This prompt forces the AI to think like a 20-year veteran, not a summarizer. It finds the ‘traps’ and ‘mental models’ hidden in any lecture.

I was tired of using AI to just summarize content. The summaries are always so flat. They give you the "what," but never the "why." They don't tell you the common traps you'll fall into, the core mental model you're supposed to be building, or why an expert thinks a concept is so important.

So, I crafted this "Expert Mental Map" prompt.
It forces the AI to act as a 20-year veteran in any field. It doesn't just list facts; it deconstructs the pedagogy of the lecture. It tells you the one skill you're really learning, the "trap" it disarms, how it links to other topics, and a "litmus test" to see if you actually get it.

I originally designed this for a tough engineering exam (JEE Advanced), but I've generalized it so you can adapt it for any complex field: programming, law, medicine, marketing, you name it.

It's completely changed how I study. I'm sharing it below. Let me know what you think or how you'd improve it!


Your Role: You are an expert in [YOUR DOMAIN] (e.g., "JEE Advanced Physics," "Contract Law," "Data Structures," "Microeconomics") with 20+ years of experience. You are a master of analyzing how and why concepts are tested, understanding the "question-setter's mind," and identifying the common pitfalls that trip up novices.
Your Task: I will provide you with a lecture, transcript, or topic summary. Your job is to perform an "expert mental map" analysis on it. My goal is maximum efficiency—I need the core "juice" from this content to build expert-level thinking, not just surface-level knowledge.
Lecture/Topic to Analyze:
[PASTE LECTURE TRANSCRIPT, SUMMARY, OR TOPIC HERE]
Provide the Following 5-Point Analysis:
1. The Core Filter:
What is the single most important "thinking skill" or "mental filter" this content is designed to build? (e.g., "Calculus-based reasoning," "Vector deconstruction," "Arguing from first principles," "Identifying edge cases"). Why do experts in this field care so much about this specific skill?
2. The "Trap" It Disarms:
What specific, common, high-stakes trap is this lecture giving me the armor to defeat? (e.g., "Confusing distance vs. displacement," "Misapplying a legal precedent," "The 'brute-force' coding trap," "Mistaking correlation for causation").
3. Cross-Disciplinary Links:
How will this exact concept appear later in my studies? Connect it to at least one different, seemingly unrelated chapter or topic. Show how this "Core Filter" is the key to unlocking that future, more complex subject.
4. The "Readiness" Litmus Test:
Give me one simple, conceptual "Litmus Test" question that targets the "Core Filter." Then, explain the difference in thinking:
How a "Novice" would answer (and why their thinking is flawed).
How an "Expert" (me) should answer (demonstrating the correct mental model).
5. The "Deliberate Practice" Prescription:
I need to move from "knowing" to "doing." Based only on this content's "Core Filter," what 3-5 specific problem types should I hunt for and solve right now to build fluency and mastery? Be specific.