Hot Diggity, Dog Diggity: Staying Determined

Hot Diggity, Dog Diggity:
Staying Determined

 

Today is the Fourth of July…as American as baseball and apple pie. But to my SO, Barry, today is all about the hot dog. Barry is one of the great sports fans of all time, and if it’s on ESPN, it’s a sport. To Barry, there is nothing more American than the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. There’s the historic beach setting, America’s favorite food, and, of course, the spectacle of the competition itself.

 

Barry has been religiously watching this annual contest of gluttony for as long as I can remember. Three years ago we were in Denmark for a wedding. After spending July 4^th in Copenhagen, we went back to our hotel room and watched the contest on YouTube. Nyhavn, The Little Mermaid, Tivoli and Hot Dogs. :)

 

Today, Joey Chestnut, the reigning Nathan’s champ since 2007, has done it again. Although he is the undisputed Nathan’s champion, Takeru Kobayashi is perhaps the greatest competitive eater of all time, Although Kobayashi only weighs about 130 lbs., he holds several records, including six Guinness Records, for eating hot dogs, meatballs, Twinkies, hamburgers, pizza and pasta. Years ago, Kobayashi changed the world of competitive eating at the Nathan’s contest when he separated the hot dogs from the buns. Barry has a huge amount of admiration for Kobayashi, and considers him to be the greatest competitive eater of all time.

 

Several years ago, Kobayashi refused to go along with what he called overly restrictive limits on endorsements and remuneration imposed by Major League Eating, the international federation that runs the Nathan’s 4th of July Contest and other annual events. Kobayashi has decided to instead navigate the niche industry alone. And although Kobayashi has decided to march to the beat of his own drummer, he has continued to set records, albeit unofficially.

How can such a small man could eat so many hot dogs? I’ll tell you. Like anything else, competitive eating is more about determination than other things. In 2011, the much larger Chestnut scarfed down 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win at Coney Island while his rival, Kobayashi, ate 69 at a simultaneous event across town on a rooftop in midtown Manhattan. In 2012, Chestnut ate 68 hot dogs at Coney Island while Kobayashi ate 68.5 at a bar in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Nathan’s officials dismissed both records, but couldn’t dismiss the fact that Kobayashi out-ate Chestnut.

 

To Barry, Kobayashi is a legend. One of Barry’s dreams came true a few years ago at a Schaumburg Boomer’s game. A team of fans representing the Boomers, including Barry, competed against Kobayashi after the game. Although Kobayashi out-ate the team consisting of 4 fans and the Boomer’s catcher, this was definitely one of the highlight of Barry’s sport’s career. 

So why am I writing about hot dogs in an ADHD blog? It’s about determination. It’s about finding your unique niche. It’s about focus. It’s about not allowing obstacles to get in your way. It’s not about competing directly against other, but competing with yourself. It’s about achieving your personal best.

So I ask you…how hungry (pun intended) are you for the things you desire? What is your level of determination? Stop thinking it is impossible. Know what you want and be sure it’s something that YOU want…not something someone else wants for you. Folks with ADHD aren’t like everyone else. Play to your unique strengths; do it your way.

Here are a few simple steps to stay hungry: 

* Be clear about your dreams, goals and desires.

* Work from YOUR point of strength

* Be deliberate. Don't rely on luck.

* Stay focused

* Minimize distractions...or learn how to deal with them. This is a huge              issue for ADHDers...and another blog in itself.

* Make a commitment

* Be flexible and adjust your actions accordingly

* Take action NOW. Don't dwell in the past. One step at a time.

* Keep your eye on the prize. What will it be like when you accomplish your        goal? Really feel it.

Today is Independence Day for the USA. Today can be Independence Day for you as well. Leonardo da Vinci said it best, "It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things."

