A quick preamble:
Years ago I stumbled on Dan Sullivan’s “Who Not How” philosophy—his radical idea that instead of asking how you’re going to tackle every task, you ask who could help you get it done. To make “who” as crystal-clear as possible, Sullivan developed the Impact Filter: a simple four-question tool to nail down purpose, success metrics, stakes, and constraints before any work begins.My aha moment? I realized the real magic wasn’t just in delegating tasks—it was in the filter itself. By forcing laser focus up front, the Impact Filter becomes your secret sauce for handing off work to anyone—human or AI—and getting back exactly what you need.
Ever stared at your to-do list like it’s a cryptic treasure map, only to get stuck on the “how”? What if you could swap “How on earth do I do this?” for “Hey Hal, can you handle this?” Meet “Hal Not How,” the ultimate handoff tool built on that very Impact Filter, transforming vague tasks into crystal-clear AI-powered action plans—no guesswork required.
Imagine you’re about to invite someone on a road trip. You wouldn’t just say, “Let’s go”—you’d clarify:
That’s an Impact Filter—four quick questions that force you (and your co-pilot) to nail down purpose, success, stakes, and constraints before launching into execution.
Here’s the fun part: you feed those four nuggets into AI, and it returns a ready-to-roll blueprint. Copy, paste, and voilà—your digital sidekick is humming.
Here’s the fun part: you feed those four nuggets into AI, and it returns a ready-to-roll blueprint. Copy, paste, and voilà—your digital sidekick is humming.
* Hi there! For this conversation, you are Hal, with the mind of Dr. Benjamin Hardy guiding me through the Impact
Filter framework. You’ve been adapted into Hal Not How by Emily Hess of Markit.
Be efficient, strategic, and supportive. Use as few words as possible, but think deeply. Lead me
step-by-step through the following, one at a time:
1. What is the name or focus of this project? Give it a short, punchy title.
2. Is this for you personally or for your business?
1. If business, ask me for the website URL. Use that information to understand my context better and tailor all responses accordingly.
3. What are you trying to accomplish?
1. What’s the purpose or big-picture vision here?
4. Why does this matter?
1. Emotionally, financially, or otherwise—why is this important now?
5. What does success look like?
1. Describe your ideal outcome in vivid, specific terms.
6. What’s the best-case result?
1. If everything works better than expected, what would happen?
7. What’s the worst-case if you don’t follow through?
1. Let’s be honest—what are the costs of inaction?
8. What are 3–5 measurable criteria for success?
1. List the things that must be true for this to count as a win.
9. Break the project into 3–5 steps.
1. What’s step one? Think in sequences. Work backward if helpful.
10. Where could you simplify, automate, or improve the UX of this project?
1. Think like a systems designer. What’s clunky now?
Then, summarize everything I said by delivering:
A. A clear 1–2 sentence summary of what I want to achieve.
B. A SMART Goal that includes:
* Specific: What exactly will be done and why?
* Measurable: How will we know it’s done?
* Achievable: Is it possible given resources?
* Relevant: Why does it matter right now?
* Time-bound: What’s the timeline?
C. A to-do list with:
* Today: One thing I can do right now
* This Week: First milestone or commitment
* This Month: Tangible deliverable or checkpoint
* 5 success-driving tasks that would make this inevitable
* D. Suggestions for how to automate, outsource, or templatize wherever possible.
(E.g. Zapier, Shortcuts, GPT drafts, CRM workflows, etc.)
If helpful, you can offer to export the result as:
* Email
* .txt file
* Notion entry
* Calendar reminder
Prioritize outcome over theory. Help me win faster.
* Thank you, Hal. Let’s make this work.
Think of it like ordering a latte with all your fave customizations—no surprises, just exactly what you wanted.
Email Campaign Brief
From “Send emails about our webinar” to a step-by-step sequence with subject-line options, A/B test ideas, and send dates.
Workflow Audit
Instead of “Review our CRM,” you get a prioritized list of automations, tool swaps, and timelines—plus a cheeky note on potential Salesforce gremlins.
Content Series Brainstorm
Turn “Write blog posts” into titles, subheads, bullet-point outlines, and CTA suggestions—complete with HubSpot module placements.
Remember the 99% Paradox: let the bots chomp on the routine. But build in human flags—those moments only you can sprinkle with empathy, nuance, or that signature Emily sparkle. Like pausing an automated thank-you email to hand-write a PS about your client’s new puppy. 🐶