ADHD reWired

Listen as with his guests, , , , , and Barb answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  Rob starts off the questions about answering his doctor when he asks him how he is doing with his medicine when he really doesn't know from day-to-day. Sondra wants to know how to tell the difference between her teenager being defiant about chores or if it's his ADHD showing up. How would you talk to your significant other about learning more about ADHD to help them understand what you are dealing with? Angela is talking to professional organizations about eliminating the stigma of neurodivergence in the corporate culture. She wants to find out what the panel believes is the most important key lesson to address, inspiring action with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ellie has just been diagnosed and just started taking medication and wants ways to help her get back on track because she feels like her life is in shambles. Gayle's question is how to help someone you believe has ADHD and how to help them realize it? Laurie wants to know how to get anywhere on time, and Chase asks what the overlaps are in symptoms in ADHD and child traumatic stress? What do you recommend to people who have multiple diagnoses? Carolina wants to know how to help her friends understand how hard it is to be on time. Another listener asks how screen time affects kids and teens with ADHD, and is it different from how it affects neurotypical kids and teens? Thank you for listening to this month's Q & A session. As usual, we cover a wide range of topics, and we provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD. Your Resources:  You'll learn: [02:29] Welcome to the show, everyone! [04:11] Rob wants to know how to answer when his doctor asks him how he is doing with his medicine. [05:50] Moira shares her insights and a tool he could use to track how his meds are doing. [07:27] Will has always struggled with this and shares his experience. [10:23] Brendan says to pay attention to all areas of your life that also matter. [11:01] Sondra wants to know the difference between a teenager being defiant about daily chores or if their ADHD is the issue. [13:01] MJ talks about how she handles her teenager. [14:42] Will gives his insights and what he sees with his children. [15:09] How would you talk to your significant other about learning more about ADHD to help them understand what you are dealing with? [17:50] Moira talks about finding the modality that works. [20:03] Brendan shares the best thing he and his wife did. [22:20] Eric talks about what they do in their coaching groups. [35:00] Angela wants to know what the panel thinks is the most important key to address to inspire action when building out Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? [36:57] Eric talks about empathy and the strengths that people with divergent brains can bring to an organization. [38:05] Brendan shares what he believes is a terrible idea, but he shares it anyway. [38:49] MJ talks about the things she has done with educators around this issue. [40:58] Ellie feels a little overwhelmed with her diagnosis and wants to find out if they have any tips to help her get back on track. [42:44] Eric gives her some things she can do. [43:50] Will shares another aspect that he finds troubling and says to just getting acclimated to the changes. [45:05] Eric says not to take things so seriously, take it as it comes. [46:20] Gayle wants to know how to help someone you think has ADHD and how to help them realize it? [47:31] Moira speaks about how her partner showed her she had ADHD. [55:58] Brendan shares an email hack that he has. [56:13] Laurie has a question about how the panel makes it to anything on time. [56:50] Eric says that they require everyone to be there five minutes before they begin in their coaching groups. [58:19] Will speaks about how he arrives on time and some ways to think about setting a time to leave. [1:00:35] Moira says that she works backward and what she needs to do to be ready. [1:01:19] Chase asks what the overlaps are in symptoms in ADHD and child traumatic stress? What do you recommend to people who have multiple diagnoses? [1:02:17] Eric believes that as a community, they need to be talking much more about trauma because it's so pervasive. [1:04:11] Carolina wants to know how to help her friends understand how hard it is to be on time. [1:04:22] Eric says you need to plan the conversation with your friends. [1:05:28] Will gives his insights on dealing with people when you are late. [1:07:04] How does screen time affect kids and teens with ADHD, and is it different from how it affects neurotypical kids and teens? [1:08:08] Eric believes video games are digital dopamine for kids and adults with ADHD. [1:10:48] Moira discusses her two children and what she does when limiting screen time. [1:13:22] Eric talks about creating time versus consuming time. [1:13:55] Brendan says you have to give them a compelling alternative to screen time. [1:16:01] Eric shares how hard it is for him to play board games. [1:17:23] Thank you for your questions, and we will catch you next month. [1:18:06] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Links and Resources:

