Overcoming Distractions

Externalizing accountability is the “beating heart” of productivity for the ADHD brain.

Dave sits down with Russ Jones, founder of  “ADHD Big Brother” to dismantle the stigma surrounding accountability. They explore why “internalized” accountability often fails those with ADHD and how shifting to external structures can turn “not now” into “done.”

Russ explains the mechanics of “felt accountability” and introduces the game-changing concept of body doubling for busy professionals with ADHD.

Dave and Russ talk about:

• Felt Accountability: Moving from internal promises which ADHD brains can struggle with, to external visibility that creates healthy pressure.
• The Power of Body Doubling: How working in the presence of others, even virtually, adds a “teaspoon of extra focus” to boring or daunting tasks.
• Nagging vs. Support: Understanding that true accountability is an opt-in partnership, whereas nagging is unsolicited and often ineffective.
• The “Car Pulls Left” Analogy: Why consistent check-ins are necessary to keep the ADHD brain from drifting off course.
• Externalizing the Day: Using “true” calendars and physical notifications to prevent tasks from becoming “part of the furniture.”
• The Task Audit: Identifying “leaks” in your process, from capturing ideas to handling the “inner tantrum” when it’s time to start.

Learn more about Russ Jones and ADHD Big Brother here: https://www.adhdbigbrother.com/leaks 

Have you ever tried breath work to manage your adult ADHD?

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave sits down with Kurtis Lee Thomas, a corporate mindfulness trainer and founder of Breathwork Detox.

They explore the critical importance of “hitting the pause button” in a world that demands constant digital engagement.

Kurtis shares his personal journey from suffering a mysterious, debilitating stomach condition to discovering a powerful somatic breathing technique that provided a miracle cure when Western medicine could not.

The conversation dives deep into why high-achieving entrepreneurs and professionals, especially those with ADHD, often struggle with chronic stress and how breathwork can provide immediate relief.

Managing adult ADHD through breath work.

• The Power of the Pause: Why professionals and those with ADHD must incorporate intentional breaks to maintain mental clarity and performance.
• Breathwork vs. Meditation: Understanding the “umbrella term” of breathwork and why active breathing can be more accessible for chaotic minds than traditional silent meditation.
• Stress and the Body: How the body acts as a “living library” for trauma and stress, often manifesting in physical ailments like digestive issues or burnout.
• The Digital Defocus: How smartphone habits act as a form of “de-meditation,” training our brains to constantly switch channels and lose focus.
• The Breathwork Detox Method: A look into this somatic, mouth-breathing technique designed to clear the sympathetic nervous system and release built-up emotional baggage.
• Interrupting Rumination: Strategies for breaking the “hamster wheel” of repetitive negative thoughts common in busy leaders.

Learn more here: https://breathworkdetox.com/

And Kurtis has a special code for listeners: Podcast50

Dave sits down with John Mollura, a former test operations expert for NASA and the U.S. Military. John shares his journey of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and how he transitioned from viewing his “brain wiring” as a deficit to a high-performance superpower.

From mission-critical field testing in the Mojave Desert to creative problem-solving on spacecraft hardware, John explains how the ADHD brain is uniquely equipped for pattern recognition and decisive action in high-pressure environments.

Our Adult ADHD Discussion:

• ADHD and Pattern Recognition: Not everyone agrees that ADHD is a superpower, but many often excel in high-pressure scenarios where others might freeze, thanks to rapid pattern recognition.
• The Adult Diagnosis: John discusses how a song by Penn Holderness led him to realize his “focus-based” ADHD was never a lack of effort, but a difference in wiring.
• Mission-Critical Problem Solving: A look at “MacGyver-style” solutions John used at NASA, including using ratchet straps and 4x4s to save a spacecraft’s launch schedule.
• Building Confidence Through Micro-Habits: How keeping small promises to yourself, like flossing or emptying the dishwasher, can train the brain for larger professional successes.
• Managing Cognitive Load: The importance of “clearing the decks” of small tasks to pave the way for “flow state” and deep work.
• Explanation vs. Excuse: Shifting the mindset from apologizing for ADHD traits to using them as an explanation to implement better guardrails.
• Find John on his website: https://johnmollura.com/

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave talks with Scott Proposki, a high-level photographer who has shot for the White House and National Geographic. Scott shares his journey of scaling a seven-figure studio, losing it during the 2020 pandemic, and the psychological toll of that transition.

The conversation focuses on how entrepreneurs with ADHD can pivot from seeing their condition as a liability to leveraging it as a professional asset.

Even when it seems impossible.

