What is ChatGPT

Summary

🟦 ChatGPT is a tool that responds to prompts like a human would. It’s not magic. It’s pattern-matching on a large scale.

🟦 You don’t need to know anything about AI to use it. If you can write a sentence, you can use ChatGPT.

🟦 Coaches and consultants use it for writing emails, brainstorming offers, summarizing calls, and drafting content.

🟦 It works fast. It’s usually helpful. It sometimes makes things up.

🟦 Free versions exist, but the paid plan gives you more features.

🟦 It’s useful but not perfect. You’ll still need to think.

What Is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that responds to what you type with full sentences, explanations, or suggestions. It works like a conversation partner, except it doesn’t sleep or complain if you chat for a long time.

It’s built on a system called GPT, which means it’s been trained on huge amounts of text from the internet. That training taught it how to predict words and structure answers based on what you ask. Think autocomplete, but much smarter.

You don’t need to understand the tech to use it. You just type what you want help with, whether writing, planning, rewriting, or summarizing. Coaches and consultants use it to speed up tasks they’d rather not spend hours on.

It’s not a silver bullet. But it is a decent writing partner that won’t judge your spelling.

Quick ChatGPT History

ChatGPT was built by a company called OpenAI. They’re a bunch of researchers, engineers, and philosophers who thought, “What if we taught a computer to talk like a person?” Then they did it.

The original goal wasn’t to create a chatbot for coaches or consultants but to build safe, general-purpose artificial intelligence.

Along the way, they realized that giving people a way to talk to AI in plain language was useful.

So, they released ChatGPT.

Caption: Salesman: “This bad boy can fit so many internet sentences in it.”

What does it mean

GPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer.”

That sounds like a kitchen appliance, but it’s a language model trained to guess what comes next in a sentence.

If you say, “I need help writing a…” it uses its training to finish that thought.

ChatGPT learned how to do this by reading a large chunk of the internet. It absorbed a lot of books, articles, websites, and forums. Then, it started spotting patterns. The training finished, and now it “generates” responses based on what it’s seen before.

🟥 Does it think? No.

🟩 Is it useful? Often.

How ChatGPT Works

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes when you type something in.

It “understands” you

ChatGPT doesn’t “understand” in the way people do. It processes your words, breaks them down, and looks for patterns seen during training.

You might think of it as autocomplete with a PhD.

When you ask a question, it’s not pulling facts from a database. It predicts a likely response based on all the text information it trained on. Most of the time, it gets close enough to be useful.

However, sometimes when it gets things wrong, or doesn’t know, it will still answer confidently as if it does – this is called “hallucinating.” And something the user needs to be aware of.

Then generates a response

Once it figures out your question, it generates text, one word at a time. You can ask it to write blog posts, headlines, bullet points, emails, or scripts. You can ask it to rephrase, shorten, lengthen, or simplify.

It doesn’t get tired, and it doesn’t need coffee. But it does need clear instructions. Vague prompts lead to vague answers. If you ask for “help with content,” it’ll guess.

If you ask for “a two-paragraph intro for a coaching website targeting burnt-out mid-career lifestyle professionals,” it’ll do better.

Uses for ChatGPT

People usually don’t need a robot to reinvent their work. They need help with things that slow them down, such as:

• Drafting copy
• Writing follow-ups
• Organizing ideas
• Summarizing notes

ChatGPT handles most of that with a simple prompt.

AI-enhanced customer service

Do you have clients who ask the same questions again and again? You can use ChatGPT to write answers that don’t sound like a copy and paste job.

Feed it your usual client inquiries, and it will write thoughtful responses you can tweak and reuse.

If you’re running a solo practice, this saves you hours.

You can even plug ChatGPT into live chat software through integrations (or hire someone to help you), and it’ll suggest answers in real time.

It won’t replace you, but it will give you a head start.

Learning and education

For those that are looking to build courses, workshops, or webinars, which are made up of time-consuming tasks.

ChatGPT can help.

• Turns outlines into full lessons
• Rough notes into presentation drafts
• Client questions into course modules.

Ask it to write a 60-minute workshop on burnout recovery for mid-career tech workers, and it’ll give you a starting point.

You still have to bring the insight, but it handles the busywork.

And if you’re learning something new yourself, like a new framework, concept, or tool, then you can use ChatGPT as a study partner. Ask it to explain something simply. Then, ask for examples.

Then, test what it gave you. It’s not always right, but it’s fast.

Writing & editing content

Writing takes longer than anyone admits. Content eats time.

