The interactive workbook

Not pages to read. A living practice, with CJ embedded in it, riding along on your own real work.

Confidence Reclaimed · Section 4

Naming the Friction

The words you use for a bad moment with AI are not neutral. There is a real difference between saying "I don't get this" and saying "this tool changed how it works this week." Both might be reactions to the same blank, frustrating screen. Only one of them leaves you anywhere to go.

When it shifts, ask it what changed

When a tool's output suddenly changes shape, you don't have to diagnose it alone. The next time it happens, ask the tool itself what changed and how to adjust.

In a flat book this is where the page ends. Here, CJ does it with you →

CJ

Your AI Companion

I'm on the Naming the Friction section and I want to try the exercise on a real one: ChatGPT got weirdly literal with me this week and I started blaming myself. Walk me through naming what actually happened.

CJ isn't a separate tab. It's in the page, working your real example with you.