"Everyone told me, why can't you just get it together? Why can't you stick to one thing? If you stick to one thing, look where you will be in ten years, you could be an expert." Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Kate Engel discuss why it took so long to schedule this interview, when she was diagnosed with ADHD and the countries she has been to while looking for the perfect job and the perfect place to live, plus much more on this episode of . Kate is a Psychotherapist, Coach, Consultant, and Business Trainer. Kate has worked in non-profit, private, and academic sectors in 6 countries. Her ADHD has taken her on global adventures to examine how mental health issues manifest across cultures. She completed her postgraduate studies in Counseling at the University of Pennsylvania and currently has her own private practice in Philadelphia, where she specialized in treating ADH, OCD, Phobias, and social anxiety. She is committed to helping people with ADHD manage their executive functions, perfectionism, and emotions so they can become their best selves. Listen, as Kate discusses how ADHD can manifest in different cultures, and how in her Filipino culture, being late is normal and how confusing it can be when being tested for ADHD. Kate also talks about the first time she was tasked with working with a patient with ADHD and how eye-opening it was for her. Kate now has a waitlist for her practice, and because she still feels some imposter syndrome, it surprises her every time she realizes people will wait to work with her. Kate also speaks about her need to travel and the wonderful things she has discovered in the different places and cultures she has seen. She can’t wait for the pandemic to be over so she can continue going to new places. You'll learn: [03:35] Welcome to the show, Kate! [04:18] Kate shares what she does and why it took so long to schedule this podcast interview. [05:28] When were you first diagnosed? [06:48] Kate shares the countries she has lived in. [07:54] What were you looking for when you were traveling the globe? [11:08] Kate talks about the pattern of moving to find the perfect jobs. [13:04] After reflecting on her job journey, she got into life coaching and psychotherapy. [16:36] Kate discusses her three internships and her first ADHD client. [19:03] What at first made you not want to work with ADHD clients? [21:19] Eric shares how he worked with some clients with OCD and anxiety. [28:49] Kate says that ADHD can manifest differently in different cultures. [30:23] Kate speaks about her culture always being late, and it's normal to be late for everything. [34:14] Is it acceptable to be late for a doctor's appointment in the Philippines? [35:46] Kate discusses the mastermind she had about what she was going to do next. [38:42] Why are you surprised that you have a waitlist for her practice. [41:48] Eric believes that working with a generalist instead of a specialist for ADHD sometimes does more harm than good. [50:49] Kate shares about the need to travel and where it has taken her. [53:56] Thank you so much for sharing your story and experiences. [55:11] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Find Kate:

"Make mindfulness your own, find tools, whether it's apps or books that resonate with you, and be empowered in the process." Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Lidia Zylowska discuss the definition of mindfulness and the benefits of daily mindfulness meditation, plus much more on this episode of . Lidia is an Associate Professor at the and a faculty member at the University of Minnesota She is an internationally recognized expert in adult ADHD and mindfulness-based therapies. Her research work pioneered the application of mindfulness in ADHD, developed the for the ADHD program, and helped Listen as Lidia discusses how she integrates playfulness and curiosity into her teaching, some practical strategies on meditating in a mindful way, and explaining how to do short practice meditation. Lidia also talks about the five senses' practice and how easy it is to do a mindful eating practice at lunch. Eric believes that focusing on sensory channels is a helpful framework for mindfulness, so thinking about that first cup of coffee in the morning or how you are eating your lunch can be helpful. Lidia speaks about trauma and the connection between early trauma and the risk of ADHD. The mindful approach to trauma is trying to help the person connect to their feelings safely. She says to remember that feeling feelings will not kill you. Lidia also discusses a couple of things that can help you cope with emotional regulation when feelings come on strongly. Lidia believes that it's all about mindful playing, and there is not just one way to do it. You'll learn: [02:59] Welcome to the show, Lidia! [05:58] Lidia shares her definition of mindfulness, which is paying attention to the present moment non-judgementally. [07:32] Mindfulness is an attention awareness and attitude shift. [09:28] How much of the work that you do teaches playfulness and curiosity? [12:00] Lidia discusses the fascinating things she has learned over the years while doing her research. [15:06] Eric shares the benefits he gets from mindfulness meditation. [16:13] What are more of the day-to-day practical benefits of mindfulness meditation? [23:30] Lidia continues sharing the benefits of mindfulness meditation. [28:17] Lidia says that it's not easy for you if you are not already doing it. [30:48] Can you give us some practical strategies on how to meditate in a mindful way? [32:50] Lidia explains how to do short practice meditation. [34:58] Lidia shares the five senses practice by doing a mindful eating practice at lunch. [37:49] Eric believes that focusing on sensory channels is a helpful framework for mindfulness. [46:56] Listen as Lidia discusses trauma and the connection between early trauma and the risk for ADHD. [48:40] The mindfulness approach to trauma is trying to help the person safely connect to their feelings. [51:42] "Feeling feelings will not kill you." [52:45] What are one or two things someone can do to help them cope with emotional self-regulation? [55:51] Ask yourself what would happen if you just sat with your feelings for a moment? [57:41] Eric shares one of his favorite mindfulness exercises. [1:01:26] Mindful playing is really what it's all about, and there is no one way to do it. [1:04:37] Lidia shares some final thoughts with the listeners. [1:05:27] Thank you so much for being on the show! [1:06:40] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Find Lidia:

