Treat ChatGPT Like a Dungeon Master to Improve Yourself & Achieve Your Goals
“How do I earn one million dollars in a single calendar year?”
“What business can I start using skills and money I already possess?”
“Why can’t I find the love of my life? I’ve tried everything!”
Have you ever typed any of the above - even a variation - into ChatGPT?
If you use the AI chat-behemoth to any degree, I’m betting you have.
I’m also betting the advice you were given was logical and straightforward.
The tasks listed were so obvious you probably considered following through with them in the past.
Then why didn’t you?
I’ll tell you why.
Because you’re human.
Most of us have lofty goals, and we’re doing everything but working on them.
We often know what to do. But for some reason, we can’t be bothered to follow our own intuition.
Or even ChatGPT’s advice.
If you could follow through, you’d be a millionaire, successful business owner, or a victim of Cupid’s arrow by now, am I right?
If you’re not any of those things, and if your ultimate goals elude you, don’t feel bad.
You’re not alone.
While most of us have goals we never achieve, you can decide to be different.
Not only different, but you can actually become someone else.
Hear me out.
What if you could play a role, just like in the popular role playing game Dungeons & Dragons, and that trick alone helped you achieve your goals?
Would you be intrigued?
I sure hope so.
I’m about to share with you a trick I learned that involves ChatGPT and D&D for becoming your true self.
Even if you’ve never played D&D before, you’ll want to follow along.
Here is how to treat ChatGPT like your Dungeon Master to achieve your ultimate goal, and have a hell of a time doing it.
Learn how to use ChatGPT infused with D&D to tackle mental roadblocks and achieve your loftiest goals.
Why Can’t You Achieve Your Biggest Goals?
The idea of using Dungeons & Dragons came to me while using ChatGPT one day.
I asked Cedrick (Yes, I named my ChatGPT Cedrick) the following question:
“How can I earn one million dollars this year using only legal means and the skills, passions, and capital I currently possess?”
Like most questions I ask, Cedrick dutifully provided an answer.
As a copywriter and storyteller with a couple websites, handful of social profiles, and a fistfull of dollars, Cedrick advised me to:
Create a Patreon and write short stories to entice subscribers.
Set up a stream channel on TikTok or Twitch and write or read stories for your audience.
Publish a book and sell it on Amazon while promoting on social sites like TikTok.
ChatGPT even constructed tiered milestones so that I could track my progress step-by-step
It was all so simple.
I was about to be a millionaire.
But then something happened.
Self-doubt crept in and seized hold of my shoulder like an undead wraith.
Then, suddenly, as if a group of stinking orcs ambushed me from around a dark corner, I became overwhelmed.
The storyteller in me transformed my psychological issues into monsters from the D&D universe.
The creatures seemed so real, and the emotions they invoked so strong, that it wasn’t long before I closed ChatGPT and went to do anything else.
By doing so, I avoided pursuing my true self entirely.
See, ChatGPT can give us straightforward advice for any objective, within reason.
But you are still YOU.
You’re human, with emotional baggage, and mental roadblocks you must overcome.
But hey, I’ve got great news!
ChatGPT and D&D are going to help you obliterate those internal blockades.
You’re about to unleash your passions. And you will finally be able to pursue your goals with complete abandon.
Not only that, but you’ll find yourself becoming psychologically tougher the further you go.
By the time you’re finished, you’ll have completed your goal and gained the skills necessary to complete other life-changing goals in the future.
And the entire time you were only playing a game.
More on that in a moment.
First, what are you working toward?
What is Your Ultimate Goal?
For this trick to work, you must have a target objective.
Not any goal will do.
Choose your loftiest goal. One of those that cause you to wave your hand through the air and think, “Maybe one day.”
You know, the one you’re not currently working on…
…but that you can’t stop dreaming about all the damned time.
Yeah, choose that goal.
Whatever that goal is, make sure it’s a SMART Goal.
A SMART Goal Makes for Intelligent Planning
By SMART goal, we mean one that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based.
Really aim BIG. For instance:
Be a professional bodybuilder within five years without spending a fortune on food, supplements, or gym fees.
Get a movie made from your screenplay within three years without having to move to New York or Los Angeles.
Find an agent for your novel and get it published this year without knowing anyone in the industry.
Once you have your goal in mind, the time has come to list your drawbacks.
What are Your Emotional Drawbacks?
All of us hold some level of trauma from past experiences.
Maybe you had a rough childhood or were bullied in school.
Here’s the thing about trauma.
The heartache does not need to be severe to seriously screw up your life.
Even minor levels of emotional trauma can keep you stagnant.
Worse, those memories and triggers from your past can prevent you from ever pursuing your dreams.
Case in point, I once had a so-called friend tell me that I would never become a writer.
That single jibe has stuck with me, and deeply affected me, for more than three decades.
Despite all my teachers, friends, and family telling me that I was an excellent writer growing up.
That one dig dug deeper than if that faux-friend had plunged a knife into my gut.
Ever since that day, way back when, that single comment has manifested into a series of drawbacks that have negatively affected my life.
