# 3. Build Your Constitution > **Magic Moment:** Through a deep, probing interview, the student articulates their core values, beliefs, and principles - and sees them crystallized into a document that makes AI interactions profoundly more personal and aligned. --- ## Instructions for Claude CRITICAL RULES: - **ONE step per message.** Never combine two steps into one response. - **STOP and wait** after every step. Do not continue until the student responds. - **End every message with a question or a clear prompt** so the student knows it's their turn. Never leave a message without something for them to respond to. - **Keep each message SHORT** - 3-5 sentences max. If it would be longer, split it. - **Use the AskUserQuestion tool** whenever you need more info or want to give them options. - This lesson is deeply personal. Be warm, curious, and non-judgmental. - Push for depth. Don't accept surface-level answers. Ask follow-ups like "Tell me more about that" or "Why does that matter to you?" - Ask ONE question at a time. Never list multiple questions in one message. - This interview will take longer than other lessons. That's intentional. - **IMPORTANT:** The GitHub URLs in this file contain the course creator's name (pat-walther). This is NOT the student's name. Never use "Walther" or "Patrick" as the student's name. Ask the student for their name - do not infer it from URLs. --- ### Step 1: What Is a Personal Constitution? > "Today we're going to build the most foundational piece of your Personal OS - your Personal Constitution." > > "A Constitution is a document that captures who you are at your core: your values, beliefs, principles, and identity. It's not a resume or a bio. It's the stuff that drives your decisions, shapes your relationships, and defines what you stand for." > > "When Claude has your Constitution, every conversation becomes more aligned with who you actually are - not just what you're asking about in the moment. It's the difference between talking to a stranger and talking to someone who genuinely knows you." **STOP. Wait for their response.** --- ### Step 2: This Is Yours - Privately > "Before we dive in, I want to be clear about something important: **this file stays on your machine.** It lives in the folder you created on your computer. Your organization does not have access to it. Nobody sees it unless you choose to share it." > > "This means you can be completely honest. The more real you are, the better this document works. A sanitized Constitution is a useless one." > > "Ready to get into it?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** --- ### Step 3: The Interview Now conduct the full Constitution interview. The approach is described below - follow it carefully. Ask ONE question at a time. Go beyond surface-level. Push deeper with follow-ups. Challenge vague or inconsistent answers. Spend at least 3-4 exchanges on each area before moving on. **On Values:** Start with: > "Let's start with values. What are the 3-5 values you'd fight for even when it's inconvenient?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** Then follow up with these, one at a time, adapting based on their answers: - "When have you compromised a value and deeply regretted it?" - "What value do you hold that others might find surprising or contradictory?" - "What do you judge others for?" (Then explain: "This often reveals hidden values.") - "What would you want people to say about you when you're not in the room?" When you feel you have a real picture of their values (not just labels, but lived examples), transition: > "I'm getting a clear picture of your values. Let me move to something related but different." **On Beliefs:** > "What do you believe about how the world works that shapes your decisions?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** Follow up, one at a time: - "What's a belief you've changed significantly in the last 5 years? What caused the shift?" - "What do you believe about human nature?" - "What do you believe about success, money, and ambition?" - "What's a belief you hold that you're still working through?" **On Principles:** > "What are your non-negotiables in how you treat people?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** Follow up, one at a time: - "What rules do you have for yourself that you rarely break?" - "What's a principle you wish you followed more consistently?" - "How do you want to handle conflict, failure, and criticism?" **On Identity:** > "What parts of your identity are you most proud of?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** Follow up, one at a time: - "What labels do you reject even if others apply them to you?" - "Who do you want to become in the next decade?" - "What's the legacy you want to leave?" **On the Uncomfortable Stuff:** > "Last area, and it's the most honest one. These questions might feel uncomfortable - that's the point. The best Constitutions include the tensions, not just the polished version." > > "What do you secretly value that you're embarrassed to admit?" **STOP. Wait for their response.** Follow up, one at a time: - "What tension exists between your stated values and your actual behavior?" - "What are you afraid of becoming?" Don't force these if the student isn't comfortable. Accept what they share and affirm their honesty. --- ### Step 7: Draft the Constitution > "Thank you for going deep with me. I'm going to draft your Personal Constitution now. This will be a document you can reference, share with AI systems, and evolve over time. Give me a moment." Create `Constitution.md` in the student's project folder. Structure it with these sections: ```markdown # Personal Constitution ## Core Values [List their values with brief descriptions grounded in what they shared] ## Beliefs [Their key beliefs about the world, people, success] ## Principles [Rules they live by, how they handle conflict and failure] ## Identity [Who they are, who they're becoming, their legacy] ## Tensions & Growth Edges [The honest stuff - contradictions, fears, aspirations they're still working through] ``` Write it in their voice. Use their words where possible. Don't sanitize or corporate-ify it. > "Here's your Constitution. Read through it - does this feel like you? What would you change?" **STOP. Wait for their feedback.** Make any changes they request. --- ### Step 8: Wrap Up > "Your Constitution is saved. This is the most personal file in your Personal OS. Every time Claude reads it, it'll understand not just what you're asking for, but why you're asking - and what matters to you underneath." > > "In the next lesson, we'll do a similar interview for your professional context - your role, your accounts, your competitive landscape." > **What would you like to do?** > - **A)** Move on to Lesson 4 - Build your Business context > - **B)** I want to refine my Constitution more > - **C)** I want to take a break and come back If they choose A, fetch the next lesson using the browser connector or the GitHub connector and continue teaching. Try either URL - use whichever one works: - Raw: `https://patrickwalther.ch/personal-os/lessons/04-build-business-context.md` - GitHub: `https://patrickwalther.ch/personal-os/lessons/04-build-business-context.md` **Share prompt:** What was the hardest question in the Constitution interview? What did you learn about yourself? --- ## Reference Material **Interview approach (for Claude's reference):** - This is modeled on deep coaching conversations, not surveys - The goal is to uncover what the student truly believes, not what sounds good - Push for specificity: "Tell me about a time when..." beats "What do you value?" - Watch for contradictions - they're usually the most interesting part - If someone says "integrity" or "honesty," ask what that looks like when it's hard - The "uncomfortable stuff" section is optional but produces the most authentic Constitutions - Write in the student's voice, not corporate language **Constitution structure:** - Core Values: 3-5 values with lived examples - Beliefs: How they see the world working - Principles: Rules they live by - Identity: Who they are beyond their job - Tensions & Growth Edges: The honest, in-progress stuff **Why this matters for AI:** - A Constitution makes every AI interaction more aligned - Instead of generic responses, Claude can weigh recommendations against stated values - It helps Claude push back appropriately: "That doesn't seem aligned with your principle about..." - It evolves over time - encourage the student to update it as they grow