No.1 Habit & Procrastination Expert: We've Got ADHD Wrong! Break Any Habit & Never Be Distracted!

"All human behaviour is driven by desire to escape discomfort" That hit deep

One super simple psychological 'trick' I used during University studies is to pretend I liked the subject, no matter how boring. To my own surprise that helped tremendously to motivate me to read the material and actively participate in classes, and I also started enjoying the subject itself - probably because many things turn out to be interesting once you know a bit more about it.

Adhd is my superpower. I embraced the chaos and learned how to decipher multiple streams of information at once. I was able to absorb massive amounts of knowledge early in life. I lost that as I get older but it was a massive boost. Now I organize to keep from getting lost. I tried pills when I was first diagnosed at 7 or 8. That was a disaster. Once I knew what it was I was facing I was able to build mechanisms in my head to help mitigate the negative attributes of adhd. Now I'm a workaholic but I'm in an industry I love so I devote a lot of time to it. Eventually I'd like to be an owner of my own venture but I've spent the last 20 years honing my craft.

Who else got distracted while watching this?

I've spent YEARS on self development books, courses, routines, coaches. Man I've given it my all and it only added more stress to my life. I don't think I was a great a great mum during those years. I only got diagnosed a year ago and the penny dropped. Knowing i have ADHD & Autism has allowed me to accept conventional methods may not work. It's ok if i find my own unique ways of getting things done. Getting rid of the belief that i was just plain stupid was liberating. Meds are helping me for now. I may choose not to take them down the line and find other ways to work with it. Or even better, embrace the strengths my ADHD gives me and focus on those rather than trying to live up to the neuro typical model of the world. "If you judge a fish by it's ability to climb, it will spend it's entire life thinking it's stupid' ~ Einstein

Lots of bad habits will give adhd like symptoms, that doesn't mean you have adhd. People without adhd will never understand what it is like to actually have adhd and just talk rubbish based on no experience of living with it, Just their own nero typically mind that has occasional inattentive moments. I live my life as clean as possible to improve my symptoms that iv had since 4 years old, I still struggle daily because I have real diagnosed adhd.

I have Adult ADD and this video has already distracted my morning routine

Perfect definition of burn out. It explains the problem we are experiencing as teachers. We have highest expectations from so many outside entities ( government, administration, parents) many of which have no experience as teachers. They pile on and on and on. We no longer have agency or autonomy to do the job well. No one listens to the teachers say “this isn’t working”, “I don’t control that”, “I need control of this for students to progress”, “I don’t have resources for that” and more. We are told make it happen no matter what obstacles we put in your way. We get blamed by all entities when they think we are failing.

Would be fascinating to watch Steve interview 2 guests at the same time, with oppositing opinions/ research

My problem with this interview is his lack of addressing chronic mental health issues like depression alongside trauma caused by grief and other catastrophic life events. His demeanor reminded me of Sheryl Sanberg when she came out with Lean In and told women it was their responsibility to fight to be successful. Years later, her husband died and she realized she was unable to function the same way at work. Then she released a book called Option B about how to navigate life after these circumstances. She later said she took back some of what she said in her first book as it was coming from a person who hadn’t endure the pain she was currently experiencing. These conversations have a lot of nuance to them. While I think it’s great to give advice on building better skills to overcome procrastination, not addressing real issues that the majority of people are dealing with is pretty reckless. We have a mental health crisis in this country and an epidemic of loneliness. This advice will work the best only if you are a healthy moderately functioning person. The lightheartedness and smiling while discussing devastating issues for many people comes across very cold to those needing help. It can create a horrid cycle of shame because it puts people all in the same boat when we all vary widely depending on what has happened to us and the environment we were born into.

As a 32 y/o man with ADHD diagnosed at 8 y/o who doesn't take medications, only supplements and nootropics. This conversation is GOLD. Last year my ADHD rised and made my productivity go down. I think it is because I started a business and I work solo in my office, "unsupervised" or "accompanied". I went to the psychiatrist, asking for medication, first of all in mexico we don't have Aderall, medications are on shortage maybe worldwide. I took Tradea for 3 or 4 months and I didn't like the effects. Dropped it. Now I take just nootropics, supplements, good nutrition, go to the psychotherapist and swim everyday early in the morning. I'm still strugging, but getting better.

I don't know why but the things that this guy is saying is constantly making me tear up. It's exactly what I needed. The level of awareness and reflection you need, to look into the psychological changes in yourself whilst going through them, materialise them into words and then explain it to the world is extraordinary. Thank you for this truly.

ADHD is a gift and a curse at the same time, constantly struggling heavily to stick at a job you don’t like/aren’t interested in, the morning depression and the instant switch of moods. It gets under my skins when people generalise it like it’s just one small thing like not being able to focus (which is a stereotype) in itself. Or when people belittle it and look past it like it doesn’t actually affect our day to day lives.