It's Not Where You Start, 

It's Where You Finish

When I began writing this blog, I had hoped it would be a place to share helpful tips for those living with ADHD. Quite frankly, the writing was tedious and somewhat boring. So….I am taking a new direction. Not only do I coach people with ADHD, I too, struggle with the disorder, and have done so for my entire life. I have decided that sharing my experiences with ADHD, and how I have overcome some of those challenges, would not only be helpful, but far more entertaining. J

I was diagnosed, when, my then 7-year-old daughter was diagnosed. Her pediatric neurologist looked at me and said, “You know where she got it from, right?” I was stunned. He then said, “I bet you consume extremely large amounts of caffeine.” I did, and still do. He told me I had been self-medicating for most of life. I had always wondered why caffeine never kept me awake or gave me jitters. At that moment, I knew. And I suddenly thought…OY!

I learned a lot from my daughter’s diagnosis. I have always sought out answers to the unknown…still do. So true to form I read everything I could get my hands on. The more I read, the more I saw myself. ADHD wasn't a known entity when I was a child. The only people who were identified were overactive boys, and even then, they were labeled “hyperactive” with no reference to attention deficit. I was misunderstood, called lazy and impulsive, and was definitely not the favorite child that my diligent organized sister was. Oh, I had the best of intentions…just not the tools to bring them to fruition.

In the years following that afternoon in the Dr’s office, I have looked back at how I have handled some of the challenges associated with ADHD. I realized that although I may be deficient in some areas of life, i.e., organization, focus, completion of tasks, etc, I definitely excel at others. I am highly intelligent, have a huge heart, and have a wicked sense of humor. My memory is insane…which is both a blessing and a curse. I can be very logical, but can also see things in a way that others do not. To put a positive spin on it…I think outside the box.

So, although I spent much of my life being told I was screwing up, I now know that it just ain’t so.  I have had to deal with challenges that most of my family, friends and colleagues never encountered. My sister will never understand why I can’t clean a room without being completely overwhelmed…much the same way I will never understand how she can attack any project and get it done in a few hours. Her brain just doesn't work the way mine does…and never will. That doesn't make me a bad person…just a different person.

That being said, I have always gotten by. My intellect compensated for my lack of focus in school and at work. My ability to switch into high gear at the last minute compensated for my tendency to procrastinate. And my sense of humor and big heart compensated for everything else.

As an ADHD coach, I have learned how to devise strategies to help me survive in this crazy fast-paced world.  Although I am happy to share some of those strategies, be advised that they may not work for you because there is not a one-size-fits-all solution for the challenges associated with ADHD. This is the reason why all of those self-help books usually do more dust gathering than helping.

What exactly is coaching and why does it work? The main premise of coaching is that every client comes to us whole and complete, ready to generate their own perfect solutions.  When I coach clients, I don’t give them solutions, I help them to find their own perfect solutions. What I hope to do with this blog is inspire you to come up with your own answers, and realize that ADHD is a gift, a gift that makes you the unique person that you are.

So in the blogs to follow, I will talk about how I was/am able to muddle through…emphasis on the word muddle. I have come a long way, and have devised some creative solutions to compensate for the challenges I have encountered on my journey through life. As Dorothy Fields wrote for the musical SEESAW… "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish"…and I intend to finish at the top!

Turning Chaos

into Order:

How to Calm the 

Chaos in Your Life 

in Four Easy Steps  

Becoming organized has so many benefits. 

Perhaps the greatest is the ability to turn days filled with chaos into days of focus and effectiveness. Imagine how liberating it would be if you didn’t have to spend hours searching for misplaced items. Imagine how peaceful your days would be if you weren’t surrounded by clutter. Imagine how nice it would be to finally have the time to do the things you enjoy.

Organization is more than keeping things neat,

Below are four easy steps to calming the chaos in your life:

1.      Have a place for everything. This habit applies to your things, paper clutter, electronic clutter, and your activities.

·         Try to limit yourself to just three email accounts. I have one for business, one for personal emails, and one for promotional emails. The last account has drastically reduced the volume of my personal email account. I never liked the idea of giving out my personal email address to stores, but I didn’t want to miss out on the coupons. Now I know exactly where to go if I feel a shopping spree coming on.  

