When Judy joined Optimize Your ADHD Brain, she felt very limited. There were lots of projects and ideas she wanted to do in her business, but she felt her ADHD was getting in the way.
Disorganization, time blindness, losing important information, getting distracted, miscommunication, she struggled with it all.

She was also diagnosed clinically depressed and felt hopeless about getting her life and business under control.

In the program, Judy quickly learned she’s been told many lies, including by professionals.
There was hope. She simply needed to learn the skills to make life easier.
By the end of the 90-day program, not only had she learned many of these skills, she also had gotten off all her medications, been able to regulate her emotions and feeling in control of her life and business.

While you are doing any task, you (without even realizing it!) are using your 28 thinking skills.

When the thinking skills you need to use are strong, doing the task happens easily.
If the thinking skill you need to use is weak, doing the task will be a challenge.

The struggle that Judy had, came from a fixed mindset.
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We all have both mindsets.
Anything you’re good at, came because you’re got a growth mindset about it.
Anything you say you’re not good at, well that’s because you have a fixed mindset about it.

Many, many, many ADHD business owners have a strong growth mindset when it comes to their business.
Yet, when it comes to their ADHD, they’ve got a fixed mindset that their challenges will always be a challenge.

A big part of this problem is that society teaches us that because you have ADHD, you’ll have this problem. Simply not true. You can learn the skills in a way that works for your brain, and it will no longer be a problem.
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Here are 4 things we did to help Judy improve her growth mindset.

1) Changed her language. The way we talk has a very strong effect on our brain. If we say we can’t, our brain thinks that we can’t and wouldn’t help us try to find a way to make it work.
Any time she'd do something with a fixed mindset, I’d stop her mid-sentence and have her repeat. Instead of “My working memory is so bad, I wouldn't be able to do this.” She might say, “I’m working on my working memory, this is a challenge.”

2) Take the power back. Any time you say, “I can’t do this because I have ADHD” or “My ADHD makes it hard for me to do this.” you are giving ADHD the power. Take the power by simply removing the ADHD from sentences (and make sure it’s a growth mindset sentence. “I can’t do this yet.” Or “I'm learning the skills so this is easier.

3) I wanted to show Judy all the places she IS good. I point out anytime her brain helped her or the strategy she used in her toolbox. You can do this at home by keeping a running list of actions you’ve taken that helped you.

4) I purposely gave Judy exercises that would be challenging for an “ADHD brain” so she sees she can do it. Sure, it’s a challenge but it’s possible. This not only builds the skills for next time but also reinforces in your brain what is possible. So, whatever is challenge for you “because of ADHD” purposely give yourself to do.
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