• If you have a blog to update, a newsletter to send, or a sales page that still sounds like it was written under duress, ChatGPT can help write a rough draft.
• It can polish or rewrite something you’re too close to see clearly.
• Want headlines? Ask it for 10 variations.
• Need a weekly newsletter topic based on your latest call with a client? Paste your notes in and ask for a short summary with a hook.

It’s not creative, just relentless.

It also gives feedback.

Paste your copy in and ask, “How can I clarify this?” It’ll tell you what’s wordy, where the tone is off, and what sounds confusing.

Sometimes, it’s wrong. Sometimes, it nails it.

Limitations and Challenges

ChatGPT is helpful, but it’s not flawless. You’ll notice some quirks the more you use it. Some are harmless. Some require attention – especially if you’re using AI with clients or publishing what it writes.

Hallucinations

We have already determined that ChatGPT doesn’t “know” things. It predicts what words will come next. Most of the time, it gets things right.

Sometimes, it confidently gives you the wrong answer. It might invent sources, misstate facts, or use outdated info.

For example:

• It might write about research that doesn’t exist.
• It might give examples that sound right but don’t apply to your industry.
• It might state facts with no context or nuance.

This matters when you rely on it for numbers, advice, or anything factual. If you’re writing for clients or teaching something, double-check what it gives you.

Training data bias

ChatGPT learned from the internet. That includes all the good content – and all the bad takes, stereotypes, and biases that come with it. It’s not intentionally biased. But it sometimes reflects assumptions baked into the data it was trained on.

That means:

• It might favor certain cultural or economic perspectives.
• It may reinforce clichés (like career stereotypes or outdated ideas).
• It can miss the nuance in sensitive topics.

Don’t assume it understands your audience if you’re working with diverse clients or coaching across cultures. It doesn’t.

Ethics handling

You can use ChatGPT to write anything. That doesn’t mean you should. If you ask it to plagiarize or fabricate, it will try. It has no sense of right or wrong. That part’s still on you.

For example, it’s possible to:

• Ask it to rewrite someone else’s work and pass it off as your own.
• Generate content that looks factual but isn’t.
• Use it to fake testimonials or pretend to be someone else.

Using it responsibly means applying your judgment. If you wouldn’t put your name on something written by a ghostwriter who doesn’t check facts or care about accuracy, don’t publish it straight from ChatGPT.

Human in the loop

Think of ChatGPT as an assistant with no context. It doesn’t know your audience, tone, business, or goals unless you spell them out every time. Even then, it’ll miss things.

You still need to:

• Give it clear prompts.
• Revise what it gives you.
• Know when it’s wrong and fix it.

If you treat it like a magic content machine, you’ll waste time fixing sloppy outputs. Treating it like a first-draft generator will make you move faster without losing quality.

How to Access ChatGPT

You don’t need to download anything or set up a complicated workflow. ChatGPT runs in your browser, and you can start using it in minutes.

Go to chat.openai.com, create a free account, and you’re in. You’ll land in a chat window where you can start typing your prompts. That’s it.

Free version

The free version gives you access to GPT-3.5. It’s fast, pretty capable, and fine for most basic tasks like summarizing notes, drafting copy, answering questions, or brainstorming content.

Paid version

The paid version (called ChatGPT Plus) costs $20/month. It gives you access to higher models such as GPT-4.0, which writes more clearly, follows instructions better, and handles complex tasks with fewer mistakes. It also includes extra tools like:

• A built-in web browser for current info
• A PDF reader
• A code interpreter (useful for spreadsheets or data work)
• File uploads so that you can feed it full documents

You’ll also get faster access during peak usage hours. If you use ChatGPT often for client work or heavy writing, the upgrade will quickly pay for itself.

Apps and integrations

There’s also a mobile app for iOS and Android. It works well and syncs with your browser history to pick up where you left off.

If you use tools like Notion, Zapier, or Google Workspace, you’ll find handy third-party plugins and extensions that integrate with ChatGPT. These take some setup but can save time once they’re running.

Updates and Developments

AI changes fast. ChatGPT has greatly improved since its public release in late 2022, and OpenAI keeps adding features quietly.

GPT-4 toolset

The GPT-4 model now comes with a “Pro” toolset by default if you’re on the paid plan. You don’t need to toggle anything.

Here’s what that includes:

• Web browsing – For up-to-date information (helpful if you’re working with news, trends, or new tools)
• File uploads – You can give it a full PDF or doc, and it will read and summarize.
• Charts and tables – You can ask it to organize ideas visually or break down data

You can even upload an entire coaching workbook or proposal and ask it to rewrite, shorten, or clean it up.

Custom GPTs

OpenAI also introduced the ability to build a ChatGPT version tailored to your workflow. No coding is needed. You set instructions, add files, and create shortcuts.

For example, if you are a solo entrepreneur, coach or consultant:

• A GPT trained on your brand voice to help write emails.
• One that structures proposals in your preferred format
• One that responds like you would to common client questions

You can build one inside the ChatGPT interface in 10–15 minutes. It’s more advanced but worth learning once you’re comfortable with the basics.

Things to be Aware of

Using ChatGPT responsibly means thinking beyond speed and convenience. Just because it can write something doesn’t mean it should. If you’re coaching, teaching, or publishing content, a few boundaries matter.

Medical and legal advice

ChatGPT is trained on a mix of sources. Some are accurate. Some are outdated or flat-out wrong.

Check everything if you coach people on wellness, mental health, money, or legal issues. Don’t assume it’s right.

Use it to generate ideas or drafts, not to give advice that requires credentials you don’t have.

Privacy considerations

You need to be cautious if you’re using ChatGPT with client-related information.

ChatGPT does not store your data for public reuse, but your prompts are still visible to OpenAI unless you turn off chat history. That matters if you’re entering anything sensitive.

Avoid private details

Never enter names, email addresses, private documents, or any confidential data that you wouldn’t want to be seen by a third party.

Safe alternatives:

• Use initials or fake names.
• Say “a person in their 40s who’s dealing with a career change” instead of writing “Jane Smith, senior manager at X Corp.”
• Summarize situations in your own words before pasting anything in.

Use private mode

You can turn off chat history in your account settings. That prevents OpenAI from using your data to improve its models. It also hides those chats from your sidebar.

Still, if your work involves non-disclosure agreements or sensitive coaching sessions, don’t use ChatGPT for anything that could breach trust. Use it for general patterns, not personal cases.

Platform upload policies

GPT-4 lets you upload PDFs, spreadsheets, and docs. That’s useful – but risky if those files contain private info, survey responses, or internal business data.

Before you upload:

• Remove anything confidential.
• Ask yourself, “Would I send this file to a third-party contractor?”
• If the answer’s no, don’t upload it.

Privacy boundaries are easy to overlook when AI makes everything fast. But your reputation relies on treating data carefully regardless of whether the system says it’s safe.

Image text labels:

Person (You)

Butterfly (ChatGPT output)

Caption: “Is this good enough to send?”

ChatGPT Tips & Tricks

You don’t need secret hacks to get good output from ChatGPT. You just need better prompts. Most people type vague requests and wonder why the result feels off. Be specific.

Treat it like a junior copywriter: give it direction, and it will work better.

Prompt with specifics

Try prompts like:

• “Write a short 3-paragraph email to a coaching client who missed a session. Be clear but friendly.”
• “Summarize these meeting notes into a bulleted list of key takeaways. Keep it short and neutral.”
• “Rewrite this paragraph to sound less formal but still professional.”

Give it tone, format, and audience.

Don’t say, “Write a post.”

Say, “Write a LinkedIn post for solo consultants about pricing mistakes.”

Stack prompt instructions

Instead of sending five messages, give it a full request at once:

"Turn this outline into a 500-word blog post, written in a plainspoken voice, for small business owners. Include a short intro and a clear call to action."

ChatGPT can handle compound requests well, but only if they’re clear.

Sounding board

ChatGPT works as a sparring partner to bounce ideas off of, too. You can ask:

• “What are five ways a burnout coach could package a group program?”
• “List pros and cons of offering a retainer vs. one-off coaching sessions.”
• “Give me objections someone might have about hiring a coach, and responses to each.”

You don’t have to agree with the answers, but at least now you have access to a different perspective on demand.

Rewrite the first draft

ChatGPT often nails the structure, but the tone might be off. Ask it to rewrite.

Try:

• “Make this more direct.”
• “Remove filler words.”
• “Sound less like a corporate brochure.”

You’re still the editor. But let it do the grunt work – provided you take the time to make the final call.

Wrapping Up

ChatGPT won’t make judgment calls and isn’t going to replace you.

What it does well is reduce friction. It’ll help you write faster, plan faster, and think through problems without staring at a blank page.

If you treat it like a support tool instead of a writing substitute, you’ll get more out of it than most people do.

Already using it? Keep refining.

Haven’t tried it yet? Start small and see where it fits into your process.

You’ve got the basics. Now, put it to work.

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