·         Find a solution for your scheduling. The best advice I can give you is to use ONE planner. I use a small pocket-sized planner that I carry with me ALL the time. If it’s not in my calendar, it doesn’t exist. It’s ok to transfer things to another calendar if other people need the information. For example, some families keep a calendar in a common area that includes the schedules of all family members. Just be sure that your personal calendar is your MASTER calendar, and refer to it when scheduling any events.

If you have a smart phone, and are comfortable with trusting an electronic device, it makes sense to take advantage of this technology. I still like to have things in writing…just in case. I do, however, use my iPhone as an additional source for reminders. There is a sticky note app that I just love, and the notes are all in one place!

·         Keep your physical areas clean. Use baskets, folders, bulletin boards, shelves, etc. to organize your things. Be as detailed as you can when dealing with your possessions. Come up with a system that works for you. There’s no reason to spend 30+ minutes over the course of a single day searching for items.

2.      Put items away immediately. Organized people tend to put things away immediately…disorganized people, not so much. It’s only after enough clutter piles up that they have enough discomfort to do anything about it. Then, it becomes a major project. And…we all know how people with ADHD are with major projects.

·         When you grab your mail, go through it and file it immediately. Leave a small a wastebasket at the door. Open your mail as soon as you get inside the house. If you are anything like me…most of it is junk. I strongly suggest you consider going paperless. It’s a lot easier to deal with mail clutter when it doesn’t get delivered on a daily basis.

·         Have a place for everything so you’ll be able to find it every time. AND… when you’re done using something, put it away. Immediately. Every time. Just do it! If you practice this behavior for several weeks, it will become a habit and you won’t have to think about doing it.

·         List that appointment in your system as soon as you schedule it. This is why I always have my planner with me. Oh sure, you say you’ll do it later, but I’m guessing you usually forget.  Trust me when I say, in order for an organizational system to work, you have to use it…in a timely manner.

3.      Have a daily routine. People with ADHD need structure to survive, much like a baby. Routines are a good way to develop habits, and once those habits are developed, they will become second nature.

·         There are many things that only take a few minutes if they’re done regularly. Daily maintenance can save the aggravation of a big job later on, so don’t let things pile up. Instead of switching channels during commercials, use that time to put five things away. It’s amazing how much you’ll have accomplished by the end of your favorite show.

·         Load the dishwasher before you go to bed. Make lunches the night before so you don’t have to scramble in the morning. Make sure your tote bag and the kids’ backpacks are ready to go (permission slips signed, etc.) and by the door.

·         Build in an extra hour for yourself. “Me” time is just as important as everything ells on your list.

4.      Create your to-do list each night. Keep the list inside your planner. Starting the day without a plan is like starting a road trip without a map or a GPS.  It’s far more challenging to get anything done when you have no idea of what it is that needs to get done. Before ending your day, spend a few minutes and list everything you’d like to accomplish. Prioritize your list for time and/or urgency, and work on only ONE task at a time. Once you have completed that task, re-prioritize and repeat the process.

Maybe it’s time to finally get organized and get your life and your clutter under control. Find your own system because that’s the only way it will work for YOU. You’ll be more relaxed, less stressed, more productive, more effective, and a better partner, parent and friend. Developing a couple of effective habits can really make a huge difference in your ability to stay focused on what’s most important to you!

Have you ever 

taken a ride on the 

Clutter-Go-Round?

Have you ever heard the saying, a cluttered mind is the sign of a cluttered life? If you are a person living with ADHD, the opposite can also be true…a cluttered life can be the sign of a cluttered mind. ADHD symptoms such as procrastination, forgetfulness, poor time management, and general disorganization are a huge challenge to people living with ADHD. As a result, tasks, both simple and complex, often lead to an unwanted collection of chores, bills, and things. A cluttered mind and a cluttered life, working in tandem, can create a vicious circle of clutter…a clutter-go-round that never stops to let its passengers off.

ADHD and clutter, both physical and emotional, often go hand in hand. For a person with an ADHD brain, physical clutter + emotional clutter =CHAOS! The chaos resulting from all this “stuff” can be very damaging to your life and relationships. Both types of clutter can cause you to lose focus and have difficulty concentrating, which can lead to you having to work longer to complete simple tasks. Clutter can cause injuries, missed deadlines, lost objects and chronic lateness. Yes, clutter can adversely affect your productivity and eat away at your time, which usually results in feelings of frustration and anger.

