Compound Leverage: THINK School Edition

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I was between lawyers during my divorce in 2022.

My attorney had been removed from my case, and I was required to respond to a subpoena for my bank records.

I thought: "Well, let me see if ChatGPT can help me with this."

I didn't just ask it to write a response.

I used it strategically to understand discovery rules, analyze the subpoena requirements, and build a response that protected my interests.

The subpoena was quashed. I then hired a lawyer, and the rest worked out.

That was the moment I said: "This is a thinking partner, not autocomplete. And this is the worst it will ever be."

I wasn't just using AI better. I was thinking about the problem in a different way.

Now, when I help people implement AI, I start with strategic reframing. When someone says:

"I want to find more sales opportunities," I ask: Who are your ideal customers, and what’s your comment about them?

"I have a personal problem, I need help thinking through" - I ask: What system is creating this problem, and how do we change the system?

"I want to use AI in my work, but tool overload is the problem" I ask: What outcome are you trying to achieve, and what's the easiest path there?

"Divorce: I can let them win" - I said: I'll handle the response with my thinking partner.

"Government contractor: I want to find more contracts that fit me," I said. Utilize in-depth research, your data, and your unique insights to identify opportunities.

With tools and sources now integrated into AI assistants, the data available for expansion is game-changing.

Focus on the cure, not the disease.

I've applied this same reframing approach since then. When I help entrepreneurs, I advise them to stop delegating tasks to AI and start collaborating with it.

When I work on AI lead generation projects, I lead with targeted intelligence.

The pattern isn't AI. It's strategic reframing.

The Problem Everyone Has

You're thinking linearly about your biggest challenges: the same problems, exact solutions, and the same results as everyone else.

Strategic prompts don't make you better at AI.

They rewire how you see problems. Then AI becomes your execution engine for approaches others can't imagine.

The Strategic Reframe Methodology

Every breakthrough follows the same pattern:

1. Challenge the Obvious Approach

• Divorce: Everyone hires lawyers → I handle discovery strategically

• Government contractor: Compete for contracts → Use insight for a breakthrough

• Lead generation: Cold outreach → Target account intelligence

2. Follow Systems, Not Transactions

• Find who aggregates your ideal outcome

• Look upstream for decision influencers

• Identify the system that creates the problem

3. Use AI for Strategic Research & Analysis

• Map decision-maker networks

• Analyze patterns in successful approaches

• Build implementation roadmaps

4. Create Unfair Competitive Advantage

• Position where others aren't competing

• Solve bigger problems than your competition sees

• Build relationships, not transactions

Sample Strategic Prompt

Here's how I approach this now:

What most people do: "Help me write better proposals to win government contracts"

How I reframe it: "Instead of chasing individual contracts, I identify who funds and aggregates these agencies' decisions.

I research economic development organizations that work with state agencies on infrastructure projects. I map their current initiatives, funding cycles, and decision-makers. I analyze their mission statements for alignment with project management needs.

Then build a 90-day relationship strategy to position me as their preferred resource, including:

• 5 specific ways I can add value to their current initiatives

• Key decision-makers to target and their communication preferences

• Partnership proposal framework that makes me their go-to vendor

The goal: Become the exclusive provider through strategic partnerships instead of competing for individual contracts."

What happens: AI is no longer completing tasks - I'm collaborating at a higher level, as if I have a high-paid consultant working with me.

Why This Changes Everything

Strategic thinking creates unfair advantages. After 20+ years in business, I see connections others miss:

• Follow the money upstream

• Find who aggregates your customers

• Solve the problem behind the problem

• Think systems, not transactions

Your Strategic Framework

For any business challenge:

1. What is everyone else doing? (Identify the linear approach)

2. What problem are they solving? (Find the root issue)

3. Who else has this problem at scale? (Think systems)

4. How can I solve it differently? (Nonlinear approach)

5. Use AI to research and execute the new strategy

Stop asking "How do I do this better?"

Start asking, "What if I approached this differently?"

Marvin

Several people have inquired about whether I offer strategic prompting services.

Yes - I work with a select few clients each month to apply THINK and a non-linear thinking approach to a goal or challenge. Instead of using AI to do the same things faster, I help you reframe the problem entirely and build 3-5 strategic prompts to help you reach a breakthrough.

If you're tired of linear thinking and want to use strategic prompting to get different results, reply with "STRATEGIC" and I'll share the details.

PS: Four ways you can start with THINK.

1. Free THINK Email Course - A free email course that walks you through our business-first AI implementation approach, THINK. Hit your 12-month goal and cut manual work faster with this 5-day email course.
   

2. THINK Toolkit - Are you looking to implement AI but unsure where to start and what tools to use? The THINK toolkit gives you an AI roadmap with framework guidance, implementation tools, a 21-day AI implementation plan, and AI resources to help you get started for $147.
   

3. Apply to Join THINK Academy - Talk with us for 20 minutes about your 12-month goals, workflows, and what manual work you want to cut. We will share ways to implement THINK that can support your work.
   

4. Strategic Prompting - Strategic prompts help you accelerate progress on your 12-month goals with AI assistants, the tools you use every day, and a change in how you approach building AI prompts. Join the waitlist.