Section 1
Why Day 1 Exists
Everyone tells you to "use AI." Nobody tells you how to actually start. So most people open ChatGPT, type something weird, get a mediocre answer, and decide AI isn't for them.
Here's the truth. The single biggest thing that separates people who get incredible outputs from AI and people who don't is one file. A plain text file that tells the AI who you are, what you do, and how you like things done.
That's it. That's Day 1. Set up Claude, create that file, start using it. Every conversation after that is better, forever.
Total time: about 10 minutes. No credit card for anything extra. No code. No setup hell.
Step 1
Create Your Workspace Folder
Before anything else, make yourself one folder on your computer that you'll always work out of. This is where your AI context file will live, along with any projects, notes, or documents you want Claude to see.
On Mac: open Finder, go to your home folder (the one with your name), right-click, New Folder. Name it something obvious like my-ai-workspace.
On Windows: open File Explorer, go to your Documents folder, right-click, New Folder. Same name.
That's it. You now have a workspace. This is the folder your AI is going to live in.
Step 2
Get Claude Running
Three tiny steps. You'll be done in 3 minutes.
Go to anthropic.com and grab Claude Pro or Claude Max
Pro is $20/month and covers 99% of what you'll need on Day 1. Max is more if you're going heavy. Start with Pro. You can upgrade later.
Download the Claude desktop app
Go to claude.ai/download. Install it. Log in with the account you just made. It's the same Claude you'd use in the browser, but faster and it can see files on your computer.
Point Claude at your workspace folder
In the Claude app, create a new Project and attach the my-ai-workspace folder you made in Step 1. This is how Claude knows which files to read when you talk to it.
Step 3
The Starter Prompt
This is the magic. Copy the prompt below, paste it into Claude, and let it interview you. Answer the 7 questions honestly. Short answers are fine. It takes 5 minutes.
At the end, Claude will give you a complete CLAUDE.md file and 3 specific things to try this week.
I'm starting my AI journey today and you're going to help me set up a personal context file so every future conversation with you feels like talking to someone who already knows me.
Your job in this chat:
1. Interview me with 7 short questions, ONE AT A TIME. Wait for my answer before moving to the next question. Keep them conversational, not a form.
The 7 questions:
- What's your name and what do you do for work (job title + industry)?
- What are the 2-3 biggest things you're trying to get better at right now? (career, personal, creative, health, anything)
- Walk me through a typical workday. What do you actually spend your time on?
- What's ONE repetitive task you do on your computer that you wish you could automate or speed up?
- How do you prefer I communicate with you? (casual vs formal, short answers vs detailed, step-by-step vs big picture)
- What do you already know about AI? (never used it / used ChatGPT casually / use it daily / pretty advanced)
- What would a "win" look like for you 90 days from now?
2. After I've answered all 7, write me a complete CLAUDE.md file in a single markdown code block. The file should have these sections:
- **About Me** — name, role, industry, 2-3 sentence summary
- **My Goals** — the 2-3 things I'm working on
- **How I Work** — my typical day, tools, pain points
- **How to Talk to Me** — communication style, tone, length preference
- **AI Experience Level** — so you know how much to explain
- **What I'm Trying to Win** — my 90-day outcome
Keep the file clean, scannable, and written in second person ("You are working with [name], a [role]..."). No fluff. Under 400 words total.
3. After the file, give me exactly 3 things I should try with you this week based on what I told you. Specific, actionable, under 30 minutes each.
Start with question 1 now.Pro tip: Don't overthink the answers. Say the first thing that comes to mind. You can always update the file later. Imperfect context beats no context every time.
Step 4
Save the File
When Claude finishes the interview, it'll give you a markdown code block with your context file inside. Here's what to do with it.
Option A (easy): Open a plain text editor (TextEdit on Mac, Notepad on Windows). Paste the content. Save it as CLAUDE.md inside your my-ai-workspace folder. Done.
Option B (easier): Ask Claude to save the file for you. Just say "save this as CLAUDE.md in my workspace folder." If Claude has write access to the folder, it'll do it directly.
From now on, every time you start a new conversation inside that Project, Claude reads this file first. It knows your name, your goals, your work, your style. You never have to re-explain yourself again.
Step 5
Try 3 Things This Week
At the end of the interview, Claude gave you 3 specific things to try based on what you told it about yourself. Those are your homework. Do them this week.
If you're blanking, here are 3 starters that work for literally anyone:
Automate one repetitive thing you did today
Tell Claude what you did (email reply, spreadsheet cleanup, research task, anything). Ask how to do it 10x faster next time. Follow its suggestion tomorrow.
Ask Claude to explain something you've been avoiding
A concept, a tool, a framework, a process. Anything. Say "explain this like I'm five" or "walk me through the absolute basics." Then ask follow-up questions until you actually get it.
Draft one thing you've been putting off writing
An email, a post, a message, a plan, a doc. Tell Claude what it's for and who it's for. Get a first draft. Edit it to sound like you. The blank page problem is gone forever.
The #1 skill that takes you farther than 99% of AI users isn't prompting. It's curiosity. Pair that with a little effort and time, and you'll amaze yourself.
Coming Next
Day 2 Preview
Day 2 of the AI for Dummies series is about automating the first repetitive task in your life. No code. No complicated setups. Just the one thing you do every day on your computer that Claude can take off your plate.
You'll get it delivered to your inbox as part of this series. Nothing to do on your end. Keep an eye out.
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