If you are someone with ADHD, clutter isn’t necessarily confined to your home; it likely spills over into every aspect of your life, professionally and socially. Clutter can affect your performance at work. Clutter can impair your ability to manage your children’s school activities, ordinary business transactions, and interactions with those in your community. Clutter can negatively influence relationships with friends and family. Clutter can keep you socially isolated as well…because you don’t want others to see the pandemonium in which you exist. A disorganized environment can make you feel overwhelmed, which often leads to stress and/or anxiety.  

So why not attack your clutter? The simple answer is…a person with ADHD doesn’t function in the same way that a non-ADHDer does. As much as your friends and family advise you to de-clutter, not understanding how you can live in such chaos, most ADHDers cannot look at a disorganized room and just decide to do something about it. All those self-help books that you bought because “this was the one that was going to work” only add to the clutter. What works for the masses, simply does not work for you. Not only is the cleaning process confusing and time consuming, but it is also emotionally draining.

If you are like me, you have read enough books about eliminating/organizing clutter to make your ADHD head spin. You have purchased planners, organizers, bins, shelves, containers, and whatever else would help you put your environment in order once and for all. I bet it has cost you a lot of money over the years…without helping. I can’t tell you how to de-clutter your life, because mainstream organizing tips do not work with an ADHD mind, and there is not a one-size-fits-all method of de-cluttering an ADHD life. I can, however, offer some suggestions to get you started.

Again…I am not going to give you cleaning or organizing tips…because they won’t work. The only thing that will help you de-clutter your life is to come up with YOUR OWN game plan to sort things out. That being said, here are a few steps you can take to de-clutter your life.

1.   Own the clutter – make it yours. You have to accept your clutter in order to come up with your own perfect solutions. Ask yourself how the clutter got there in the first place, and then attack the very behavior that is causing the pile-up.

2.   Ask yourself…if you could have things just the way you would like to have them…what would that do for you. What would an organized environment feel like, both environmentally and emotionally? What are you missing out on because of the clutter in your life?  Visualize a de-cluttered life. Imagine, as specifically as you can, how you will feel. Imagine what it will be like not to waste hours looking for missing keys and papers. Imagine what you can do in all the free time you will gain by not digging through piles of stuff. I bet it feels pretty good.

3.   Identify the barriers you are facing regarding eliminating the clutter in your life. Figure out what is causing you to get stuck. What is getting in your way and preventing you from living an uncluttered life. Is it lack of storage, laziness, time? There is a very real chance that you are in denial about what might actually causing you to be stuck, and you won’t be able to change your habits until you are ready to face them head on.

4.   Ask yourself…what impact is this clutter having on you, your relationships, your business, etc? What is the worst part about having all this clutter? How long have you been living a cluttered life? What are you losing because of your clutter? Time, money, a chaos-free life? If you don’t do something about the clutter, what else will you lose?

5.   Imagine yourself living a clutter-free life. Be specific with the details. How will your life be different? How will it feel?

You aren’t alone. There are many, many people, with and without ADHD, whose lives are being controlled by clutter. YOU can take back the control by having crystal clear written goals, developing an action plan, having greater personal awareness and identifying your hidden challenges. Add a shot of extreme motivation, and you will be on your way to finally getting off the clutter-go-round!

New Year, New You

New Year, 

New You?

New Year, 

New You!

The ball dropped less than two weeks ago in NYC, symbolizing the beginning of a New Year. For many, the New Year is symbolic fresh starts…a time when many, if not most, people make New Year’s Resolutions…promises to do better in the coming year. If you are like me, the dropping ball has often been a metaphor for crushed failures of the previous year…failures which often happen within weeks after those resolutions are made. By now, most people have compromised those ubiquitous January promises. Although people have the best intentions when making their New Year’s Resolutions, the success rate is less than 15%. Perhaps the success rate would be higher if we approached the concept of these goals or promises in different way.