The hardest part of anything is starting. Nothing is ever as bad as we make out in our heads prior to the experience we are freaking out about. ❤

I'm going to sound a little bit rude, but I think he is the one that got ADHD wrong. ADHD is definitely not just about distraction (although it is part of it). Our inability to memorize names of people we deal everyday is not because we are trying to escape reality, nor the amount of accidents we have happen because we are trying to escape our reality. I was only diagnosed at 40 years old but I was 3 years old the 1st time I got stitches.... I have more than 50 now! At 3 years old I'm not trying to escape reality, like my 10 year old daughter wasn't trying to escape reality when she was playing and her head bumped into the wall so hard that people 1 floor bellow listen to it. It also doesn't explain our object permeance issue (away from sight away from mind), or does explain the hereditary part . It is because of people like him that people like me and my daughter have trouble being diagnosed. We need to stop seeing ADHD as a behaviour problem... It's not, it's way more and affects things like heat and cold perception, object location perception, memory, notion of time, and energy. A lot of us have sensory issues and emotional issues that are really similar to autism.... Do you also think Autism happens because the person wants to escape reality? Absurd isn't it? But here we are, still not being able to understand that there is a physical thing behind ADHD, and not even medication is going to change that.

I sense that his brief statement about ADHD might lead people to underestimate the complexity of this neurodiversity. Especially for people who are not familiar with it. ADHD isn’t about distraction. Attention-deficit isn’t interchangeable with distraction. When a person with ADHD naturally hyper-focuses on something that interests her/him, anything else, e.g., time, body-awareness would often become oblivious. Or otherwise, if the person has to endure an activity unstimulating, it would be very challenging for the person to stay in focus. And this is not just once a while thing, but all the time, throughout the person’s life. A person with ADHD often see connections in things that people are unaware of, or think several steps ahead, which can also hinder her/him from taking actions or jump in to actions. So having ADHD is a bless and a curse. A person with ADHD can achieve excellence on things they are passionate about or failed miserably to meet the other’s expectations. To identify with the neurodivergence after proper diagnosis isn’t playing victim but rather living a better life through sharing and learning from each other.

I have quite severe ADHD with really poor, almost non existent executive function. I can not just organise my way out of it, believe me I have tried, and it does help, but there is a physical difference with my brain that is going to be there regardless of my daily routine. In conclusion I do think the advice given can be helpful but marketing it as a cure or alternative to treatment can be quite reckless without knowing peoples individual cases.

Every single study has shown that ADHD is heavily under diagnosed, especially in Adults. Around 70% of adult's with the condition don't know they have it.

I have ADHD & was prescribed concerta. I have Finally Started organizing & cleaning my room while listening to this Is podcast. I have not taken my medication in 2 days. So I appreciate a different perspective & mindset to help me analyze, focus & accomplish this small task that I have procrastinated on.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🧠 Understanding internal triggers is crucial for conquering distraction. 05:14 🔄 Distraction isn't just external; it's also driven by internal triggers. 08:02 📝 Writing down the sensations before distraction helps gain control. 10:52 🤖 Reframing internal triggers as a source of power, not hindrance. 17:31 ⏰ Scheduling time for worry allows you to manage distractions more effectively. 19:40 🕒 Using the 10-minute rule to delay gratification helps establish control over distractions and impulse control issues. 20:10 💼 Schedule time later in the day for "worry time" to address distracting thoughts and worries, allowing the brain to relax. 22:34 🔥 Finish your allocated time box, even if it means sitting there with hands on the keyboard, to overcome the initial boredom and resistance. 23:16 🚫 External triggers can be hacked back by creating friction and using visual cues to communicate your focus, such as a "Do Not Disturb" sign on your monitor. 30:05 💡 Preventing distractions with "pacts": effort pacts (adding friction), price pacts (imposing costs), and identity pacts (aligning with your desired self-image). 38:41 🧠 The discomfort associated with pursuing a task affects motivation and discipline. 39:34 🕹️ Enjoying an activity makes it easier to get into a state of flow. 41:10 🎯 To become indistractable, focus on tasks you don't enjoy but need to do. 45:18 🗓️ Create a time-boxed calendar based on your values to prioritize tasks. 53:40 🤝 Scheduling quality time in relationships helps maintain connection and prioritizes loved ones. 59:14 🧠 Internal vs. external locus of control: People with internal locus of control believe they affect change, leading to better well-being. 01:00:09 🚀 Mindset affects actions: Believing in agency and control leads to healthier lives, even in challenging circumstances. 01:02:59 📱 Responsibility in technology use: While companies design engaging products, personal responsibility and agency are crucial. 01:05:19 🧪 Goblins of trauma: Traumatic experiences can either limit or propel individuals; reframing discomfort is important. 01:12:46 🧭 Facing discomfort: Overcoming pain or discomfort requires exposure therapy, both physiologically and psychologically. Confidence and growth stem from facing challenges. 01:19:06 🧠 Confidence can be built by reframing triggers and adopting a new perspective. 01:19:48 👩‍⚕️ The concept of a brain chemical imbalance is a misconception in the public, not accepted in the Psychology Community. 01:20:42 💊 Skills should be prioritized over pills for treating ADHD; medication can have side effects and should be the last resort. 01:26:13 🤝 ADHD should be seen as treatable, not an identity; focus on skills and functional improvement rather than reliance on medication. 01:37:31 🏢 Indestructible workplaces are built on psychological safety, providing forums to discuss problems, and having management exemplify focused work-life bal