Leverage Maps #6: AI as a Mirror

When I first started using large language models (LLMs) in 2022, I had a simple goal: replace Google. I wanted faster answers, fewer tabs, and less time parsing long threads or poorly SEO’d blogs.

It kind of worked. But only if I treated it like a fast-moving Wikipedia article: something useful, but never gospel.

Fast-forward to today, and I no longer treat LLMs as search engines. I treat them as sparring partners. They’re not here to replace my thinking. They’re here to provoke it.

The Idea Incubator

Prompting is a skill, and like any skill, it rewards reflection.

To write a good prompt, you have to know what you're actually trying to say. You start vague, get something rough, realize what you don’t mean, try again, and slowly converge on clarity.

That process is introspection in disguise.

Each iteration with an LLM becomes a mirror. Not just of your thoughts, but of your intent. What are you really trying to say? What are you missing? What are you assuming?

Used this way, AI is less like a tool and more like an accelerated conversation with yourself.

The Value of Infinite Shitty Drafts

Most people stop too early.

They see a mediocre first draft and assume the tool failed. But that’s not how leverage works. The value isn’t in getting perfect results. It’s in how fast you can cycle between imperfect ones.

You (idea generator) → LLM (shitty draft maker) → You again (refiner) → LLM (polisher).

Repeat that loop a few times, and you’re 10x faster than doing it solo.

You don’t need AI to be perfect. You just need it to be fast enough to iterate with.

High Leverage = Self-Awareness + Tools

If you want leverage, understand yourself first. Use the timeless stuff: meditation, journaling, long walks on the beach.

But don’t ignore the tools of today. AI isn’t magic. It’s not conscious. But it is useful. Especially for thinking out loud, when no one else is around to help.

AI won’t replace your mind. But it will reflect it back to you if you’re willing to look.

If this resonates, follow along as I share more ways to think in systems, not just steps. Each post in the Leverage Maps series explores a small lever that, if pulled with care, can move something big.

To support this work, drop a comment if you've been using AI as a thought partner or want to start.