The most important thing to remember is not to become overwhelmed by New Year’s Resolutions. Accept your anxiety. Often times, anxiety just leads to more anxiety, so don’t fight it. Go with the flow, and this too shall pass. Below are a few suggestions to help you keep those New Year’s Resolutions…once and for all.

• Change your thought process. Work from the inside out. What you tell yourself is just as important as what you do. Work on your self-talk in order to minimize those limiting beliefs.  If you don’t believe you can accomplish your goals, you probably won’t. It is important to give yourself positive reinforcement. Tell yourself, as often as you can, that you can do whatever it is you want to accomplish. When it feels like you are running out of steam, take a cue from “The Little Engine That Could” and keep telling yourself, “I think I can, I think I can,” A positive attitude and approach produces much more successful results than “I can’t."

•  Focus on behaviors that will help you achieve your goal, rather than the goal itself. If you gradually change your actions, the end result you desire will be achieved within time. Set yourself up for success, rather than failure. Small steps lead to longer journeys. The trick is to make your journey sustainable along the way.

• Try not to multitask. We are a society that has to do ten things at once. Some people are very skilled at doing several things at one time…most are not. The result usually being that nothing gets completed at all. Focus on one thing at a time and stick with it until it is finished before starting on the next task. You will probably find that by focusing on just one task at a time, you actually get more done.

• Have a strong commitment to change your behavior in order to change your outcomes. If you are not determined to keep your resolutions, you won’t.  Put your resolutions in writing…it usually makes things more real when you put it to paper. Yes…paper. Don’t put it into an electronic device…although it’s not a bad idea to use that as a backup. WRITE your commitment. Feel the pen as it forms the words of your promise to yourself. Say the words as you write them. Then…put the paper in a place where you will see it several times a day.

• Schedule a time to work on your resolution and stick to it. “Exercising more” is a very vague goal. Walking on the treadmill at 7:30 AM on weekdays is more specific. The more you can narrow your goal, the more likely you are to follow through.

• Focus on today without worrying about tomorrow. Focus on the task that you are doing NOW. The only way you will be able to achieve your goal is to focus in the moment. Forget everything else for just 15 minutes and work on the task at hand. When that 15 minutes is up…do the same thing for 15 more minutes. See how long you can do this without losing concentration. It is a lot easier, and far less overwhelming, to attack goals when you bite off smaller pieces. You don’t eat a slice of cake in one bite; however, you usually manage to finish the whole thing. Apply this principle to your resolutions, and notice how much easier it is.

• Try to figure out what your obstacles are and devise a plan to overcome them as they arise. For example, if you have a tendency to answer every text message right away, you might turn off your phone while you are working on your resolutions.

• Keep track of your progress. Even the tiniest forward movement is reason for celebration.  Set up a reward system…not just for reaching your ultimate goal, but for smaller successes along the way.

•  Allow for some missteps without giving up entirely. One of the reasons people don’t succeed with long-term goals is that they give up completely if they have any small moment of failure. It’s ok to not be perfect as long as you get yourself back on track as soon as possible. Give yourself permission to fail on a smaller scale, but promise yourself that it won’t be a death knell for your ultimate goal. 

Even if you have already “blown it”…it’s not too late to start again. We have to stop being so quick to negate our accomplishments with our shortcomings. It’s all a matter of perspective, and if you acknowledge even the tiniest of achievements, you will set yourself in motion to accomplish your bigger, long-term goals. Breathe and reboot. Tomorrow is another day.

What is this thing called “procrastination?” (with apologies to Cole Porter)

Do YOU put the "PRO" in Procrastination?

Procrastination. Unless you are one of those people who can’t sit still for more than 30 seconds…you do it. Even if you pretend NOT to do it…you do it. Why is it so difficult to get things done NOW…and so easy to put things off? And how many times has that procrastination led to more work and time consumption?

I could quote Nike, and tell you to “just do it” but we all know how well THAT works.  Judging by the date of my last blog entry…I am the queen of procrastination.  Why is it so easy for me to glue myself to Candy Crush for two hours, but put off writing my blog for almost a year? Well…I’ll tell you...

