Exercise: Build Your Never List

Module 2 · Section 7 of 7

Exercise: Build Your Never List

Here’s the insight that transforms AI voice training: your authentic voice isn’t just what you naturally say — it’s also what you would never say.

Most people focus entirely on positive examples: “Here’s how I want to sound.” But that’s only half the equation.

The breakthrough comes from negative training: “Never sound like this.”

My Actual Forbidden Phrases

• “Delve into the fascinating world of…”
• “Navigate complex landscapes…”
• “Embark on transformative journeys…”
• “Moreover,” “Furthermore,” “Additionally” as paragraph starters
• “Revolutionary” or “paradigm shift” for anything

Why I reject each one:

• They’re obviously AI-generated
• They create distance instead of connection
• They sound like marketing copy, not genuine insight
• They’re vague where I want to be specific

When you train AI to avoid these patterns while following your positive examples, everything changes. The outputs finally sound like you having a conversation, not like an AI trying to sound professional.

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Your Task: Build Your Rejection Inventory

Step 1: Find 3 pieces of AI-generated business content that make you cringe. Could be LinkedIn posts, newsletters, website copy — anything that screams “this was written by AI.” Add 5–7 more examples of business writing that makes you roll your eyes.

Step 2: For each piece, document:

• Specific phrases that feel wrong for your voice
• Tone qualities that don’t match your values
• Structural patterns you’d never use
• Relationship dynamics that feel inauthentic

Step 3: Look for patterns in your rejections:

• Do you hate corporate buzzwords?
• Does fake enthusiasm annoy you?
• Are you allergic to generic advice?
• Do formulaic structures feel robotic?

Step 4: Write your rejection inventory in this format:

❌ What you’d never write → ✅ How you’d actually say it

Example from a client’s never list:

❌ “Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.”

✅ “Hit reply if you want to discuss this.”

Same meaning, completely different voice. The first sounds like customer service. The second sounds like a real person.

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Save this rejection inventory. It’s going to be crucial when you create your AI training prompts in the next module.

The power of boundaries: When you train AI on both what you do sound like AND what you actively reject, you create precise voice outputs instead of generic business-speak with a slight personal flavor.

The phrases that make you cringe most are often the exact ones your competitors use. That’s competitive advantage hiding in your rejections.