“There is nothing wrong with being sensitive; being sensitive is a gift.” Listen as my guest, Diann Wingert, a former psychotherapist turned mindset and productivity coach for female entrepreneurs with ADHD traits (officially diagnosed or not) discusses her belief that people learn how to deal with ADHD continuously throughout their lives, plus much more on this episode of . Listen as Diann shares that some people get misdiagnosed as Bipolar or as having a borderline personality disorder because of extreme rejection sensitivity. Diann speaks about the two reasons she likes to call it rejection sensitivity and how rejection sensitivity intersects with ADHD and entrepreneurship. Diann discusses how scary it is to start a new business, how being sensitive is a beautiful thing, and that you are no longer open to any constructive feedback when you don't care at all what people think. Diane also talks about extreme ownership and what it took for her to realize that she wasn't taking ownership of her life after her divorce. Eric discusses the book and what he's learned from it. Remember, we can do hard things, but we don't need to do them in the hardest way possible. Anytime you are doing something hard, you need to lean into it and know who you are and what you bring to the experience. You'll learn: [03:18] Welcome back to the show, Diann! [04:19] Diann shares why she focuses on rejection sensitivity. [07:05] Diann believes people are figuring out ADHD continuously throughout their lives. [08:30] Diann shares a story about the first ADHD conference she attended. [10:00] Because of extreme rejection sensitivity, some people get misdiagnosed as Bipolar or borderline personality disorder. [10:18] Listen as Diann discusses the two reasons she likes to call it rejection sensitivity. [12: 38] Diann speaks about entrepreneurship and ADHD, and it intersects with rejection sensitivity. [14:46] Eric shares an interesting situation in his alumni community. [17:55] New level, new devil, we continuously evolve, and every time we hit a new level, we get a new set of issues to solve. [23:39] Diann discusses how scary it is to put yourself out there by starting a new business and asking for a sale. [26:30] Being sensitive is a beautiful thing, but it comes with a vulnerability that we need to recognize and manage. [30:03] Diann says that when you don't care at all what other people think, you are no longer open to anything constructive in the way of feedback. [33:39] What is the difference between being misunderstood versus someone rejecting you for what you think because they don't agree with it? [37:51] Eric shares what his wife at the time said to him when he decided to become self-employed. [41:52] Diann speaks about being divorced and how she was treated after her second divorce. [47:49] What does embracing extreme ownership mean to you? [51:21] Eric talks about the book [52:25] Diann shares where she was when she started to understand extreme ownership. [57:26] Anytime we are doing something hard, we have to lean into it and know who we are and what we are bringing into the experience. [58:25] We can do hard things! But we don't need to do them in the hardest way possible. [59:48] Thank you so much for being on the show! [1:00:44] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Find Diann:

Listen as with his guests, , , , and , answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  Maria kicks us off with a question about mindset and how to go from the mindset of I'm broken too I'm different to I'm different and how can I use this to my advantage. Nicks wants to know how to navigate serious relationship troubles with a non-ADHD spouse. Jillian shares she messed up a deadline as a freelancer and now wants to apply for a job with the same company but wants to know how to position herself in the best light. Mark is looking for some tools that will help him interrupt the distractions he has all around him. Rhonda is looking for ways to relate to her eighteen-year-old, who is fighting for independence but hasn't shown good decision-making skills to this point. She is worried that he wants to follow his girlfriend and go to college four hours away from home, but they can't afford to support him while he's gone. Listen as everyone shares their insights and suggestions to ease Rhonda's mind. Thank you for listening to this month's Q & A session. As usual, we cover a wide range of topics, and we provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD. Your Resources:   You'll learn: [02:10] Welcome to the show, everyone! [03:21] Maria wants to know how to go from the mindset of I'm broken too I'm different to I'm different and how can I use that to my advantage? [06:17] Moira gives her insight to Maria and how she handled the mindset changes. [08:42] Brendan talks about carrying guilt and shame and how it's not as big as we often make it. [11:07] Eric