People with ADHD are particularly susceptible to procrastinating. There is a physiological reason for this, so don’t beat yourself up for being lazy. An ADHD brain DOES NOT function in the same way that a non-ADHD brain functions. It is difficult for someone with an ADHD brain to be stimulated unless they are interested in an activity.  Accordingly, the brain turns off when a task seems boring, time consuming, complex or overwhelming. Boredom is an ADHDer’s arch enemy, which can cause a person to become easily distracted by things that are more interesting to them…even to the point where they hyperfocus on the less important task. Procrastination is an ADHDer’s way to avoid the discomfort of unbearable situations. 

There are a few things that can compel us to get things done, such as, the looming of serious imminent consequences, a sense of urgency that accompanies deadlines, the burst of adrenaline that is produced when you are under pressure, or accountability that comes from doing something for someone else, e.g., a client or a boss.  How many times have you told yourself that if you could be half as productive at home, as you are at work, things would be much better? I know I have.

These are just a few ways to overcome procrastination in your life and actually get things accomplished. 

• Use a timer. There is something called the Parkinson Law. Cyril Northcott Parkinson once wrote jokingly that “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. There is many a truth said in jest, and this is no exception. Give yourself a more limited time frame in which to complete a task…and stick to it!

• Break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. Set up mini goals that can be done in 15 minute chunks of time. Plan and complete that first step…no matter how small. Often times, once begun IS half-done, and you will continue to work beyond the 15 minute commitment.

• Reward yourself. Try to remember that unpleasant tasks rarely turn out to be as bad as you think they are.  Give yourself a reward for doing them. For example…if I clean my closet for an hour and get x done, I will reward myself by playing Candy Crush until my five lives are exhausted.

• Focus on the goal and look at the long-term consequences. Feel the pain associated with those consequences.  Remind yourself how you will feel if you procrastinate. Really feel it. Then imagine how you will feel if you get the task done. Your choice.

• Determine the underlying reason for procrastination.  Is it difficulty, time or boredom? Figure out exactly WHAT is preventing you from beginning a task, and deal directly with that issue.

• Find someone to hold you accountable. It could be a friend, relative or a coach. It is easier to get things done when you are answering to someone else…sometimes you will complete a task simply to avoid the embarrassment of telling your accountability partner that you didn’t.

• Simplify and Streamline. Set up automatic bill paying online. Transfer your new auto insurance card directly from the mailbox to your glove box. Take care of timely issues IMMEDIATELY. If you don’t…chances are…you WILL forget.

• Create routines. If you do the same thing over and over, they become habits. Once a habit is formed, the task will become second nature and you won’t have to think about doing it.

• Try to make the task as pleasant as possible.  Take advantage of your internal clock. Schedule the most difficult tasks for the time of day when you are at your best. Listen to music. Enjoy your favorite latte or tea. Burn a candle with an energizing scent…such as citrus or mint.

• Ask for help. Work with someone to clean your closet, set up bill paying, complete a project. Sometimes it just helps to have an objective outsider to motivate you. Chances are…they will be more than happy to help.

• Use, don’t abuse, technology. If you are like most people, your smartphone/tablet is never far away. Set alarms, use reminders, download apps for banking and coupons. The easier something is to do, the more likely it is that you’ll accomplish it.

• Find a system that works for YOU. There have been hundreds of books and articles written on motivation, organization and productivity. There is a reason for the plethora of advice…the books don’t work. What works for one person may not work for you.  If you are more productive when you’re under pressure…create pressure. If automatic bill pay will ensure timely payments…set it up. Discover what motivates you and work with it. People with ADHD march to the beat of their own drummer. Find your OWN beat.

• Hire an ADHD Coach. A good coach will help you build on your strengths…empowering you to take control of your life. An ADHD coach will help you with focus, setting priorities, time management, and changing negative behaviors into positive action. You will learn to create environments that promote success. A coach provides accountability, support and encouragement…which can make a world of difference to a person facing the challenges of ADHD.  An ADHD coach will be an enthusiastic partner to help you identify personal strengths, stay on track, focus and organize, and allow you to achieve goals…without procrastinating.

