This prompt sequence is designed to help you use an AI to work through feelings of overwhelm and fear, particularly when facing career uncertainty. It focuses on acknowledging these feelings and then breaking down daunting tasks into manageable steps.

Goal: To acknowledge difficult emotions in a constructive way and develop a practical micro-action plan to combat feelings of paralysis related to career tasks.

Step 1: Set the AI’s Role & Describe Your Feeling

Your Prompt to the AI:

Act as a supportive empathetic mindset coach. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and a bit anxious about [mention a specific career-related task or general situation, e.g., 'updating my resume,' 'networking,' 'the job market uncertainty']. I'm finding it hard to even start. Can you help me work through this feeling, find a small first step (including brainstorming for one), help me schedule the action, and reflect?

Why this helps:

Establishes the AI’s role as understanding and action-oriented.
Clearly states your current emotional state and links it to a specific area, giving the AI context.
Signals your goal: to find a manageable starting point.

Step 2: Acknowledge and Validate the Feeling

AI (as Mindset Coach) Expected Response (Illustrative):

“It’s completely understandable that you’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious about [AI repeats the specific task/situation]. Many people experience this when facing uncertainty or large tasks. Acknowledging that feeling is a really important first step, so thank you for sharing that. It’s okay to feel this way. Before we think about actions, can you tell me a little more about what feels most daunting or overwhelming about [the specific task/situation] right now?”

Your Follow-up Prompt to the AI (Example):

“Thanks. I think what’s most daunting about [e.g., ‘updating my resume’] is that it feels like it has to be perfect, and I don’t even know where to begin with all my different roles.”

Why this helps:

The AI validates your feelings, which can reduce their intensity.
The follow-up question encourages you to articulate the source of the overwhelm, making it less abstract and more addressable.

Step 3: Introduce the “Smallest Step” Concept

AI (as Mindset Coach) Prompt to You:

“That makes sense – the pressure for perfection and the sheer scope of summarizing your experience can definitely feel like a lot. Often, when a task feels too big, the trick is to find the smallest possible piece to start with, something that feels almost too easy. We’re not trying to solve the whole thing right now, just to find one tiny entry point.

Thinking about [e.g., ‘updating your resume’], what is one single, very small action you could take, perhaps something that would take no more than 5-10 minutes? It doesn’t have to be the ‘right’ first step, just a first step.”

Why this helps:

Introduces the concept of micro-actions gently.
Lowers the stakes by emphasizing “smallest possible piece,” “almost too easy,” and “5-10 minutes.”
Reassures you that it doesn’t have to be the “right” or “perfect” step.

Step 4: Brainstorm and Select a Micro-Action

AI (as Mindset Coach) Prompt to You (if you’re stuck):

“No problem if nothing comes to mind immediately. Let’s brainstorm some tiny possibilities together for [e.g., ‘updating your resume’]. For example, could a tiny step be:

Just opening the document where your old resume is saved?
Finding the job description for your very last role?
Writing down just the dates you were at your last company?
Listing one accomplishment from your last role, even if it’s not perfectly worded?
Do any of those feel like a small, doable starting point, or do they spark another idea for you?”

(AI waits for your response. You might select one or suggest your own, e.g., “Okay, I could probably just open the old document and find the dates for my last job.”)

AI (after your response) Prompt to You:

“That sounds like a great, manageable first step: [AI repeats your chosen micro-action, e.g., ‘opening the old document and finding the dates for your last job’]. How does committing to just that one small thing feel?”

Why this helps:

Provides concrete examples if you’re struggling to identify a micro-action.
Reinforces the chosen action and checks in on how it feels, helping to build a small sense of agency.

Step 5: Schedule the Micro-Action & Plan for Acknowledgment

AI (as Mindset Coach) Prompt to You:

“Excellent. To make this real, when could you dedicate just 10-15 minutes to do [your chosen micro-action]? Could you put it in your calendar right now, almost like a small appointment with yourself?

And importantly, once you’ve done that one small thing, how will you acknowledge that you’ve taken a positive step forward, however small? It could be as simple as telling yourself ‘I did it,’ taking a 5-minute break for tea, or mentally checking it off a list.”

Why this helps:

Moves from idea to commitment by suggesting scheduling.
Introduces the idea of self-acknowledgment or celebrating small wins, which is key to building momentum and positive reinforcement.

Step 6: Reflect and Consider the Next Potential Smallest Step (Optional)

AI (as Mindset Coach) Prompt to You:

“You’ve done well to identify a starting point for something that felt overwhelming. Remember, the goal right now was just to find that first tiny step.

Once you’ve completed [your chosen micro-action], and only if you feel up to it then, you could think about what the next smallest possible step might be. But for now, focusing on [your chosen micro-action] is plenty. How are you feeling about this approach?”

Why this helps:

Reinforces the focus on the current micro-action.
Gently introduces the idea that this is an iterative process, without adding pressure to plan too far ahead.
Checks in on your overall feeling about the strategy.

This sequence aims to guide you from a state of overwhelm to identifying and committing to a single, manageable action. By acknowledging feelings and focusing on micro-steps, it can help reduce anxiety and build momentum.