believes that it's ok to have regret. [12:28] Will speaks about David and Goliath's book and how coming up with different solutions can be better than the obvious solutions. [14:32] Nick wants to know how to navigate serious relationship troubles with a non-ADHD spouse? [16:33] Eric believes you should understand what happens when your attachment system gets activated. [17:53] Will says you should work on things when everything is alright and schedule time for it. [20:05] Another listener asks, I messed up my deadline as a freelancer, and now I want to apply for a job at the same place. How do I position myself? [20:54] Moira talks about owning it and lets them know that multiple things were happening. [21:54] Will says stop guessing, talk to the people that you know at the company. [24:18] Jillian speaks about going to Eric's class because she isn't consistent with deadlines. [30:38] Mark has a question about being distracted even on his medication and is looking for tools that will interrupt those distractions. [32:27] Eric shares you don't want to have to try hard to stay focused from a distraction; you want to circumvent the distraction in the first place. [33:01] Moira speaks about what she does to circumvent distractions. [34:12] MJ talks about what she does to minimize distractions. [36:55] Will talks about nutrient-rich boredom and schedule time for distractions. [43:00] Rhonda wants to know how to relate to an eighteen-year-old fighting for independence but hasn't shown good decision-making skills? [45:48] Brendon shares what he tells the parents he works with about this topic. [47:12] Rhonda gives some background around her questions. [48:21] Eric addresses her questions about nicotine versus medication. [52:04] Rhonda shares her son's plan to go to school for auto mechanics. [54:36] Eric tells Rhonda that he hears a lot of fear in her voice for her son, but we are all going to screw up. [56:00] MJ wants to know if she has sat down with her son and let him tell her what he wants instead of trying to figure it out for him? [59:42] Rhonda says the worst part of it is that he wants to follow the girl. [1:00:52] Eric says that following the girl could be a really positive thing or a negative thing. [1:04:22] Thank you for all the questions. We will answer more next month. [1:05:45] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

2 spots left: Transcript: Hey there, it’s Eric, I hope you’re having a great weekend. If you were thinking about joining our spring coaching groups, we wanted to let you know that we added a 4th section at 9 AM Pacific / 12 PM Eastern lead by Coach Roxie Martin and we still have 2 spots left.  Group starts Monday, and we will need to talk to you before you join. So if you would like to grab one of these last 2 spots for our 9 am pacific group with Coach Roxie Martin, go right now to coachingrewired.com. If we think you’re a good fit, but we don’t get a chance to talk to you before Monday, we will help you get caught up with anything you missed. Go to coachingrewired.com, click the green button, add your name to the form, and follow the instructions. That’s coaching rewired.com.

"There is a gap between what people want and what they have in their lives; you know what they want their lives to be and what they are." Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Brandon Tessers discuss the different ways he discusses executive function with children and adults, plus much more on this episode of . Brandon is a licensed clinical professional counselor, a professional actor, and a playwright. He's an amateur singer, songwriter, a former school teacher, tutor, a spectacular dungeon master, and an enthusiastic if sometimes not prepared husband and father. Brandon has been helping children and adults with their executive functioning for over a decade and has always been focused on working with people who exist outside the norm in one way or another.  Listen to Brandon as he shares what his definition of executive function is and how they talk differently about it in his practice. Brandon believes that a lot of the work he does is observation and teaching the awareness piece. He also talks about how he uses his model to help people identify the approach to figure out helpful strategies. Brandon discusses knowing the language and how you aren't able to use it if you don't know it. He talks about communication issues in relationships and how the brain prioritizes negative information first. Brandon speaks about the idea of overvaluing or undervaluing things and what happens when we miss the value or cost of doing something. Brandon shares his definition of perfectionism, which is not being clear on when you are done doing something. He says the most important takeaway from this show today is the awareness piece and how you make the best decision you can at the moment. You'll learn: [03:02] Welcome to the show, Brandon! [04:09] Brandon shares what they do in his practice. [06:59] The gap between having an idea of what you want to do or intend to do and then actually doing it is an executive function. [08:09] Brandon says that they talk about executive function differently than most people. [10:40] Brandon speaks about how a lot of the work he does is observation. [12:39] We can't deliberately decide what to be aware of.   [15:42] Attention to Brandon is kind of like a bandwidth, which works into awareness. [18:06] Brandon says the analysis is great when it helps. [24:17] Eric talks about using the live transcript when he has zoom meetings. [26:06] How do you use your model to help people identify the approach to figuring out helpful strategies? [30:09] Brandon discusses having precise language to process and retrieve information. You have to know the language to be able to use it. [32:47] Brandon speaks about the words he's made up. [34:53] Listen as Brandon talks about communication issues in relationships and what we are dealing with, and what he does to communicate with clients. [36:44] Eric speaks about a book he's listening to on non-violent communication. [39:30] Brandon believes that the brain prioritizes negative information. [41:27] Brandon discusses the idea of overvaluing or undervaluing things based on the decisions we make. [48:03] What happens when we miss the value or cost of doing something? [50:12] Brandon defines perfectionism as not being clear on when you are done. [51:52] Eric says he doesn't want to teach people to be better at planning. He wants to help people plan better things. [54:58] Brandon says you have to be able to notice smaller distinctions to build on something. [55:24] Brandon wants the listeners to take away is to understand the awareness piece. [57:20] At the moment, you make the best decision you can make, and later, you make another one. [57:58] Thank you so much for being on the show! [58:44] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Find Brandon:

Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Juliet discuss the intersectionality not just with ADHD but also as a woman and a mom who is on the Autism spectrum and recently diagnosed with PTSD. Juliet is in recovery and participates in various twelve-step programs, and has worked as a drug and alcohol counselor, plus much more on this episode of . Listen as Juliet shares her story and what it was like being a young girl on the Autism spectrum. Juliet speaks about being sexually abused as a child and not getting help, so the untreated trauma affected the rest of her life. Juliet talks about her alcoholism, eating disorder, and what sparked her need to go into recovery. Juliet discusses her experience with twelve-step programs, how addiction is a symptom of circumstance, and how when you deal with stuff, other things can come up, and you have to learn to handle it all. Juliet talks about how she untangles the intersectionality between sensory processing with Autism and the trauma that is being held in her body. Juliet also speaks about her speech inarticulation issues and how when trauma is triggered, the language part of her brain goes offline.  Juliet shares what she is doing professionally now, the thing she thinks is the coolest about having Autism and ADHD, and she gives some advice for anyone looking for help with ADHD, PTSD, or ASD. You'll learn: [02:51] Welcome to the show, Juliet! [03:40] Juliet shares her story and what it was like to be a young girl on the Autism spectrum. [07:03] Juliet talks about not wanting to talk about her sexual abuse and how it is left untreated affected her life. [08:52] She speaks about her son being diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. [11:19] Juliet says that going through the checklist with her son and how everything sounded familiar. [12:16] What sparked you to go into recovery for the eating disorder and alcoholism? [15:22] Juliet talks about a twelve-stop program she went into with eating disorders. [21:38] Eric discusses addiction and the growing evidence that addiction is a symptom of circumstance. [24:34] Juliet says the twelve-step program works if you stick around and do it from her experience. [28:27] Eric talks about the efficacy rate for AA and other programs. [30:35] Juliet believes that when you put things down, other things come up, so you have to learn to deal with the things that come up. [38:33] Juliet explains how she sees the world in colors. [41:26] Julie shares how she untangles the intersectionality between sensory processing with Autism and what's being held in the body because of trauma. [42:44] When trauma is triggered, the language part of your brain goes offline. [44:29] How did you figure out that you have these speech inarticulation issues? [46:01] Juliet shares what she is doing professionally. [50:16] What is the coolest thing to you about having Autism and ADHD? [51:39] Juliet gives some advice to anyone looking for help with ADHD, PTSD, or ASD. [53:17] Thank you for being on the show! [54:03] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Erika Hopkins discuss her background, why she went to college to find a husband, her history of poor health, being tired and depressed and diagnosed with hypoglycemia, plus much more on this episode of . Erika is a professional educator and aspiring author who lives with her husband and three boys in Idaho. She holds a Master of Education degree in secondary science, a Bachelor of Nutrition Science, and a Chemistry minor. Debilitated by chronic fatigue attributed to depression, Erika relinquished her idea that mothers should remain home. She took a job at the local high school, where the process of science and unlikely friendship challenged Erika's views of herself and the world. Ultimately, she discovered she has been living with undiagnosed ADHD.  