ADHD: How To Actually Finish What You Start (3 Easy Steps)

Summary

This video script shares the journey of an ADHD individual who discovered strategies to overcome the challenges of maintaining focus and consistency in work. Diagnosed seven years ago, the speaker found that traditional 'hustle culture' advice to 'try harder' was counterproductive for their ADHD brain. Instead, they adopted three key strategies: leveraging their strengths, identifying their preferred learning modalities, and working in sprints with breaks to maintain novelty and motivation. These methods not only improved productivity but also led to a fulfilling career as a content creator in the ADHD space.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker was diagnosed with ADHD 7 years ago and struggled with maintaining focus and progress on tasks due to constantly seeking novelty.
• 🔄 Upon diagnosis, they learned that 'trying harder' is not effective for ADHD brains and that making tasks easier is a better strategy.
• 🎯 Discovering three key strategies transformed their work-life, leading to consistent productivity and success as a content creator in the ADHD space.
• 🧠 The ADHD brain is stimulated by novelty and dopamine, which fades as the newness of a task wears off, typically around the third week.
• 🏄‍♂️ The concept of 'hustle culture' is counterproductive for ADHD individuals, as their brains are wired for interest, not importance.
• 🌊 The brain of a person with ADHD is likened to a 'carefree surfer', always seeking the next wave of interest rather than forcing oneself to stay on one wave.
• 🏔 Understanding one's strengths and weaknesses is crucial for individuals with ADHD, as they often have 'spiky profiles' with peaks of excellence and valleys of difficulty.
• 🤝 There's permission and encouragement to ask for help with weaknesses, as focusing on strengths can lead to more efficient and fulfilling work.
• 👀 Identifying one's processing modality—such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic—is key to sustaining effort and interest in tasks.
• ⏱️ The strategy of 'sprinting' in work intervals, like the Pomodoro Technique, is more effective for ADHD individuals than long, continuous work periods.
• 🔄 Taking 'fire breaks'—short, stimulating breaks that reorient the brain—helps to maintain novelty and interest in ongoing tasks.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by individuals with ADHD when trying to maintain long-term progress on tasks?

The main challenge faced by individuals with ADHD is the tendency to start tasks with high intensity but quickly move on to something different after the novelty fades, leading to a lack of long-term progress due to the brain's chase for new stimuli.

How did the speaker's perspective change after being diagnosed with ADHD?

The speaker's perspective changed significantly after the ADHD diagnosis, realizing that trying harder is not effective for the ADHD brain and that making tasks easier and adapting strategies is the key to progress.

What are the three strategies mentioned in the script that helped the speaker to change their relationship with work?

The three strategies mentioned are: understanding the ADHD brain's spiky profile and playing to strengths, identifying and utilizing one's preferred processing modality for learning and consuming information, and adopting a sprinting approach to work instead of marathon running.

Why does the speaker suggest that 'trying harder' is counterproductive for individuals with ADHD?

The speaker suggests that 'trying harder' is counterproductive for individuals with ADHD because their brains are wired for interest, not importance, making it difficult to force themselves to do something that is not inherently interesting to them.

What is the 'spiky profile' of the ADHD brain, and how can understanding it help individuals with ADHD?

The 'spiky profile' refers to the tendency of the ADHD brain to excel in certain areas (peaks) and struggle in others (valleys). Understanding this can help individuals with ADHD to focus on their strengths and seek help or outsource tasks in their areas of weakness.

How can identifying one's processing modality improve the consistency and enjoyment of work for someone with ADHD?

Identifying one's processing modality can improve consistency and enjoyment by allowing the individual to consume and learn information in a way that is most engaging and interesting to them, thus reducing the need to 'try harder' and increasing the likelihood of sustained effort.

What is the Pomodoro Technique, and how can it be beneficial for individuals with ADHD?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, followed by short breaks. This can be beneficial for individuals with ADHD by providing a structured way to work in bursts, which aligns with their tendency to work best in short, intense periods.

What are 'fire breaks,' and how do they differ from regular breaks?

Fire breaks are a type of break that still stimulates the brain but in a different way, such as switching up environments or listening to music. They differ from regular breaks in that they provide a change of focus, which can help to rekindle interest and novelty in the task at hand.

How can taking mindful pauses and fire breaks help individuals with ADHD to be more intentional with their work?

Taking mindful pauses and fire breaks can help individuals with ADHD to reset their focus, regain interest in their tasks, and approach their work with a fresh perspective, making the work more interesting and less exhausting.

What is the additional strategy mentioned at the end of the script, and how can it help with ADHD-related procrastination and executive dysfunction?

The additional strategy hinted at the end of the script is not fully described, but it is suggested to be crucial in helping the speaker become hyper-consistent and overcome ADHD-related procrastination and executive dysfunction without relying on willpower and discipline.