How to start a business with ADHD?

[Losspost]

Hey,
My problem is the following. I have an idea, I really like it and start working on it. Now when it comes to executing it I often have either of the two problems.
1. It is very hard for my to stay motivated to tasks, especially boring tasks. I tried programming an app but I get so fast frustrated that I just quit working in this moment. This also applies to other tasks when for example I do some research for my other ideas. The problem isn't that I doesn't want to, I just can't continue. I am getting more and more nervous till I am not able to concentrate at all.
2. My anxieties which are kind of a result of the ADHD. I always fear that something can go wrong. Because of the first thing I was thinking about letting the app be created by a freelancer. But at this point my head were already constructing awful scenarios. What if he is a scammer? What if he steals my idea? What if I scrap my idea and wasted X$? My brain knows that most of these problems aren't as bad as they are but I just can't turn this feeling off which leads to the me doing nothing.

While I have a normal life and can live with my ADHD it makes it almost impossible to do anything business related. Anyone who had similar experience and did overcome it?

 

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[2dads]

I feel you mate, had/have similar issues – if you have TESTED the demand for your idea and believes it will solve an issue, you need the financial gain to push through the “boring tasks” – or if you can’t or have value in other areas worth $$$ - outsource these parts.

If I came to you tonight and took your family away and said you need to work on this idea or I would do X/Y/Z to your family – you would get to it, get it done.

Fear of failure is normal, we try to avoid it due to our cultural brain washing, fail and see what happens 99% of the time it is nothing which will kill you or some one else – so why do we stress so much about it and quite before we start? Because of the system and society.

My 2cents, I would suggest having a chat with some one in regards to fear of failure and coming up with better ways to deal and over come in.

Good Luck mate.

 

[DeletedUser84644]

Hey,
My problem is the following. I have an idea, I really like it and start working on it. Now when it comes to executing it I often have either of the two problems.
1. It is very hard for my to stay motivated to tasks, especially boring tasks. I tried programming an app but I get so fast frustrated that I just quit working in this moment. This also applies to other tasks when for example I do some research for my other ideas. The problem isn't that I doesn't want to, I just can't continue. I am getting more and more nervous till I am not able to concentrate at all.
2. My anxieties which are kind of a result of the ADHD. I always fear that something can go wrong. Because of the first thing I was thinking about letting the app be created by a freelancer. But at this point my head were already constructing awful scenarios. What if he is a scammer? What if he steals my idea? What if I scrap my idea and wasted X$? My brain knows that most of these problems aren't as bad as they are but I just can't turn this feeling off which leads to the me doing nothing.

While I have a normal life and can live with my ADHD it makes it almost impossible to do anything business related. Anyone who had similar experience and did overcome it?

I think you'll be relieved to know that people with ADHD are way more inclined and likely to start a business than people without the condition and could actually pose its advantages to the entrepreneur in the beginning stages of starting a company: ADHD: The Entrepreneur's Superpower

And it also sounds like that the idea you're pursuing seems to be lacking founder-market fit for you. But in your situation it sounds like you're trying to make an app in something but lack the skills to create it, so you are considering to hire someone else (or some other company) to make it but are afraid that they'll steal your idea / scam you at making the app. My advice would be to consult with a lawyer so you can see how you can make some kind of contractual agreement with someone (or some other company) that does have the skills to make an app where they are not allowed to copy the exact executional iteration of that idea for themselves or someone else (But do realize that legal protections for protecting an "idea" only protects how an idea is imagined / executed, not the idea itself. Like for example, you have Donald Duck for Walt Disney and Daffey Duck for Loony toons. Both companies cannot legally prohibit other companies or persons from making an anthropomorphic duck at all, only the style of that anthropomorphic duck.) And as for making sure as to whether they'll do a good job or not, check that person or company's track record, that should be able to give you a good idea as to whether or not that they're actually competent in being able to make an app. And as for fear of losing your money for a bad job / deciding to scrap the project entirely, then it must be money that you are 100% prepared and are willing to lose, if not, then you shouldn't use it to hire a person or company to make something for you. Let me know if you have any more questions

 

[Deleted74338]

I too have ADHD and I think most people don't understand just how debilitating it can be. My advice is to get medication for it, it's the only thing that can help. You should also medidate every day for at least 30 minutes.

 

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[Losspost]

I too have ADHD and I think most people don't understand just how debilitating it can be. My advice is to get medication for it, it's the only thing that can help. You should also medidate every day for at least 30 minutes.

I got medication as a kid, but I kind of fear it. I developed some extrem anxieties as a side effect of the medication, that's why I am not sure if I should get it again. On the other side I tried drinking coffee which temporarily actually helped me, which got met thinking if I actually should seek out a practioner.
And I already do meditation, though only 10min in the morning

 

[JAJT]

I developed some extrem anxieties as a side effect of the medication, that's why I am not sure if I should get it again.

There are many multiple types of medication.