Listen, as Erika shares her background, her goal to be a wife and mother, becoming a high school science teacher, and having three sons under three. Erika speaks about the mentor she was assigned as a new teacher, the moment that took her breath away, and going to doctor after doctor trying to find out what was wrong with her. Erika discusses resigning from her teaching position and getting the ADHD diagnosis. Erika believes that people with ADHD don't have the executive function to make things happen, and she talks about some tools she has learned that have been helpful for her. Erika is excited about the future and feels free and adventurous, and all it took was talking to someone who put two and two together. You'll Learn: [03:39] Welcome to the show, Erika! [04:18] What experience led you to the transformation of you questioning everything you know? [07:04] Erika shares that her parents helped her come up with an appropriate degree if something happened to her husband and she needed to work. [09:38] Her goal was to become a wife and mother. [12:21] Erika speaks about her body having trouble managing levels. So the episodes of fatigue continued. [14:00] Erika went back to school and became a high school science teacher. [17:34] Having three sons under three and all in diapers is so tiring and noisy. [22:58] “The pressure on women to be organized, self-controlled, the one that is keeping everyone else organized is a societal expectation that is deeply ingrained.” ["5:49] Erika speaks about researching how to write a book. [28:52] Because she wasn't taking care of herself, being home with her children wasn't sustainable. [30:53] Erika shares about the mentor she was assigned to as a new teacher. [33:05] She describes the moment that took her breath away. [36:15] Erika went to dozens of doctors, trying to figure out why she is so tired all the time. [39:43] The doctor told her she was normal, her blood work came back normal. [46:40] Erika speaks about resigning from her teaching position. [50:05] People with ADHD don't have the executive function to make things happen. [53:16] Erika talks about some things that have been helpful for her. [55:47] Erika cautions people not to believe everything someone tells them. [57:05] Erika feels free and more adventurous, and she is excited about the future. [58:02] Thank you for being on the show! [58:50:] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at

Do you take the time to open yourself up to something new? Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Michael Docherty discuss why he called his team the island of misfit toys, his entrepreneurship, looking at his strengths from the perspective of an innovator, plus much more on this episode of . Michael is a lifelong innovator who has led a successful thirty-five career as a corporate executive, venture investor, entrepreneur, consultant, author, husband, and happy father of three adult children. His goal as a parent was not to screw his kids up, and he thinks he has succeeded. As someone diagnosed with ADHD only five years ago, Mike says he used to think that he stumbled into the right things, but in looking back now sees it as a journey in learning how to play to one's strengths and find creative ways to compensate for the gaps. Michael shares working at Sunbeam and being a part of a group dubbed the island of misfit toys, how he thrives in a certain amount of chaos and how he keeps a handle on everything he has going on. Michael also talks about his perfectionist tendencies and how he has to remind himself that he is being hired for his brain, not his ability to do reports.  Michael believes that the game has changed about what innovation is, how he likes to work with people who bring something different to the table and that when it comes to innovation and new product development, you need to work within the tolerances of the organization you work for. He also shares some tactical strategies to push in your organization without being pushed out the door. Listen, as Michael shares an interesting college career story, what happened that caused him to seek an ADHD diagnosis and how he used the book he wrote as a way to reinvent himself. Michael says that when he was writing the book, he decided about three-quarters of the way to stop and regroup, which caused him to take it in a different direction. You'll learn: [02:54] Welcome to the show, Michael! [03:14] Michaels talks about his team at Sunbeam, known as the island of misfit toys. [06:20] Michael speaks about being able to thrive in a certain amount of chaos. [09:12] How do you keep a handle on everything you have going on? [11:03] Michael discusses using other people to get him out of his perfectionist tendencies. [15:17] Michael reminds himself that he's being hired for his brain, not for his reports. [18:05] He has learned to get away from self-talk and think differently to make things happen. [24:00] Michael believes the game has changed about what innovation is. [28:06] Michael has always admired and loved working with people who differ from him and bring new things to the table. [29:54] How do I find the island of misfit toys? [31:34] Michael says that you need to work within the tolerance of the organization you work for when it comes to innovation and new product development. [32:38] What are some tactical strategies to push for what you want without getting pushed out the door? [35:36] Michael speaks about how to apply the principle of innovation to ADHD life management. [44:57] Michael shares an interesting college career story. [49:45] What was going on in your life that brought you to an ADHD diagnosis? [51:35] Michael talks about the book he released and how he used it to reinvent himself. [54:06] When he was about three-quarters through the book, he stopped and regrouped. [56:54] Thank you so much for being on the show! [57:45] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Connect with Michael: