Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Self-discipline is the foundation of achieving what we want in life and becoming the person we were meant to be. Without self-discipline, we will never know the life we could have achieved and the goals we could have accomplished. That is why this discussion is so important. This is part two of our discussion on the power of self-discipline for those with ADHD and others. You do not have to have ADHD to walk away with a ton of value from this podcast. Dave continues his discussion with Giovanni Dienstmann, A meditation and self-discipline teacher and coach. While many with a distracted brain may be challenged when it comes to self-discipline, Giovanni addresses those individuals right at the beginning about any skepticism they may have. He does so by talking about his younger years when he did not feel so peaceful or disciplined. By looking at his own upbringing, Giovanni feels confident that his advice can help just about anybody become centered and disciplined in life. Dave and Giovanni spend time on the concept of willpower. And Giovanni specifically addresses willpower for those who may have an impulsive nature. That would include those with ADHD. Giovanni talks about how optimism goes hand in hand with willpower and he offers his tips for being more optimistic about the process. He also breaks down the concept of awareness both internal and external awareness. Giovanni feels this is a big part of becoming more self-disciplined in life. He discusses meditation, journaling, and integration as parts of the awareness journey. Giovanni ends the discussion with small steps people can take to begin the journey of more self-discipline in their lives including the PAW Method, Pause, Awareness, and Willpower. If you are looking for a methodical and well-thought-out approach to getting more out of life and finding the discipline you need to achieve your goals, this is a great discussion. Find Giovanni at his website and learn more about the programs he offers. MindfulSelfDiscipline.com https://liveanddare.com/

We're not going to sugarcoat anything in this podcast episode. Many with and without ADHD tend to get in their own way when it comes to progress in life and creating the life and business that you want for yourself. So the topic of this podcast is how to get out of your own way. The guest is Nancy Colier. Nancy is a psychotherapist, a past guest on Overcoming Distractions, and the author of a book by this same title. How to Get Out of Your Own Way. Many never really live the life or achieve the goals they want because of limiting beliefs, negative mindset and telling ourselves that we are not worth the goals that we're trying to achieve or a successful life. We tell ourselves some things and after time we believe it whether it is negative or positive. And that by definition is being in our own way. And Nancy is going to walk us through how to tear down that internal brick wall in front of us. Nancy and Dave discuss what it actually means to be in your own way as well as how this actually happens in our personal lives and in our business. They discussed the many things that limited beliefs and an improper mindset can prevent us from doing in our lives. Nancy talks about how negative internal thoughts, chasing perfection and self-doubt can limit our ability to live the life we want and to actually enjoy that life. The two talk about how you need to be present in the moment and how to get into the "now," they discuss how elite athletes get into the zone and how successful people block out what does not work for them. This is part one of a 2-part series on this topic so stay tuned for Nancy's next appearance here. Learn more about Nancy Colier on her website and find more books written by her; http://nancycolier.com/

This is part two of our discussion about radical self-acceptance with ADHD coach Diann Wingert. Diann and Dave continue their discussion about why it is so important to get comfortable with yourself and accept your strengths and weaknesses. Doing so is a very powerful way to thrive in life and in business. Diann talks about the negative biases of the brain and how that affects accepting who we are. She also talks about knowing what your triggers are so that you can minimize limiting beliefs and mindsets. She also talks about how to embrace ourselves, moving towards a positive attitude, and how our emotions can control our behaviors. Diann gives her road map to getting on that path of radical self-acceptance. She talks about how to begin the process of creating a positive mindset. Diann also talks about the fact that there are people in our lives that are going to like us and not and that is all right. She said it is OK to stand out and be different and to share our gifts with others. Diann also talks about how important it is to do things we are good at in our personal lives and in our careers. She discusses how we must laugh at ourselves to begin to accept ourselves, we need to release resentment and self-pity and we need to forgive ourselves often. Find Diann Wingert on her website: https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/

