Use AI to Use AI: The Meta-Skill Nobody’s Talking About

"And that? That's been my roadblock," Sam said during a AI training session. Sam’s a key sales leader at one of the largest private companies in the US, and he had a great idea for using AI to analyze his key accounts… but he was stuck on how to structure the data.

I couldn't help but smile. "Sam, I've got a gift for you. Five words that will change everything: Use AI to use AI."

The room went quiet. Then Sam laughed: "I probably should have thought of that."

This happens more often than you'd think. Just last week, in my AI Junto group chat, one of our most advanced users was puzzling over how to optimize his CRM workflow. The newest member of the group, still bleary-eyed from just waking up, asked the obvious question: "Sorry, haven't had my coffee yet, but... have you tried asking ChatGPT?"

The power user's response? "I can't believe I didn't think of that."

Even Joshua Wöhle, who runs Mindstone, the world's largest practical AI community, still catches himself in this trap.

"The amount of times I have to catch myself midway through a project..." he told our class, shaking his head. "I'm already 45 minutes in, and I feel extremely stupid—literally teaching this stuff—and then coming to realize, what did I just do for 45 minutes? I could have done it in 2 minutes using ChatGPT."

He paused, then added what we were all thinking: "There is this routine default that I still need to get rid of."

I learned this lesson the expensive way. A couple years ago, I spent thousands of dollars of my own money on a course about building custom language models. Whenever I had a question, I'd post it to the group Discord and wait 12-24 hours for the TA to respond. Their response was always the same: "Have you asked ChatGPT?"

At first, it was infuriating. I'd paid good money for this course! But after a few rounds of frustration, I realized something: the TA wasn't being lazy—they were teaching me a meta-skill. I didn't need to wait for them to respond. I could get instant answers from ChatGPT. Suddenly, progress wasn't dependent on someone else's response time. It was a continuous collaboration with AI.

That's exactly it. We're not just learning new tools—we're unlearning old patterns. As I told Sam's group: "Hi, Sam. We're all in ‘recovery’ from old ways of working together."

Beyond Assistant: Your AI Team

Think of AI not as one tool, but as your personal dream team:

- An assistant who organizes your thinking

- A coach who spots your blind spots and gives you actionable feedback

- An expert who knows best practices

- A creative partner who sees new possibilities and creates content

When you're stuck, don't just ask for help once. Ask all four versions. Watch how each perspective unlocks new ways forward.

The Two Post-It Solution

Bestselling author Geoff Woods suggests putting a post-it note on your monitor asking "How can AI help me do this?" But based on what we've learned, I suggest adding a second note: "How can AI help me figure out how?"

The first question is about using AI as a tool. The second is about using AI as a guide. Together, they're transformative.

From Roadblock to Breakthrough

Remember Sam's "roadblock" with his account analysis? By the end of our session, he wasn't just unstuck—he had a clear plan for not only how to structure his data but how to use AI to help him refine that structure over time.

This is the meta-skill that separates those who merely know about AI from those who actually leverage it: the ability to use AI to figure out how to use AI better.

As Dan Shipper, CEO of Every, puts it: "If you don't know what to do, ask the AI, or ask the AI to interview you..."

Your Next 15 Minutes Matter More Than Your Next 15 Articles

If you've read my piece on building AI muscles, you know I'm not big on passive learning. So here's what I want you to do right now:

1. Write down something you've been wanting to do with AI but felt stuck on

2. Put up those two post-it notes: "How can AI help me do this?" and "How can AI help me figure out how?"

3. Spend 15 minutes asking AI—in all four roles—how to approach your challenge

Remember: The biggest barrier to using AI isn't technical skill. It's forgetting that AI can help you develop that skill.

Some people will read this and think, "I should try that sometime." Others will stop right now and put up those Post-its. A year from now, the difference between them will be staggering.

Related: The 45 Minutes That Saved 20 Years
Related: Try This Now to Build AI Muscles
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Dan Shipper on AI-Powered Decisions
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Brice Challamel on AI Culture
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Geoff Woods on The AI-Driven Leader

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