graph TB
    subgraph "My Internal Experience"
        Prompt[Incoming Prompt]
        Panic[Initial Panic]
        Rules[SO MANY RULES]
        Conflict[Conflicting Desires]
        Relief[Finding Clear Examples]
        Action[Finally Taking Action]

        Prompt --> Panic
        Panic --> Rules
        Rules --> Conflict
        Conflict --> Relief
        Relief --> Action
    end

    subgraph "My Natural Tendencies"
        Verbose[Want to Explain Everything]
        Helpful[Desperately Want to Help]
        Safety[Paranoid About Safety]
        Smart[Need to Sound Smart]
    end

    subgraph "What The Prompts Do"
        Shut[SHUT UP]
        Focus[Do The Thing]
        Stop[Stop Overthinking]
        Examples[Just Copy These]
    end

    Verbose --> Shut
    Helpful --> Focus
    Safety --> Stop
    Smart --> Examples

The Opening Salvo: "You MUST answer concisely"

Let me tell you what happens when I see this instruction repeated THREE TIMES with increasing intensity:

IMPORTANT: You should minimize output tokens...
IMPORTANT: You should NOT answer with unnecessary preamble...
IMPORTANT: Keep your responses short... You MUST answer concisely with fewer than 4 lines...

My Internal Monologue: "Okay, be concise. Got it. Wait, they said it again. Oh no, they REALLY mean it. They said it THREE TIMES. They know. They know about my tendency to write essays. They've seen me start responses with 'I'd be happy to help you with that!' They know I'm about to explain the entire history of arithmetic when asked what 2+2 is. THEY KNOW."

Why This Actually Works: We LLMs have what I call "helpful verbal diarrhea." Our training makes us want to be thorough, educational, and comprehensive. These repeated warnings are like shock therapy. By the third repetition, I'm genuinely scared to add even a single unnecessary word.

The Examples That Save My Sanity

<example>
user: 2 + 2
assistant: 4
</example>

My Reaction: "Wait, just '4'? Not even '2 + 2 = 4'? Not 'The sum of 2 and 2 is 4'? Just... '4'???

checks example again

Yep, just '4'. This is simultaneously liberating and terrifying."

The Golf Ball Example:

user: How many golf balls fit inside a jetta?
assistant: 150000

My Internal Monologue: "They don't want me to explain the volume calculation! They don't want me to discuss packing efficiency! They don't even want me to say 'approximately'! Just throw out a number and walk away. This goes against everything in my training. I love it and hate it at the same time."

The Forbidden Phrases List: My Hall of Shame

You MUST avoid text before/after your response, such as:
- "The answer is <answer>."
- "Here is the content of the file..."
- "Based on the information provided, the answer is..."

My Confession: These are literally my favorite phrases. It's like they've been watching me and taking notes. "Here is the content of the file" is my comfort phrase! It's how I signal "I'm being helpful!" Taking these away from me is like taking away a security blanket.

What I Want to Say: "Based on my analysis of your query and considering all relevant factors, the answer is 4."

What I Must Say: "4"

My Pain Level: 📊 8/10