This podcast is dedicated to the journey of self-discipline. At times to be clear, it may be a tough discussion, we get in your face a little bit, and we show you what's possible when you can implement some self-discipline into your life. We have back Giovanni Deinstmann, a mindfulness and discipline coach based in Sydney Australia. Giovanni works with all types of people including those of us with a distracted mind. We have a frank discussion about how to implement self-discipline strategies into our daily lives. We talk about how long-term goals should take precedence over our short-term urges and instant gratification. We recognize that this is one of the biggest battles for many with adult ADHD and in fact we also recognize that it can be an hourly battle to reduce our short-term urges. We discuss why the distracted mind is challenged with self discipline and some of the strategies to slowly get on the path of disciplining your life so you can thrive. We address how many with ADHD can run out of steam or energy during the day and how we can factor that into practicing self discipline for the long term. Giovanni also discusses what some may think is a radical approach to hitting the reset button with his monk week. He describes it as a dopamine detox, staying away from bad dopamine such as social media in other instant cravings. This is part one of a two-part podcast series with Giovanni on self discipline. Learn more about how to work with Giovanni here: https://liveanddare.com/

We begin a two-part series on the subject of ADHD and self-acceptance. In fact, we bring it to another level on this podcast by calling it radical self-acceptance. Adults with ADHD can truly thrive in life and in business with the proper mindset. And this podcast episode hits adult ADHD head-on and hard to uncover why some of us cannot get out of our own way. Dave has a very frank and open discussion with ADHD coach Diann Wingert. Diann is a former psychotherapist turned ADHD coach for busy women and executives. While she does work with women; her advice will help anyone as you will see in this podcast. Diane talks about what thriving with adult ADHD really means. Dave and Diane discussed negative talk that inside comparison with ourselves and they touch on how to love and respect ourselves. They discuss at length how adults with ADHD are not broken and how we can reduce the stigma within ourselves about our adult ADHD. Diann defines radical self-acceptance and what that means for us as we try and thrive in life and business. This is a very upfront discussion about the truths and realities of thriving with adult ADHD. Diann prides herself on taking a no BS approach to living an enriched life with ADHD. But let's make it clear, we both know many struggle as adults and children when it comes to ADHD. We recognize that and we hope that a blunt discussion about how many people have thrived with ADHD can bring about greater awareness and help people accept themselves including their strengths and their weaknesses. This is part one of a two-part series with ADHD coach Diann Wingert. Find out more about Diann here: https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/

ADHD coach Jeff Copper is back to discuss the topic of being more self-aware when you have ADHD. One of the most powerful tools and strategies when it comes to thriving with ADHD is the concept of being more self-aware. That involves knowing what we are good at, what we struggle with as well as our relationship with time, our executive functions, and other behaviors that come along with having ADHD. Dave and Jeff however start out their conversation discussing the current landscape when it comes to COVID 19 and adult ADHD. They briefly discuss what entrepreneurs and executives have been struggling with and some of the ways Jeff has coached those busy professionals to get a better handle on business and life during the pandemic. Jeff points out one particularly important factor at the beginning of the discussion. And that is many of us are looking to affirm that many things about us are true. We do not often look for things that make us uncomfortable and part of self-awareness is just that. It is looking inward to uncover the challenges we experienced. Jeff gives listeners what we would call his preflight checklist for maintaining self-awareness throughout the day. That includes asking yourself about what you are currently doing and if it is serving you well. When you say yes to something and make a commitment, ask yourself what you are saying no to and decide if it is worth it. Another part of self-awareness is understanding procrastination. Jeff recommends that when you get in this situation pause, take a step back and ask yourself what is hard about taking the next step. Also, ask yourself what you feel is unclear about the situation or the task at hand. Having clarity is an essential part of moving on tasks and productivity. Find Jeff Copper from DIG Coaching here: www.digcoaching.com

Productivity strategies need to work for you and what works for others may not be an effective strategy for your own productivity. We can learn techniques, try new tactics, and listen to others about what worked for them. But when it comes down to it, you need to experiment with various strategies and get comfortable with the Productivity Tools that help you. On this podcast, Dave has a discussion with Jandra Sutton who is an author, columnist for various publications as well as an entrepreneur. It was her article in Entrepreneur Magazine that caught the attention of Dave as she discussed the topic of finding productivity strategies that work for the individual. She talked in her article about what Dave has been talking about for a long time. The fact that not every productivity strategy works seamlessly for everyone. Jandra was diagnosed with ADHD around the age of 30. She talks about some of the instances leading up to that diagnosis including work her career struggles that she faced as well as challenges around productivity. Dave and Jandra discuss how women with ADHD can be diagnosed much later in life as an adult and she talks about whether she feels the system including education failed her. With discussion then takes a turn into productivity strategies. Many are looking for a quick fix, magic wand, or even a silver bullet. They want quick answers on what will work for a whole host of ADHD struggles including productivity. The discussion centers around the fact that everyone has their own favorite and effective productivity techniques. No one can tell you what will be 100% effective when it comes to time management, productivity, or any other challenge you are facing. You can learn techniques, but the only way it will be effective is if you decide it will be. For example. Jandra says that for a time she used the Pomodoro technique but now it is ineffective for her. Dave on the other hand likes the Pomodoro technique and credits finishing his book in seven weeks to that productivity and time management strategy. As with many conversations on the podcast, Jandra is also a busy and successful entrepreneur that just happens to have ADHD. She talks about her strategies for being a successful entrepreneur staying focused, being patient, and trying to enjoy the ride. Find Jandra Sutton here; http://jandralee.com/

