Build Your AI
Chief of Staff
Stop re-explaining your life to AI every day. Build a personal system that knows you, connects to your real apps, and actually gets things done — work, personal, all of it.
By Bella Pivo · ~15 min · You'll leave with a working system
Where are you at?
This changes what I show you. No wrong answer.
AI right now is like hiring an assistant who gets amnesia every day
Re-explain your life
every conversation
Your COS loads a file that tells AI who you are, what you do, and how you work — every time.
AI lives on an island.
Can't touch your real apps.
MCPs (plugins) connect your COS to Gmail, Calendar, Notion, health data. Real integrations.
Generic advice.
Not YOUR advice.
Memory files + custom rules = responses tailored to your actual life and priorities.
You become the assistant
to the AI
Your COS builds tools, tracks context, and runs workflows. You direct, it executes.
Tap each card to see how COS fixes it
Not all Claude is the same
The #1 thing people don't realize — there are 3 ways to use Claude, and one is way more powerful.
Claude.ai / ChatGPT
- Chat in a browser
- Forgets between sessions
- Can't access your apps
- Good for quick questions
Claude Desktop
- App on your computer
- Can connect to some tools
- Limited memory
- Better but still limited
Claude Code
- Lives on your computer
- Reads & writes files
- Connects to ALL apps
- Remembers across sessions
- Builds tools for you
- Custom routines & skills
Terminal is just a text box for your computer
That's it. Instead of clicking icons, you type commands. Looks scary — isn't.
cd MyCOS → claude → then type /cos to start your dayclaude launches the engine. /cos runs your morning routine inside Claude. They're separate!4 building blocks — that's the whole system
CLAUDE.md
A text file that tells AI who you are, your rules, and how to help you
Your identityMemory
Files that persist between sessions so AI picks up where you left off
Your contextTools
Scripts AI builds for you to automate repetitive tasks
Your automationMCPs
Plugins that connect AI to your real apps — calendar, email, Notion
Your integrationsNext: we'll build your CLAUDE.md file together, then install everything, then customize your skills and connect your apps.
Tell it who you are
We're building your config file now. Fill in the fields — you can see it update live on the right. At the end you'll download it.
# Your AI Chief of Staff ## The Job Help [your name] execute on what matters. ## About Me [Fill in the fields on the left →]
Set your hard rules
Non-negotiable boundaries. Check what applies, add your own.
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Who matters most?
Last step for your file! List the people your AI should know about — family, partner, coworkers, friends.
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Pick one ↑ — clipboard is easiest
Let's set everything up — step by step
Mac: Cmd+Space → type "Terminal" → hit Enter. Copy each command below and paste it in. Don't skip ahead!
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You need a Claude account first
Claude Code requires either a Claude Pro plan ($20/mo) or an Anthropic API key. Pro is simpler — fixed cost, generous limits, resets if you hit them.
Sign up at claude.ai → Subscribe to Pro -
Install Claude Code
Paste this into Terminal:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-codeError about "npm"? Install Node.js first (LTS version).
-
Create your COS folder & set up memory
This creates a home for your AI with all the folders it needs.
mkdir MyCOS && cd MyCOS && mkdir -p memory/conversations && touch memory/memory.md memory/context.txt && mkdir Tools -
Add your CLAUDE.md file
If you copied to clipboard above:
pbpaste > CLAUDE.mdIf you downloaded the file instead:
mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md . -
Launch it! 🚀
claudeClaude reads your CLAUDE.md automatically and greets you with context.
Here's what happens when you launch
If you just ran claude in the last step — you should see something like this. Try saying one of the suggestions below!
Great first things to say:
⚡ Important: how a session actually works
You can talk to Claude all day. But when you close Terminal, it forgets what happened — unless you tell it to save.
/checkout skill that does this automatically — logs your day, saves context, and previews tomorrow. No remembering required.
What do you want your COS to do for you?
Skills are slash commands — type them and your COS runs a whole workflow. Pick the ones you want, customize them to fit your life, and we'll generate the prompt you paste into Terminal.
Pick the skills you want to build:
Customize this skill — check what you want included:
After you paste each prompt into Terminal, Claude builds the skill file automatically. Then just type the command (like
/cos) any time.
Make your COS talk to your real tools
MCPs are plugins that connect Claude to your apps. You don't install them yourself — you ask Claude to do it while it's running in Terminal. Pick what you use, then copy the prompt to paste in.
If you haven't launched Claude yet, go back and finish setup first. MCPs connect through Claude — not through this page.
Pick what you want to connect:
- "npm ERR!" — Usually means you need to install Node.js first. Download it here.
- "permission denied" — Try adding
sudobefore the command (it'll ask for your computer password). - "authentication failed" — The browser login step didn't complete. Just try again.
- Anything else? Just paste the error back to Claude and say "I got this error, can you help me fix it?" It'll walk you through it.
Your AI Chief of Staff is live
You built a system that knows you, connects to your real apps, and gets smarter every day. Here's what to do from here.
📁 Your folder:
MyCOS/ ├── CLAUDE.md ← identity ├── memory/ │ ├── memory.md ← contacts, prefs │ ├── context.txt ← current state │ └── conversations/ └── Tools/ ← scripts
🔁 Daily workflow:
1. Open Terminal 2. cd MyCOS 3. claude ← starts the engine 4. /cos ← runs your morning routine 5. talk, ask, work with it 6. /checkout ← ends your day 7. Close Terminal
Week 1: Just talk to it daily. Let it learn you.
Week 2: Ask it to build your first tool.
Week 3: Add a new integration.
Month 2+: Watch it compound — it gets smarter every day.
Want help setting up? Have questions?
I'd love to hear from you — reach out anytime.
This project is 100% free — and always will be. If it saved you time or sparked something, a tip means the world.