People with ADHD do struggle more with procrastination than those without. Although the worst of procrastinators is usually full of good intentions, good intentions are useless without follow-through. As Will Rogers said, “Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." 

The good news is…by utilizing tricks and strategies, you will be able to minimize the dawdling and get things accomplished in a timely manner. Don’t take everything so seriously. One of the hallmarks of ADHD is a great sense of humor. Use your strengths to overcome your weaknesses. Make the task fun by injecting something fun into it in order to minimize the drudgery factor.  Better yet, take a tip from Snow White:

“…hum a merry tune

It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace”

Today, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one!

What will

YOUR story

be in 2013?

It happens every year…just about everyone making those ubiquitous New Year’s Resolutions, which, more often than not, do not come to pass. What is the deal with these promises, and why are they so difficult to keep?

For many of us, the New Year means a clean slate, a fresh start. It is an opportunity to take stock of our lives and think of ways to change what isn’t working, and to build upon what already is. Nobody is perfect, and no matter how well things are going, there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

Most of us start the New Year with good intentions, but as the year progresses, we often lose focus on our goals. If you have ADHD, the chance of losing focus increases dramatically. The possibilities for doing better are endless, but change is often an overwhelming concept. Try eliminating the word “resolution” from your vocabulary. To a person with ADHD, a list of “resolutions” implies failure before it begins. Why? If you have ADHD, you might have difficulty deciding which ones to work on first, or might have trouble sustaining interest on multiple projects. Consider having “goals” instead.

Having multiple “goals” can still seem like an impossible task. The key to success is to pare down your list and create reasonable, smaller goals. These strategies might feel counter-intuitive for an over-active ADHD brain that is easily bored by small, uninteresting tasks. However, attempting to concentrate on several large goals, and trying to accomplish everything at once, is hard to sustain when you are easily distracted. This is why many ADHDers often feel like making New Year’s Resolutions is an exercise in futility.

Here are a few very simple strategies to help you stick it out and achieve those goals.

·    Write Down Your Goals

Put your goals down on paper, which helps to focus your energy on the end result. Consider keeping a journal to track your progress.

·    Set Realistic Goals

If your goal isn’t one that is attainable, you are sure to become frustrated. Pick goals that you really want to accomplish, and are motivated to achieve.

·    Prioritize

Choose the most important goal and work only on THAT goal until you feel that you can manage more. Break down larger goals into smaller, more easily managed tasks.

·    Establish a Plan

Write down an outline of the steps you will take will help you to accomplish your goals.

·    Work With a Coach

Being held accountable to a coach provides that extra motivation, support, and focus. If you can’t work with a coach, find a friend or family member to help support your efforts.

·    Review Progress

Schedule specified times to review the progress you have made in pursuit of your goals. If you find that you are not progressing at the desired pace, step back and sort out what obstacles are preventing you from accomplishing the steps necessary to achieve your goals.

·    Reward Small Steps Toward Your Goals

Don’t try to accomplish your goals too quickly. Take as much time as you need. Each step you take toward your goal is a success. Do something nice for yourself as you achieve each step in order to keep yourself motivated.

·    Visualize Success or Failure

Visualize accomplishing each step as you move closer towards your goal. Think positively. Visualize your success in reaching your goal and all the good feelings that come along with it. If that doesn’t work, visualize the pain you will feel if you don’t accomplish your goal.

·    Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself

Working on goals is a life-long process. Small steps backwards are not failures…merely bumps along the way. They are expected and are okay. Just refocus yourself on getting back on track.

So this year, focus on a FEW goals you’d like to achieve by the end of 2013, and the smaller steps you can take to achieve them. It can be an ADHD-related goal like being more organized, or something life-changing like finding a relationship. Instead of focusing on the larger, possibly daunting, goal, set smaller, achievable goals you can manage each and every day. Most importantly, enjoy the feeling of having accomplished a goal, no matter how small!