My young son is on Concerta (Methylphenidate - this is the long lasting, better version of Rittalin) and it transformed him from a significant problem child / bully at school with serious learning issues to a star student with tons of friends. He's his best self now. We tried the generic version and it didn't work as well for him (generics are not always the same as name brand, especially when it comes to things like proprietary delivery systems).

I have ADHD and tried Concerta and I HATED it. Side effects were brutal for me (headaches, crashes, etc) and I felt really "off" the entire time. Mood swings. Didn't feel like "me".

I tried Adderall (technically an off-brand version by "Sandoz", which is widely considered one of the best versions of this medication), which is really a mix of amphetamine salts, and it worked WONDERS for me. Highly productive, no major side effects, no mood swings, and it just "works". I feel like I have a superpower when I take this medication. Taxes usually take me a few weeks of procrastination and pain. I can finish them up in an afternoon now and still have gas in the mental tank for more. It's unreal.

Others have great luck with Vyvanse. I forget the others.

There are also non-simulant options as well.

ADHD medication has come a very, very long way and is one of the most well studied classes of drugs.

Also worth noting that diet and exercise are key. A healthy body IS a healthy brain - it's not like your brain isn't part of your body. Exercise specifically gives ADHD folks like us more "gas in the tank" as well, which is huge.

Understand that your ability to focus and pay attention is a limited resource with ADHD. If you have something important to do - do it FIRST. Otherwise you are just planning a trip that your mental car can't reach before it runs out of gas.

There are a TON of great behavioral modifications as well. I suggest you look into them. One major key is to externalize things. Your brain and internal systems are broken. They don't work. If it's in your head, it will get lost. Externalize it - timers, clocks, calendars, to do lists, journals, accountability options, etc. Get it out of your head and into your world.

There is no silver bullet for ADHD. Medication is just a tool like all the rest. And like anything it can be crutch if you abuse it. You need to experiment and finesse a solution that works for you.

Having ADHD is very much like someone who needs a wheelchair. It's a disability, despite being invisible. Our goal is to build a version of a "wheelchair" that works for us and lets us navigate and thrive in the world. Rather than just a chair though, it's a scaffolding for your life that is built with multiple pieces - medication, diet, exercise, behaviors, habits, etc. You need to find the one that works best to level the playing field. And like needing a wheelchair - it's for life. Medication, habits, etc don't make it "go away" and you'll never stop needing these tools, so it's best to figure out what works for you for the long, long run.

It's true that ADHD can be a superpower, but it only makes SOME things easier for us. Other things are almost impossible without the right scaffolding in place to support us.

 

[Losspost]

There are many multiple types of medication.

My young son is on Concerta (Methylphenidate - this is the long lasting, better version of Rittalin) and it transformed him from a significant problem child / bully at school with serious learning issues to a star student with tons of friends. He's his best self now. We tried the generic version and it didn't work as well for him (generics are not always the same as name brand, especially when it comes to things like proprietary delivery systems).

I have ADHD and tried Concerta and I HATED it. Side effects were brutal for me (headaches, crashes, etc) and I felt really "off" the entire time. Mood swings. Didn't feel like "me".

I tried Adderall (technically an off-brand version by "Sandoz", which is widely considered one of the best versions of this medication), which is really a mix of amphetamine salts, and it worked WONDERS for me. Highly productive, no major side effects, no mood swings, and it just "works". I feel like I have a superpower when I take this medication. Taxes usually take me a few weeks of procrastination and pain. I can finish them up in an afternoon now and still have gas in the mental tank for more. It's unreal.

Others have great luck with Vyvanse. I forget the others.

There are also non-simulant options as well.

ADHD medication has come a very, very long way and is one of the most well studied classes of drugs.

Also worth noting that diet and exercise are key. A healthy body IS a healthy brain - it's not like your brain isn't part of your body. Exercise specifically gives ADHD folks like us more "gas in the tank" as well, which is huge.

Understand that your ability to focus and pay attention is a limited resource with ADHD. If you have something important to do - do it FIRST. Otherwise you are just planning a trip that your mental car can't reach before it runs out of gas.

There are a TON of great behavioral modifications as well. I suggest you look into them. One major key is to externalize things. Your brain and internal systems are broken. They don't work. If it's in your head, it will get lost. Externalize it - timers, clocks, calendars, to do lists, journals, accountability options, etc. Get it out of your head and into your world.

There is no silver bullet for ADHD. Medication is just a tool like all the rest. And like anything it can be crutch if you abuse it. You need to experiment and finesse a solution that works for you.

Having ADHD is very much like someone who needs a wheelchair. It's a disability, despite being invisible. Our goal is to build a version of a "wheelchair" that works for us and lets us navigate and thrive in the world. Rather than just a chair though, it's a scaffolding for your life that is built with multiple pieces - medication, diet, exercise, behaviors, habits, etc. You need to find the one that works best to level the playing field. And like needing a wheelchair - it's for life. Medication, habits, etc don't make it "go away" and you'll never stop needing these tools, so it's best to figure out what works for you for the long, long run.

It's true that ADHD can be a superpower, but it only makes SOME things easier for us. Other things are almost impossible without the right scaffolding in place to support us.

