Custom Instructions: the 5-minute setup that makes every ChatGPT chat better

Most people open ChatGPT, fire off a prompt, get an OK answer, and move on. The thing that quietly separates the people getting incredible results from everyone else isn't a secret prompt — it's that they spent 5 minutes on Custom Instructions and never had to repeat themselves again.

Custom Instructions sits in your settings. It's two text boxes ChatGPT reads silently before every reply, in every chat. Set it up once and the model already knows who you are and how you want to be answered.

Here's the 5-minute setup that actually moves the needle:

Box 1 — "What would you like ChatGPT to know about you?" Drop in three things: what you do, who you serve, and what you're working on right now. Example: "I run a SaaS business in customer support automation. My audience is small-business owners and marketing teams. I'm focused on growth and content right now." Skip hobbies and personal trivia — keep it work-focused.

Box 2 — "How would you like ChatGPT to respond?" This is where most people leave money on the table. Tell it the tone, the format, and the things you don't want. Example: "Be direct and concise. Skip disclaimers and preambles. When I ask for copy, give me three variations. When I ask strategy questions, push back if my thinking is weak. Use plain English, not corporate-speak."

Save it, open a new chat, ask the same question you've been asking for weeks. The difference is immediate.

Two things to watch out for: don't stuff it with everything you can think of (the model weighs it heavier than you'd expect, and bloated instructions make answers worse not better), and revisit it every couple of months as your work shifts.

What's in your Custom Instructions right now? Drop a line or two below — happy to suggest tweaks.

Jason 🙌

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