10 Secret Words That
Make Claude 10x Better

01

“No Preamble”

Stops Claude from saying “Great question! I’d be happy to help!” and just gives you the answer. Two words. Instantly better output.

Try: “No preamble. Write a cold email to a VP of Sales about our analytics platform.”

02

“Ultrathink”

Type this anywhere in your prompt and Claude activates its deepest level of extended thinking. It reasons harder and longer before answering. Use it for anything complex or high-stakes.

Try: “Ultrathink. Review this contract and flag every clause that could hurt me.”

03

“No Yapping”

Even more aggressive than “no preamble.” Cuts ALL filler. No pleasantries, no explanations you didn’t ask for, no “here are some considerations.” Just the thing you asked for and nothing else.

Try: “No yapping. What’s the best CRM for a 5-person sales team under $50/month?”

04

“Be Brutal”

Claude defaults to being nice. This makes it give you real feedback. Add it when you want an honest take on your resume, your writing, your pitch, or your business idea. No sugarcoating.

Try: “Be brutal. Here’s my resume. What would make a hiring manager pass on me?”

05

“Steelman This”

Claude takes whatever you wrote and turns it into the strongest possible version of itself. Your rough pitch becomes the most persuasive version. Your weak argument becomes airtight.

Try: “Steelman this. [paste your rough pitch or proposal]”

06

“Devil’s Advocate”

Claude argues against you on purpose. Pokes holes in your plan, your strategy, your pitch. The feedback you need but nobody around you will give you.

Try: “Play devil’s advocate. Here’s my plan to launch a new product line. What could go wrong?”

07

“Think Step by Step”

Forces Claude to show its full reasoning instead of jumping straight to an answer. Way better results on anything involving math, decisions, comparisons, or complex problems.

Try: “Think step by step. Should I hire a full-time employee or a contractor for this role?”

08

“ELI5”

Explain Like I’m 5. Claude breaks down anything complex into the simplest terms possible. Use it on contracts, medical results, tax forms, financial statements — anything that feels overwhelming.

Try: “ELI5. What does this clause in my lease actually mean? [paste clause]”

09

“Roast This”

Like “be brutal” but for creative work. Claude tears it apart so you can actually improve it. The fastest way to find what’s weak in anything you’ve written.

Try: “Roast this. [paste your landing page copy, email, or LinkedIn post]”

10

“One Paragraph Only”

No lists. No headers. No sections. Just one tight paragraph. Perfect when you need a fast answer and don’t want Claude writing you an essay.

Try: “One paragraph only. Explain what a cap table is and why it matters for a startup.”