I already do a a lot of these things. I put every appointment in my calendar, I use pomdooro technique for learning , I use a Planer to plan my task I want to do for this day and so on. And I guess this is one of the main reason I was able to successfully finish my bachelors. But when I started my internship and my bachelor thesis I was almost one year out of the "classical" university field. Because of that, I started to let some of my methods slip. At the moment it wasn't that big of a problem but I starte noticing trouble while writing my bachelor thesis. But I got through it somehow. But now, I started my master and also pursued my goal of Entrepreneurship a lot harder. This is when I realised how strong my trouble with concentration actual are. Especially in lectures where I barley listen at all.

I already try a lot to at least improve the other factors. I for example jogg almost every morning, sadly because my allergies have gotten stronger I am not able to do my 30min a day which I was still able to do 2 years ago, through I still try to do at least 10min each day. I also wanted to start fitness again. Here again with the start of corona I kind of dropped it and once I lost the habit I wasn't able to pick it up again. Bevor Corona I was going like 2-3 times to the fitness studio.

 

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[Happyheart]

Hey,
My problem is the following. I have an idea, I really like it and start working on it. Now when it comes to executing it I often have either of the two problems.
1. It is very hard for my to stay motivated to tasks, especially boring tasks. I tried programming an app but I get so fast frustrated that I just quit working in this moment. This also applies to other tasks when for example I do some research for my other ideas. The problem isn't that I doesn't want to, I just can't continue. I am getting more and more nervous till I am not able to concentrate at all.
2. My anxieties which are kind of a result of the ADHD. I always fear that something can go wrong. Because of the first thing I was thinking about letting the app be created by a freelancer. But at this point my head were already constructing awful scenarios. What if he is a scammer? What if he steals my idea? What if I scrap my idea and wasted X$? My brain knows that most of these problems aren't as bad as they are but I just can't turn this feeling off which leads to the me doing nothing.

While I have a normal life and can live with my ADHD it makes it almost impossible to do anything business related. Anyone who had similar experience and did overcome it?

- Work together with another person.
- Have deadlines.
- Experiment at what time of day you are most focussed. For me this is in the morning. After 12:00 (and eating) I can only do phonecalls and stupid tasks that so not require concentration. After 22:00 it gets better again.
- Cut tasks into small pieces, have someone hold you accountable
- take medication only on days where you have to do tasks where you need it.
- have appointments, to cut your day in pieces and serve as a deadline
- hire someone

4-8% of the population have ADHD, but 35% of billionaires.

 

[Happyheart]

- Work together with another person.
- Have deadlines.
- Experiment at what time of day you are most focussed. For me this is in the morning. After 12:00 (and eating) I can only do phonecalls and stupid tasks that so not require concentration. After 22:00 it gets better again.
- Cut tasks into small pieces, have someone hold you accountable
- take medication only on days where you have to do tasks where you need it.
- have appointments, to cut your day in pieces and serve as a deadline
- hire someone

4-8% of the population have ADHD, but 35% of billionaires.

oh, and cut sugar from your diet and try low carb, helps some people. Just as fish oil (helps a little).

 

[Happyheart]

oh, and cut sugar from your diet and try low carb, helps some people. Just as fish oil (helps a little).

And high intensity sport as was said above. That raises dopamine levels.

 

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[Johnny boy]

Bro it's easy to start a business with ADHD that's the best way to do it.

I stayed up until 6am this morning looking up IEC electrical connectors to use for a project I'm building. I have over 30 tabs open on my computer. Half are learning everything about the engine for the car I want to rebuild. The other half are for engineering a product I'm building.

When you get interested in something, you'll be obsessed with it, enough to have very good ideas and learn a shit ton of stuff.

When you lose momentum in a couple weeks, pop an addy, journal down your goals and get reorganized and back on track.

Life gets super fun when you hire people with a more routine, orderly personality to keep things running without hiccups and you get to be your crazy, distracted, creative self.

It's SUCH an asset over normal, routine, middle of the road people who stay the same forever. ADHD is awesome for business, it just needs to be harnessed at some point to keep things running smooth, I am on year 4 of my main business and we're doing great.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Bro it's easy to start a business with ADHD that's the best way to do it.

I stayed up until 6am this morning looking up IEC electrical connectors to use for a project I'm building. I have over 30 tabs open on my computer. Half are learning everything about the engine for the car I want to rebuild. The other half are for engineering a product I'm building.

When you get interested in something, you'll be obsessed with it, enough to have very good ideas and learn a shit ton of stuff.

When you lose momentum in a couple weeks, pop an addy, journal down your goals and get reorganized and back on track.

Life gets super fun when you hire people with a more routine, orderly personality to keep things running without hiccups and you get to be your crazy, distracted, creative self.

It's SUCH an asset over normal, routine, middle of the road people who stay the same forever. ADHD is awesome for business, it just needs to be harnessed at some point to keep things running smooth, I am on year 4 of my main business and we're doing great.

Easy to start, hard to keep going haha.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

.

 

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