Hey, you lovely folks! Ever find yourself swearing you’ll tackle something—maybe a pile of laundry or that email you’ve been dodging—only to end up scrolling your phone instead? I feel you. That gap between “I’m gonna do it” and actually doing it? It’s a real beast, especially if your brain’s wired like mine with ADHD. I like to call it the Motivation Bridge, and let’s just say mine’s missing a few planks.
Picture this: there’s this rickety bridge stretching from wanting to do something to getting it done. For a lot of people, that bridge has solid planks—stuff like “This’ll look great on my resume” or “Mom will be so happy.” Sure, there might be a wobbly spot or two, but they can hop over it with a little grit. Me? Us ADHD folks? Half our bridge is gone. We’re standing there, staring across, knowing we care—sometimes a ton—but we just can’t make the leap.
It’s maddening, isn’t it? Like, I’ve finished big projects before—cranked out essays or cleaned my whole kitchen—so why can’t I do it now? Meanwhile, my roommate’s over there breezing through her to-do list, and I’m wondering if I’m just a slacker. But here’s the thing I’ve learned: it’s not about caring less. Those times I got stuff done? My Motivation Bridge had some extra planks—maybe a deadline was breathing down my neck, or the task felt fresh and shiny.
The kicker is, other people don’t always get it. They see us stalling and think, “Just do it already!” They don’t see the gaping holes where planks should be. And honestly, I used to beat myself up over it too—thinking I was lazy because I could do it once, so why not now? But it’s not about willpower. It’s about what’s holding up that bridge.
So, how do we patch up this Motivation Bridge? How do we get from stuck to started? I’ve found a few tricks that work for my wild ADHD brain, and maybe they’ll click for you too. First off, I lean into urgency. You know that panic when something’s due tomorrow? Suddenly, I’m a productivity machine. I used to hate that about myself, but now I just roll with it. Like, if I need to tidy up, I’ll invite a buddy over—nothing lights a fire under me like knowing someone’s about to see my mess.
I remember this one time I had to prep for a work thing. Kept putting it off until I told a friend, “Hey, can we go over it tomorrow?” Boom, I had it done that night. Urgency’s my secret sauce—not the healthiest all the time, but it works. You can even fake it a bit—set a timer and race it, or ask someone to nudge you about a mini-deadline. It’s like adding a plank to that bridge.
Another thing? I make stuff feel new. My brain loves a fresh vibe. If I’m bored out of my skull doing the same old thing, I switch it up. I’ve hauled my laptop to the park just to write an email, and suddenly it’s not so bad. Or with laundry—ugh, the worst—until I learned a funky folding trick, and now I kinda look forward to it. Little tweaks, like grabbing a wild-colored pen for notes, keep my Motivation Bridge sturdy.
Oh, and if you’re into shaking things up, I’ve gotta mention this book I stumbled on—The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It’s not all about ADHD, but it digs into how tweaking routines can spark new energy. Gave me some cool ideas for keeping tasks from feeling like a snooze-fest. Total game-changer.
Then there’s this: I tie stuff to what I actually care about. ADHD brains? We’re all about interest. If I can link a boring chore to something I love, I’m golden. Like, I’ll blast my favorite playlist while scrubbing dishes, or promise myself a quick scroll through funny cat pics after I finish a page of reading. Rewards are huge, but they gotta be fast—waiting a month for a treat doesn’t cut it when time feels like jelly to me.
Quick wins work best—stickers, a snack, a five-minute dance break. Whatever hooks me in the moment. Finding that personal spark is like slapping another plank on my Motivation Bridge, making it less wobbly and more walkable.
Here’s the deal: when I’m staring at a task and my feet won’t move, I don’t kick myself anymore. I just peek at my Motivation Bridge and figure out what’s missing. No urgency? I’ll create some. Too dull? I’ll spice it up. Not my jam? I’ll find a way to care—or bribe myself silly. And if you’ve got an ADHD pal who’s stuck, don’t nag—just help them spot the gaps and build that bridge together.
Learning this about myself? It’s flipped the script. I used to think I was broken, but now I see it’s just about finding the right planks. Next time you’re stranded on one side of your Motivation Bridge, don’t sweat it. We’ll figure out how to cross it, one step at a time.
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