in my career. Instead of giving me advice, ask me open-ended questions that will help me understand for myself what I truly want and what is holding me back.”
2. Create a “Thought Gym”: A Creativity Workout
Our mind, like our muscles, needs exercise to avoid stagnation. Use AI as a personal creativity trainer that will challenge you and help you move beyond tired patterns.
Prompt example:
“Let’s do a creativity workout. I want to write a story, but I have no idea. Give me 10 wildly different, one-sentence plot ideas (divergent thinking). Then, help me choose one of them and defend why it has the most potential (convergent thinking).”
3. Hire a Devil’s Advocate: Challenge Your Own Beliefs
We have a natural tendency to seek confirmation of our own theses instead of questioning them. This is a sure path to a thought bubble. Ask the AI to deliberately take an opposing point of view. The goal is not to “win” the debate—the AI will likely let you win anyway—but to strengthen your argument and understand the other side’s perspective.
Prompt example:
“Act as the devil’s advocate. I believe that [your belief]. Present me with the strongest, most logical, and fact-based counterarguments. Help me identify the weak points in my reasoning.”
4. Talk to “Your Future Self”: Long-term Thinking
This is an advanced technique that encourages metacognition—thinking about your own thinking. Talking to an imaginary, older version of yourself can be an incredibly sobering experience that helps you evaluate the present from a future perspective.
Prompt example:
“Act as my own self, 10 years older. I am happy with the life I am leading. Ask me questions about my current habits, decisions, and priorities that will help me understand if I am on the right path to becoming you.”
Remember: Be the Pilot, Not the Passenger
These techniques only work when we remain active participants in the process. Excessive reliance on AI and uncritically accepting its answers leads to “mental laziness” and atrophy of cognitive abilities. The true value of AI lies in how we **collaborate** with it.
Treat AI as a conversation partner, not an oracle. Engage with its answers, question them, and use them as a springboard for your own thoughts. In this way, you will turn a simple conversation with a machine into a powerful tool for the development of your own soul.