In this podcast Dave takes a few minutes to reintroduce himself to new listeners as well as those who have listened for a while. Don't worry, he doesn't go all the way back to his childhood but he gives you a perspective of his role as an entrepreneur and why he felt it was necessary to write the book Overcoming Distractions. Dave discusses why it was important to show adult ADHD in a positive light while recognizing that many with ADHD do struggle on a daily basis. What he found when he interviewed people for the book is that while they did struggle from time to time, there were many things that they had in common that allowed them to be successful and thrive in business and in life. Not everyone with ADHD is a train wreck. And Dave wanted to tell the stories up those adults with ADHD who are able to use their different brain and become successful. And the publisher agreed. There needed to be more books on adult ADHD that focused on the positives as well as simple and critical strategies to manage the day-to-day challenges of adult ADHD. Dave also talks about some of the common themes that come up when you talk to successful people with adult ADHD. And these are many that he himself has tried to focus on in his own personal life. Those include a finding a career and a job that you love. And knowing when to pivot due to a loss of interest or an industry fundamentally changing as Dave has experienced. Dave and others feel it is incredibly important to get a grip on your time which many adults with ADHD struggle with. However, those with ADHD are not the only guilty ones when it comes to losing track of time. We all do it. Dave and others feel that having confidence in your life is mission critical to thriving with adult ADHD. And many struggle with this because they grew up in a school system that did not give them the confidence they needed as an adult.

We have a great discussion with Author, Kate Gostick this week. Kate is the author of two books, Finding a Place to Park My Melon and The Spy Who Saved Christmas. First, Kate explains the unique title of the book and what it means to park your melon. Kate, born and raised in the North section of the UK, explains why where she comes from, this phrase might not be as strange as those of us in America might think it is. We discussed the topic of dyslexia, what it was like growing up, the challenges that Kate faced in the education system, as well as a discussion around whether she feels she got the proper support as a young person with dyslexia growing up. As an author in writer that just happens to have dyslexia, Kate talks about how she writes, her writing process and how she is able to have the achievement of writing two books. She also answers the question of whether some people think that it is odd that a person with dyslexia can write a full-length book. She dispels that myth right away. She talks about the process of success, productivity as well as failure and she offers her inspiration for those of us who may have a different wiring in our brains. Kate is full of energy and has never let her dyslexia hold her back at all. She also has family members that have dyslexia and together, they live a life full of enjoyment and satisfaction, supporting each other every step of the way. Kate's Website https://kategostick.wixsite.com/mysite Fine her new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Place-Park-Melon-Trailing-ebook/dp/B08L1C5LPN

On this podcast we have a discussion with firefighter turned entrepreneur Mark Sullivan. Mark is a Lieutenant on the Metro Atlanta Fire Department where he currently serves, and several years ago he opened up what he would call a side hustle called Lime Biscuit Creative a branding and design studio. Mark talks about while he had challenges in high school, and how he might not have found college a good fit for him, he went to a tech school and received his EMT certification. Soon after that he was hired by the Metro Atlanta Fire Department and has earned the rank of Lieutenant. Mark talks about the ups and downs of serving on the Fire Department, how it can be extremely fast paced some days, and how it was a good fit because every day could be different. Many adults with ADHD find high energy careers a great fit and Mark is certainly no different. Mark talks about as an entrepreneur he has been able to utilize his time much better and he has been able to accomplish goals that he once thought unattainable. He also says that he is a very good fit when it comes to serving clients in the branding and design space. Many of his clients are distracted and he can connect very easily and understand the challenges they are going through. You can find out more about Mark at his website; https://www.marktsullivan.me/ Learn more about Lime Biscuit Creative here: https://www.limebiscuit.com/