The uses for ChatGPT are nearly endless. From summarizing complicated documents to brainstorming week night dinner ideas, people use OpenAI's chatbot for a variety of reasons.
But after spending hours with OpenAI's chatbot this year, I’ve learned that the most useful thing ChatGPT does — the thing that quietly saves the most time — is something much simpler, and in fact, overlooked.
It’s the one use case almost nobody talks about, yet it’s what makes the biggest difference in day-to-day life with AI. And you don’t need fancy prompts, advanced tools or expert-level knowledge to get it. You just need one simple habit.
Below, I’ll explain what that habit is, why it works so well and how it can make ChatGPT feel less like a search engine and more like a second brain you can borrow anytime.
The simple trick: narrate your thought process
Most people wrongly treat ChatGPT like Google — they ask a question, expect an answer and move on. But the model becomes significantly more powerful when you flip the script. Talk to it the way you’d talk to a friend while thinking out loud. For example:
- “Here’s what I’m trying to figure out…”
- “I’m torn between these two ideas and I don’t know why…”
- “Something about this doesn’t feel right…”
- “I think the problem might be X, but I’m not sure…”
- “Let me dump my brain first — can you help me sort this?”
The moment you narrate your internal reasoning, you activate ChatGPT’s best skill: structured reflection. It listens, organizes your thoughts and offers the missing pieces you didn’t notice.
And unlike every other “hack,” this one doesn’t require you to memorize a special prompt or phrase. You simply explain what’s going on in your head.
Why it works: ChatGPT is built for messy thinking
When you ask ChatGPT a straightforward question (i.e.“What should I make for dinner?”), you get a straightforward answer. But when you give it half-formed ideas, doubts or competing priorities, something interesting happens.
It automatically:
- Sorts your priorities
- Flags blind spots you didn’t see
- Offers “If X, then Y” guidance
- Breaks your messy thoughts into steps
- Shows you alternative paths
- Helps you pick the one that fits your actual goals
This is why “thinking out loud” to ChatGPT feels so productive: it creates the clarity your brain is too overwhelmed to articulate. Whether you do this with a prompt or in Voice Mode, ChatGPT can give you the clarity you need.
Real example: the 60-second clarity check
Say someone is trying to decide whether to take a new job offer.
Prompt: “I have a job offer with better pay, but my current job has better work-life balance. I keep leaning toward staying, but something about the offer feels important. Can you help me think this through?”
In this scenario, the user is struggling emotionally with what to do but ChatGPT provides intense clarity by laying out the trade-offs (salary, stress, commute, flexibility). It highlights hidden factors that may not have been considered earlier such as future growth, manager style or burnout risk. And, it will press you to get clarity by asking questions that reveal personal priorities.
ChatGPT can help by reorganizing jumbled thoughts with clear pros/cons and show how each option aligns with long-term goals.
Within a minute, the person goes from “I’m torn” to “Now I understand what’s really driving this decision.”
In practice, this helps with nearly everything
Here are situations where this “think with ChatGPT” approach works shockingly well:
- Making decisions: Should you hire Candidate A or B? Buy this or that? Say yes or no? Tell ChatGPT your reasoning, and it will sharpen your thinking.
- Figuring out why something feels “off”: If a plan or idea doesn’t sit right, narrate it. It will surface the missing consideration immediately.
- Getting unstuck: When your brain is spinning, the simple act of saying,
“Here’s where I’m stuck” gives the model something to anchor to. - Drafting anything faster: Instead of “Write this for me,” try:
“Here’s what I want to say. Here’s why it matters. Here’s what I can’t figure out.” Your output will be 10x better. I personally use this one all the time. - Breaking big goals into steps. Whether it’s budgeting, career planning or reorganizing your house, thinking out loud gives ChatGPT enough context to structure your path.
The takeaway
As humans, we are faced with decisions every day. Some are easier than others, but when it comes to the really complicated ones that eat away at us, leaning on ChatGPT can really help. Instead of tackling the problem on your own, ChatGPT (or your preferred chatbot, can help ease the decision making process.
Give it a try next time you're at a crossroads. You might just find that the answer you're seeking is easier to reach when you ask a chatbot.
More from Tom's Guide
- GPT‑5.2 is way smarter than I expected — these 9 prompts prove it
- I tested ChatGPT-5.2 vs Gemini 3.0 with 7 real-world prompts — here's the winner
- The ‘no prompt’ rule makes ChatGPT give expert-level writing advice — here’s how it works
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