The First Try Is Just the Start
Have you ever drawn a picture, looked at it, and thought, "I want to make that better"? That feeling is not a problem. That feeling is what every creator in the world feels. Today we are going to talk about why your first try is something to celebrate, not something to throw away.
First Tries Are for Learning
When you try something for the first time, you are gathering information. You are finding out what works and what does not. Imagine you are building a tower out of blocks. You stack them up — and they fall over. Did you fail? No! You just learned something important: those blocks need to be balanced differently. Your first try with an AI helper works the same way. You type a prompt and see what comes out. Maybe it is great. Maybe it is close but not quite right. That is perfectly fine, because now you know what to try next.
A first try is not supposed to be perfect. It is supposed to show you what comes next. Every great creator starts with a messy first try.
Think about a baker making a new recipe for the first time. She mixes the ingredients, puts the cake in the oven, and tastes it when it is done. Maybe it needs a little more sugar. Maybe it needs less time. She writes down what she learned and tries again. The second cake is better. The third might be even better than that. When you give an AI a prompt for the first time, you are just like that baker. You are tasting the first cake.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Here is the important thing to remember: the goal of a first try is not to get it perfect. The goal is to see something and start learning from it. You cannot improve something that does not exist yet. So whenever you finish a first try, you have already done something amazing.
After your first try, say to yourself: 'What do I notice? What surprised me?' Those two questions will help you figure out what to do next.
Why is a first try important?
You ask an AI to write a short poem for your friend and the poem is too long. What should you do?
My First Try Journal
- Get a piece of paper and something to write with.
- Think of something you made recently: a drawing, a block tower, a Lego build, or anything.
- Write or draw your answer to these two questions: What did it look like when you first made it? What did you change or wish you could change?
- If you have not made anything recently, imagine you asked an AI to draw a picture of your favorite animal and it came out a little funny. What one thing would you want to fix first?
- Share your answer with a friend, family member, or your class.