Key Discussion Topics

• The Power of Hyper-Focus: Scott discusses how his camera acted as a “superpower,” allowing him to achieve elite professional success through intense focus.
• The Dangers of “The Stop”: Why high-energy entrepreneurs with ADHD often thrive in chaos but can struggle with depression when professional momentum suddenly halts.
• The Myth of Academic Success: Both David and Scott reflect on their poor academic histories (the “C- student” experience) and how it didn’t prevent them from both becoming best-selling authors.
• The Importance of Body Doubling: Scott identifies how his previous success relied on having assistants or office managers to act as “accountability partners” and why isolation during the pandemic was so damaging.
• Building Repeatable Systems: A look at the Mark Cuban philosophy: why entrepreneurs must create repeatable systems to turn a “chaotic job” into a real business.
• Recovering from Zero: Insights into the mindset shifts required to rebuild a business and professional identity after a total loss.

Find Scott Proposki here: www.scottproposki.com

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes Dr. Gilly Kahn, a clinical psychologist, ADHD specialist, and author of the new book, Allow Me to Interrupt. While ADHD is often associated with external disruptions in boys, Dr. Kahn highlights how it frequently manifests internally as emotional dysregulation in women.

The conversation dives deep into why women are often diagnosed later in life and how biological factors, specifically hormonal shifts, play a critical role in how ADHD symptoms fluctuate.

Key Discussion Points

• The Gender Bias in Diagnosis: Dr. Kahn discusses how current ADHD diagnostic criteria are historically rooted in observations of male children, often leading to women provided with an accurate diagnosis.
• The Estrogen-Dopamine Connection: A fascinating look at how fluctuating estrogen levels during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause directly impact dopamine availability, often exacerbating ADHD symptoms during the luteal phase.
• Late-Life Diagnosis: Why many professional women aren’t diagnosed until their 40s or 50s, often triggered by the increased cognitive load of demanding careers, parenting, or perimenopause.
• Co-occurring Physical Challenges: The link between ADHD and chronic health issues like migraines, which further complicate emotional and physical regulation.
• Strategic Management: Practical advice on “capitalizing” on high-energy weeks and practicing self-compassion during more difficult hormonal shifts.

You can find Dr. Kahn at her website: https://www.drgillykahn.com/

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes mindset coach and former therapist Cindi Frechette to discuss a non-traditional approach to thriving with ADHD.

Moving beyond surface-level productivity hacks like to-do lists and timers…, Cindi introduces the Unknow Method, a framework designed for high achievers to manage mental chaos and mitigate burnout.

Cindi shares her “lived experience” with ADHD, offering a unique perspective on how internal narratives drive behavior. Together, they explore how busy professionals can stop “performing” and start living authentically by aligning their daily actions with their deepest values.

Key Discussion Topics:

• The Unknow Method: A three-step framework consisting of Unravel (identifying automated thoughts), Rebuild (strengthening self-identity), and Reclaim (mastering time and energy).
• The “Thought Dump” Exercise: A practical tool to separate objective facts from ruminating opinions.
• The Neuroscience of Overthinking: Understanding how the ADHD brain interprets survival signals and conserves energy.
• Value-Based Decision Making: Why re-evaluating your personal values every 3–6 months is essential for long-term alignment.
• Masking and Burnout: How “performing success” leads to internal exhaustion and how to reverse-engineer your feelings to change your actions.

Freebie to offer: “You can grab Cindi’s free Thought Reset Tool at https://stan.store/Unknowwithcindi . It’s designed to help you pause the chaos and rebuild clarity ADHD brain approved.”

In this episode, Dave sits down with Theresa Lear Levine, an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Master Practitioner and hypnotherapist, to explore the deep connection between the nervous system and ADHD. For high-achieving entrepreneurs and professionals, ADHD is often managed through “mechanics” Which are mission critical.

However, Theresa explains why the nervous system is in a state of high-functioning anxiety or chronic stress for many busy professionals with ADHD. And how we can mitigate that stress.

Key Discussion Points:

• Reframing ADHD: Moving away from the “disorder” mindset to view ADHD as a mismatch between one’s brain and their environment or expectations.
• The Power of the Nervous System: Why emotional regulation is the foundation that allows executive functioning strategies to actually work.
• Understanding EFT (Tapping): How combining ancient meridian points with modern psychology can disrupt “fight or flight” responses in the amygdala.
• The “Body Keeps the Score”: Discussing how chronic stress and trauma are stored physiologically and how releasing that tension improves focus and health.
• Overcoming the Resistance to Slowing Down: Why high achievers fear “pausing” and how to reintroduce pleasure and joy to prevent burnout.
• Breaking the Procrastination Loop: Using nervous system tools to lower the perceived “threat” of a daunting task so it becomes doable.

