Your Attention Please

Most people run away from New Year’s resolutions. That’s because typically, New Year’s resolutions don’t work very well. They last an average of 17 days… for adults with ADHD it’s likely closer to 5 days! Ever wonder why New Year’s resolutions haven’t worked for you? Maybe you need to stop running away.

As an ADHDer, you receive plenty of suggestions for resolutions you need to make, from your spouse, parents, colleagues, boss and friends, about your tardiness, disorganization, poor productivity, impulsiveness… need I go on? Always the people-pleaser, you impulsively (Oops! One down already!) resolve to be on time, better organized, and more productive this year. A few days later, you throw up your hands in surrender… nothing works.

These types of resolutions come ready-made with two problems: 1) you’re running away from something you don’t want instead of towards something you do want, and because of that, 2) your motivation quickly disappears and you must rely on willpower.

There’s nothing exciting about working on your weaknesses. You don’t dream of being less weak; you dream of being stronger. Since your resolution doesn’t excite and energize you, each day you will yourself to be “less weak.” Unfortunately, willpower is a finite resource. Relying on willpower to change an ingrained habit is like dog sledding across the Sahara with a team of Chihuahuas!

2010 could be the year you achieve great things

2010 could be the year you achieve great things (they’re great because they’re things that you actually want!) and overcome some of your weaknesses in the process. Find goals that ROCK you and compel you to change. Choose resolutions that fuel your resolve in the face of difficulty, that move you toward something YOU want and that allow you to work in your areas of strengths.

Move toward your strengths, not away from your weaknesses

Don’t resolve “not be tardy.” Instead, resolve to live a calmer, more harmonious and Zen life. If you really want to live a calmer life, you’ll quickly realize that scrambling to get to appointments on time is stressing you out. You realize that if you plan your time, organize your things so you know where your keys are when it’s time to go and leave early, you’ll arrive calm, in control and totally Zen (and as a bonus, you won’t be late!)

Instead of resolving to manage your time better, resolve to take on a new hobby or spend time each week developing a new skill that takes advantage of one of your strengths. To free up the time to do something you really want to do, you’ll be motivated to organize your things so you won’t waste 45 minutes a day looking for them.

Before long, you have a new hobby you love and you’re a calmer, happier person to boot! Getting better organized and improving your time management is just a means to an end, a happy coincidence. Spending more time doing what you like to do is the fuel that takes you there.

Take a new approach towards goal setting

Take a new approach to your New Year’s resolutions for 2010. Run toward your strengths instead of away from your weaknesses. Ask yourself:

1. What are my greatest strengths, abilities and interests?
2. If I knew I couldn’t fail, what outrageously compelling resolutions would I make this year?
3. What parts of my life would I be willing, even eager to change if it was the only way to honor my outrageous and compelling resolutions?

And if you’d like to learn how to free up some time to pursue your resolutions and compelling goals with ten amazing strategies that improve your productivity by working with your strengths instead of against them, get your free (but amazingly valuable report!), Productivity Myths Busted now.

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ADHD adults often struggle in the corporate world. Many lose their jobs, often multiple times, because they don’t fit the corporate mold.

It’s little wonder they gravitate toward starting their own business, after all, you can’t be fired when you’re the boss! While entrepreneurship may initially just be a way of creating employment flexible enough to adapt to your way of working, it often turns out to be a great career move.

You minimize negative ADHD symptoms when you spend most of your time engaged in activities you’re passionate about and that play to your strengths.

I often help ADHD adults select their ideal career and we always consider as the following Top Criteria for a good career fit:

1. Your level of interest and passion for the work
2. A very high percentage of career activities will use your strengths, and
3. You can minimize work in areas of weakness.

Apply these criteria to entrepreneurship and you’ll see when it’s a great fit for ADHDers. What other career lets you design your perfect job description and delegate the rest away?

Little surprise, then, that studies indicate a large proportion (some estimates run as high as 60 %!) of entrepreneurs have diagnosed ADHD or have many of its traits.

While some people feel ADHDers are too disorganized to thrive in their own business without an imposed structure, many common ADHD traits: big-picture out-of-the-box thinking, creativity, high energy, ability to think on your feet and make quick decisions (otherwise known as impulsivity!), and a tolerance for risk, are the same characteristics found in successful entrepreneurs.

Running your own business can be challenging, but these entrepreneurs deal with the organizational needs of their business by creating structure, streamlining systems and complete their team with people whose strengths fill any gaps in their own skills.

Many ADHD entrepreneurs are extraordinarily successful because they focus their energy where they excel and get the help they need, and to help them achieve their ambitious business goals, many of them hire an ADHD Entrepreneur Coach.

If you are an entrepreneur or are striving to become one, visit my new site dedicated to entrepreneurs with Entrepreneurial ADD at http://www.focusactionsuccess.com.

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Very few of us have yet to hear about the newest “Idol” sensation. If you always root for the underdog, as I do, I’m sure you felt vindicated when a very down-to-earth Susan Boyle sang her heart out.

Has the “in-crowd” ever picked on you? Has anyone told you that you’re not quite… cool, pretty (or handsome), rich… enough? If you’ve ever settled for less because someone thought you weren’t good enough, if you’ve let life rob you of your dreams, then you probably felt as anxious as I did when Susan Boyle walked on stage and the audience laughed at her.

You can see that she notices the audience laughing at her, and you hold your breath, wondering if she’ll try anyway. Will she put herself out there, risking the embarrassment of people laughing at her? And then, thankfully, she opens her mouth, her heart, and she sings. Oh, does she sing! Despite the ridicule, regardless of her age, ignoring that people obviously thought she wasn’t “cool,” Susan felt the fear and she did it anyway.

We all wish we would have been able to do what Susan did, but even the most self-assured among us would have doubted their ability, but not Susan Boyle. She wanted a chance, and she refused to let life rob her of her dream.

Like a scene from Revenge of the Nerds (I know I’m dating myself!), Susan rocked, I mean, she blew people away! Many people, including some big, burly, tough men, admitted that when they watched her sing, they had tears in their eyes. Susan proved the naysayers wrong and won the audience’s hearts in the process.

Has life robbed you of your dream? Do you have a song in your heart that needs to come out, or a project that seems out of reach? Has someone told you that you just aren’t good enough, cool enough, rich enough? Or worse, did you believe them? Are you settling for your life, never to reach your full potential because of your age, your looks or ADHD?

I challenge you to ignore the naysayers and take a risk. Open your mouth, take a breath and sing your heart out. Until you do, you’ll never know what greatness lies within you.

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Nelson Mandela said, “Your playing small does not serve the world.  Who are you not to be great?”

As I read this, I realized that I do sometimes play small, not allowing myself to be as successful as I can be.  What is playing small?  It’s easiest to define by considering the opposite: “Playing Big.”

For me, “Playing Big” means developing my strengths so my life’s work transforms the world in a positive way.  It means using my strengths, empathy, passion and connectedness, to bring a community of adults with ADHD not merely overcome inattention, procrastination, disorganization and other ADHD challenges, but to help them move beyond “overcoming” to tap into their true gifts so that they too can affect the world positively.  It also means to be financially successful so I can continue my life’s work and be a model for others.

Helping my clients “Play Big” also means not accepting their excuses for playing small or, worse, not playing at all.  Playing Big requires that you face your fears about failure… or about success… and not allowing anything to stop you… not ADHD, not money, not fear, not anything!

How have you been playing small lately?  What will it take to move to your Big Game?  Because…

Who are you not to be great?

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