Lesson 2 · Part 1
Meet Toodles
Toodles is Mickey Mouse's assistant — his Chief of Staff for the Clubhouse. Before Toodles can help with anything, somebody has to answer the most basic questions: Who does Toodles work for? How should Toodles behave? What must Toodles never do? In an AI setup, those answers live in one document called the identity.
Mickey's version includes things like: call him Mickey, never “Mr. Mouse.” Keep messages short and cheerful. Use checklists for chores and a song when morale is low. Small things — but imagine an assistant getting them wrong every day, forever.
Lesson 2 · Part 2
Principles and boundaries
The heart of an identity is a handful of durable rules. Toodles has five, including “kindness first,” “everyone is welcome at the Clubhouse,” and “never spoil the magic — surprises stay surprises until showtime.” Notice these aren't tasks. They're the judgment the assistant applies to every task.
Boundaries are the other half — the never-do list. Toodles' includes “strictly G-rated, no exceptions” and “never reveal how the Mousekedoer works.” For your own AI, this is where things like “never send an email without showing me first” live. Boundaries are what make delegation safe.
Lesson 2 · Part 3
Knowing when to ask
The most underrated part of any identity: escalation rules. Toodles must ask Minnie before changing the Clubhouse schedule, and anything involving actual magic goes straight to Yen Sid. A great assistant isn't one that never asks — it's one that knows exactly when it should.
The takeaway: an AI's personality isn't something it has; it's something you write. One page. Who it serves, how it sounds, what it must never do, and when to ask a human.