Juggling a demanding career and the unique challenges of adult ADHD can be tough enough. But what happens when you add significant life commitments, like caregiving, into the mix?

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes Lisa Candera, a mom, attorney, ADHD-er, and autism mom coach.

They dive deep into the real-world strategies for managing a full, complex life while respecting and even leveraging your ADHD wiring. Lisa shares her personal journey of late-in-life ADHD diagnosis and the radical compassion it unlocked.

This episode is packed with essential insights on managing burnout, mastering self-regulation, and finding grace amidst the chaos.

For Busy Professionals with ADHD:

• Customized Support is Key: For adults with demanding careers, support (from a coach or mentor) should meet you where you are! There is no one-size-fits-all “playbook” for ADHD.
• Embrace Individual Needs: Recognize and respect your unique sensory environment. Some thrive in dead silence (like David), while others need background stimulation (like Lisa, who studied for the bar in coffee shops).
• Unexpected Coping Tools: Simple items can be life-savers. Lisa’s AirPods/earphones help with focus, enjoyment (listening to true crime), and self-regulating her sound sensitivity and quick startle response.
• The Adult ADHD “Click”: Many adults with ADHD are diagnosed later in life, often after a child’s diagnosis. What seemed like stress, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation often turns out to be a manifestation of their neurotype.
• The Caregiving Challenge: When you have caregiving or high-level family responsibilities, you often experience a next level of exhaustion. Bringing home complexities into the workplace is a reality that contributes to burnout.
• Practice Radical Compassion: Apply the same love, grace, and understanding you afford a struggling child or friend to yourself. This helps reframe struggles that you previously saw as character flaws as part of your wiring.

Find Lisa Candera on her Website: theautismmomcoach.com

This week, Dave welcomes back his good friend Jeff Copper of DIG Coaching for a vital discussion tailored for the busy professional navigating life with ADHD.

Many with ADHD excel at problem-solving for others, but often struggle to implement those same solutions for themselves. This episode dives into the concept of executive function impairment and introduces a new approach.

Jeff shares how this model provides a simple, actionable, and universal accommodation to help mitigate the challenges of ADHD and burnout. Tune in to understand why direct communication is the most basic, yet often overlooked, tool for achieving clarity with Adult ADHD.

Key Discussion Points

• ADHD and Problem Solving: Individuals with ADHD are often excellent problem solvers and “connect the dots” better than others, but struggle to apply these skills to their own lives.
• The Role of Executive Functions: ADHD is defined as an executive function impairment, meaning the “mind tools” used for problem-solving (planning, organizing, decision-making) are less efficient, requiring much greater effort in some cases.
• Strategies vs. Execution: Having a plan or strategy isn’t enough; the difficulty lies in the execution which requires intensive use of executive functions.
• Cognitive Ergonomics from the Inside Out: Jeff Copper’s model posits that direct communication (talking things through in real-time) is a universal accommodation for ADHD.
• Communication as an Accommodation: Language evolved to solve shared problems, making direct, collaborative conversation the most fundamental form of problem-solving. People with ADHD simply need this accommodation more.
• The Power of Clarity: The majority of procrastination is rooted in ambiguity, which direct communication is designed to resolve.

On this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes back Rand Selig, author of Thriving: How to Create a Healthier, Happier, and More Prosperous Life. They dive deep into what it truly means to define personal success and the often-elusive concept of “enough.”

This conversation is especially relevant for busy professionals, particularly those with ADHD or who identify as neurodivergent, who often push themselves to the brink of burnout.

Rand shares insights on shifting away from external markers of achievement to cultivate a more integrated and fulfilling life.

Episode Highlights:

• Defining Your Own Success: The discussion emphasizes that success is deeply personal and should be defined internally, not by societal expectations, parental influence, or external markers like money, status, or titles.
• Beyond Work-Life Balance: Rand suggests moving past the idea of “work-life balance” as a teeter-totter, instead advocating for the integration of various life components. This helps combat the guilt many feel when dedicating time to one area over another.
• The “Being” vs. “Doing” Paradigm: Success isn’t just about accomplishments (doing); it also involves feelings and internal states (being). A healthy, successful life combines both in a proportion that works for you and can evolve with different life stages.
• Discovering “Enough”: The journey to understanding what “enough” means for you requires courage and honesty. It involves regularly checking in with yourself about choices and whether they align with your values and desired life.
• Rebuilding After Burnout: For those feeling burnt out or at a turning point, the initial step is self-care and self-compassion, including adequate rest. Seeking support is crucial, and it’s important to articulate the specific kind of support you need from others.
• Rand’s 14 Elements of Success: Rand shares his personal framework for success. You’ll have to listen to get them!

Find Rand Selig at his website: https://www.randselig.com/