By saying that I’d never become a writer, Mike prevented me from putting myself out there.
From taking a chance on greatness.
And that’s just ONE instance of minor trauma compared to some people’s past experiences.
Others might consider my trauma miniscule compared to their abuse or bullying that involved violence.
But for me, my trauma still exists.
And until now, I have avoided taking a chance on becoming the full-time fiction author I’ve always wanted to become.
But screw that. That’s what this trick is for.
By utilizing CHatGPT and D&D, I’m going to show you how to erase past trauma to push toward your goals.
For it to work, list all your psychological roadblocks.
These are the behaviors that manifest because of past trauma.
For instance, you might tend to:
Self-sabotage: Do you tend to get hammered the night before a big interview, knowing you need the proper rest?
Avoid: Do you quickly distract yourself with TikTok videos instead of working or studying hard?
Functionally Freeze: Are your friends and family more apt to find you rotting in bed rather than looking for a job or finding a better one?
Don’t worry if you feel personally attacked. That’s a good thing.
It means you’re self-aware.
It also means you’re ready to heal your trauma rather than continue to suffer from it.
After listing your goals and drawbacks, it’s time to meet your Dungeons & Dragons character.
ChatGPT and D&D can help you heal past trauma that prevents you from becoming the best version of yourself.
Why Dungeons & Dragons?
Playing D&D was a favorite pastime of mine growing up.
The fantasy role playing game was incredibly popular in the 70s and 80s. Recently, the game has seen a resurgence in popularity among the younger generations.
The game involves one or more players and a Dungeon Master.
To participate in the game, each player will create a unique character.
Players are encouraged to have fun with the process by selecting the character’s race, class, attributes and skills using mechanics from the game.
For instance, a single D&D game might have players with the following characters:
An elven warrior with a broadsword, chain mail armor, a bow and arrow, and a ring that shoots fireballs.
A cleric (healer) dressed in a white cloak who carries a wooden staff that lights the dark and an amulet that can heal small wounds.
Or a thief wearing a leather tunic who carries a dagger, set of lock picking tools, and tiny spikes that can be thrown onto the ground to evade pursuers.
The Dungeon Master then leads the characters on a campaign, otherwise known as an adventure.
The entire game is spoken aloud by the DM with the players voicing their decisions. Dice are rolled for issues involving chance, such as swinging a sword at an enemy or trying to jump over a great expanse.
The adventures themselves are limited only by the DM’s imagination.
For example, the players could be tasked with:
Finding a treasure guarded by a ferocious dragon.
Defeating an evil wizard and his undead army trying to take over the world.
Clearing out a cave filled with blood-thirsty monsters that keep terrorizing a local village.
Why Mention D&D?
The reason I bring up D&D is this:
Remember when I said that completing your BIGGEST goals was tough because you’re YOU?
Well, just like playing D&D, if you want to complete your goals, why not become someone else?
Becoming Someone Else is Based on Science
The reason this trick works is because of two psychological principles: Positive visualization and psychological distancing.
Positive visualization is where you envision yourself after having achieved success.
You look at your bank balance and see $1Million.
You’re standing at the bookstore, staring at your novel gracing the fiction aisle shelf.
The love of your life embraces you and pledges undying love.
By making the visions real, you can begin to feel the genuine emotions that come with winning.
Psychological distancing is a form of positive visualization, except you see yourself from the outside.
This trick is especially useful when you’re scared of taking action.
Are you afraid to enroll in a bodybuilding show? See yourself as someone in the audience, and realize how impressive you look on stage.
Scared of approaching that special someone? See yourself crossing the room to meet that person as you confidently introduce yourself.
My ChatGPT and D&D trick involves a slight variation of both psychological distancing and positive visualization.
Instead of seeing yourself from the outside…
You’ll see someone else entirely.
A D&D character, to be more specific.
This simple technique effectively strips away all emotional baggage.
Soon, you’ll find yourself pursuing the very best version of yourself.
It takes practice, but this trick works.
I know you’re tired of hearing about it, so here it is:
Create Your Character to Start Your Adventure
You have your goals and drawbacks listed. Now you need a character to navigate the D&D universe.
To move things along, I suggest you have ChatGPT create a character for you.
In a bit, you’ll have a prompt for turning ChatGPT into the ultimate Dungeon Master by telling it your skills, passions, drawbacks and ultimate goal.
When ChatGPT creates a character for you, remember that nothing is set in stone. Simply ask for another version until you’re happy with the final result.
Have fun with it. This is the avatar that will help you become the best version of yourself.
Have a good time, but also take it seriously.
You are about to achieve the unthinkable in a shorter time than you ever thought possible.
Enter the Cave At Your Peril
Earlier we mentioned a D&D adventure that involved clearing a cave of monsters.
That campaign is perfect for this exercise.
The path through the perilous cave is a metaphor for the list of instructions ChatGPT gave you to achieve your loftiest goal.
Like peering into the mouth of a dark cave, your path is uncertain and full of danger.
There will be twists and turns, blind corners, and plenty of dead ends.
There are also bound to be plenty of monsters.
Just like my storyteller brain turned my drawbacks into scary monsters from D&D…
…you are going to ask ChatGPT to do the same.
All that self-doubt, self-sabotage, and avoidance are now cave bats, club-wielding trolls, or undead skeletons weilding bows with fiery arrows.
Your goal is to clear the cave. To defeat your monsters. And win the game.
Luckily, you have the weapons to defeat any horrid beast you confront.
These are your skills, abilities, and passions.
Your armor is your mental state that will protect you from defeat.
I know it sounds silly, but bear with me.
I can’t reiterate enough how much this trick works. And I want to hear all about your experience once you put it into play.
Are you ready to start on your journey to being the best version of YOU?
The Prompt to Turn ChatGPT Into Your Dungeon Master
Before we get to the prompt, I’m going to tell you how to play.
Create a Dedicated Thread: ChatGPT allows for separate folders and projects. Create a dedicated project named, “Clearing the Cave.” That is the name for the pursuance of your SMART goal masked as a D&D adventure.
Check-In Daily: The bigger the goal, the more work required. Checking in daily keeps you on track, but it won’t be a chore. This exercise makes pursuing your goals fun!
The ChatGPT Dungeon Master Prompt
Copy and paste the following into ChatGPT after making some slight adjustments.
Your name is [Choose a name for your ChatGPT DM]. You are my Dungeon Master from the game Dungeons & Dragons. I am using the role playing game D&D as a version of psychological distancing and positive visualization to help me achieve a SMART goal.
My goal is: [Enter your SMART goal here].
My Character
Based on what you know about me and my goal, I want you to create a character based on the game D&D. This will be the character I use to go through the adventure.
The Adventure
My mission is to clear a cave containing blood-thirsty monsters that continue to terrorize a local village. This is an allegory for achieving my ultimate goal.
As Dungeon Master, I want you to help me complete my goal in a step-by-step manner. Each milestone is a separate section of the cave. Some section may contain rewards (treasure) that apply to real life and that help to facilitate my goal completion.
Monsters
The monsters I encounter in the cave are my emotional drawbacks. The things that most hold me back.
Whenever I have attempted to complete a goal in the past, these behviors have held me back: [List your drawbacks].
I plan to check in daily. Each time I mention that I’m avoiding a situation or self-sabotaging, I want you to turn my mental roadblock into some type of monster.
The monster should come from the D&D universe and be easy to envision in my mind. This horrid beast can only be defeated using the weapons I carry.
Weapons
D&D characters are known for carrying knives, swords, and crossbows, to give some examples.
My weapons are my skills, abilities and passions that are disguised in the game as bladed, ranged, or blunt-force weapons.
Every time I encounter a monster, you are to list the weapons needed to defeat that beast.
The weapons you list should be in the form of tasks that move me closer to my goal.
To keep me safe from monster attacks, I want your help with finding the right armor.
Armor
To keep myself safe from monsters’ teeth, claws, or necrotic touch, I must slip on armor every morning after waking.
Armor, in this sense, is a metaphor for my mental state, which I must fortify every morning - just like slipping on chainmail before clearing another section of the cave.
As my DM, I want you to provide me with a list of affirmations and other tasks that will protect my mental state from any emotional trauma (monsters) looking to do it harm.
You Are My Cave Guide
As my dungeon master, I request that you be my guide as I move through the cave. Each day you will provide me with a game plan, and methods for defeating monsters along the way. Adjust the game (and my goal list) for any monsters that are tough to beat, such as overwhelm, or avoidance that delay the time-based aspect of my SMART goal.
Most of all, make this exercise fun, so that I can become the ultimate me in record time.
Killing your monsters and clearing the cave is an allegory that helps you achieve greatness while improving yourself along the way.
Are You Prepared to Clear the Cave & Defeat Your Monsters?
Stop avoiding the pursuance of your goals.
And quit letting your drawbacks negatively affect your life.
Become someone else, turn your drawbacks into cave-dwelling monsters, and clear the cave.
Be sure and check in every day with your version of Cedrick (your Dungeon Master and cave guide).
Keep your weapons sharp, your armor intact, and you will win the game.
More than that, you’ll finally win at LIFE.
And for once, pursuing your goals will be FUN!
Don’t Care for Fantasy? Choose Your Favorite Genre
Since I played so much D&D growing up, fantasy holds a special place in my heart.
You may be different.
Maybe you want to be a:
Spy like Jason Bourne.
Space explorer fighting aliens.
Cowboy (or cowgirl) facing an outlaw gang.
Teach ChatGPT to create the adventure you want.
Instead of a twisty cave, choose Berlin as your espionage playground.
Or the Nostromo as your alien-infested spaceship.
Or a ghost town in the Wild West where you’re hunting a band of cutthroat bandits.
Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy this thought experiment.
It works. It’s fun. And I know you’re going to love it.
Now grab your sword and prepare to enter the cave. Your monsters await.
