#focusonyourgoals

[didosmind04]

How to overcome Executive Dysfunction

Inspired by @vanillaoldie on Tiktok

First of all, who does executive dysfunction affect?

Executive dysfunction primarily affects people with mental illness or people who experienced child abuse.

What is executive dysfunction?

According to Healthline, executive function describes the cognitive skills that allow you to do things like pay attention, stay on task, regulate emotions etc.

People with executive dysfunction have difficulty developing or using any of these skills leading to things like...

Chronic procrastination.

Finding it challenging to get started on tasks.

Having a hard time keeping your space clean and organised.

Finding it difficult to manage time or stick to a schedule.

Finding it challenging to navigate frustration or setbacks.

Having difficulty following directions that involve multiple steps.

Finding it challenging to control impulses and emotions.

Executive dysfunction refers to difficulties developing or using any of these abilities or behaviors (associated with organisation and regulation).

A strategy to overcome Executive Dysfunction is Intrinsic Motivation

When you are intrinsically motivated, you engage in an activity because you enjoy it and get personal satisfaction from doing it.

According to the Self-Determination theory- the 3 basic needs for you to feel intrinsically motivated are the feelings of:

Autonomy: "The feeling of being in charge of your goals and behaviour"; You feel like you can make your own independent decisions.

Competence: "The sufficient ability, judgement, strength or intellect to accomplish a task"; You feel good at your task.

Relatedness: "The sense of social belonging"; You feel like you belong in the place you are executing your task.

How to apply Intrinsic Motivation to reach your goals

We need to overcome the insecurities we have around our autonomy, competence and relatedness.

Example: The goal is to study.

Autonomy-

Instead of thinking about how you need to study in order to pass the class or to not fall behind your classmates think about why you want to study. Remember, it's your mind and your decision.

"I study because I WANT to. I want to learn because I find the subject interesting and you like acquiring knowledge."

Competence-

Instead of thinking about all the work and effort you'll need to put into learning the study material and therefore experiencing task paralysis as a result of feeling incompetent; think about what will happen after you finish studying. View the feeling of competence as the reward for completing the task.

"I'm now smarter as a consequence of studying. The next time I need to study I'll know I am very capable and good at it. "

Relatedness

Instead of dwelling on your student anxiety or imposter syndrome focus on why you belong there in your course.

"I have passed the same exam as everyone to enter the course. I am just as capable and gifted as everyone here. I belong here. My university accepted me for a reason."

Write out your own affirmations as related to the 3 needs of intrinsic motivation when you are experiencing executive dysfunction but want to achieve a goal.

I hope this is helpful and be kind to yourself <333

Dido

Sources:

Healthline

SpriggHR

[adviceformefromme]

Love all content! And as someone who really wants to improve their lifestyle and actually achieve what they’ve put on their vision board, I feel like my lack of discipline and inconsistency will never leave me. I’m a planner by heart and love making plans, sorting things out and getting inspired by those day in the life vlogs but when it comes to implementing and actually going on with the plans I make for a long period of time. I SUCK and I admit it. I’ve tried everything I could think of but I can’t seem to be able to create an actual routine that is easy for me to work with. Any suggestions on how can I navigate this? One example is getting my driving license, I’ve signed up last May and only managed to go to the lessons/practice (6 times) and it should take 2 months to get it but I’m so lazy, (same thing goes for having solo dates) 🥲

Hey sweetie, I feel you! The thing is you just have to keep pushing forward and trying. One day it will just click. You'll just be in the cafe, reading the book on the solo date. You'll be waking up early, heading to the pilates class. Like wow, how did this even happen? But it will, and that’s because you’ve been speaking your vision into existence for all this time. Sometimes we hear the stories, and read the level up content and think it’s an instant click your fingers action and results, in some cases yes, but more often its years of prayers, mental conditioning, affirmations, trying to change, trying to be better, getting back up and failing, over and over and overrrr again. But its the persistence, the trying something new. My advice is to keep studying yourself more and more so you connect your habits to your failures, you can pivot quickly, you can catch yourself and do better next time. As long as you are growing there is no failures. 

Practical things that really changed the game for me: 

Atomic habits - continually going back to this as a reminder to stay on track with practical steps.

Always being mindful of what I’m speaking into existence, a friend told me a few months back I keep speaking about what I don’t want. Re-frame your sentences, stop mid sentence. There is so much power in the tongue. 

Reassess your diet. This single-handedly could be destroying your energy levels. I quit carbs and moved over to high protein / veggies diet and my energy levels and mental focus transformed. 

Cut the distractions. I had to cut daily voice notes with a close friend who was in lack constantly, because this was impacting my energy field. We still speak but daily voice notes, and I am intentional about our conversations not being dragged in the dirt with low level thinking. 

Invested in high level community, conferences, events, virtual groups. I actually randomly joined a free 11 day coaching course with Aaron Doughty on YouTube, and the energy I felt to transform my life was overwhelming. There were 1000s of people on the zoom doing visualisations, and this was a free programme! (Of course they tried to sell at the end), the point is finding your community from wherever you are in the world.

Pray, and stay close to God throughout each day. This also single-handedly has completely cleansed and purified my soul. It’s a constant communication, a constant gratitude, as you go for a walk, wake up, check your account. It’s listening to the internal wisdom pouring into you, and being in obedience to that voice. 

And finally, exercise, even if you don't have the energy to run, start small. Start with putting those clothes on daily. Put the gym clothes on and go for a walk down the road and back without your phone, or listening to something motivational / inspiring. I recommend Women of Impact - by Lisa Bilyeu. The movement of your body, allows the energy to flow, and then suddenly you are in the flow, the more you can do this, the more alive and focused you will feel!

I hope these help sweetie xoxoxo

[echoesofphilip]

You have 37 hours each week to chase your dreams—make the most of it!

[foreverfitnesspositivity]

Mind you business:

Focus on you:

Achieve your own personal goals:

Let others live their own life 🙏

[itsxmoony]

“Distracted from Distraction by Distraction” — T.S. Eliot 💭🖇️

[darkorangeoctober]

[mydollypop]

Being Logical Won't Help You. Be Delusional Instead. ♡

Have you noticed that children are naturally happier than adults? I used to think that it was some type of chemical or developmental thing. Like, as we age we naturally progress into more solemn, observant, and cynical beings.

But thats not the case. As we age people around us force us to be 'mature' and 'reasonable'. Its no longer acceptable to harbor dream of becoming an astronaut, the prime minister, or the boss of your own multi-billion high fashion company. Not when you yourself are from a middle class family, whose members are all working 'reasonable' jobs. When you were a child it amusing, but now that you're older its simply delusional.

♡

But, honestly, only mediocre people are 'reasonable'. Only the painfully middle class, and the unhappy and the unsatisfied are reasonable. You can't expect yourself to achieve great things if you're thinking rationally. Please remember that big dreams aren't reasonable at all, and thats the singular quality that makes them "big dreams".

The ability to dream big requires a detachment from reality. You're poor, your family is poor, you're uneducated, you don't have the funds, you don't have the food- Forget all that for a moment and indulge in your delusions. To achieve great things and overcome perilous circumstances, you can't become attached to your current reality.

If you're trying to make a better reality for yourself, why focus on the current one? Put your focus ahead, on the reality you want, be delusional for a moment and ask yourself "If I was supposed to go get this, how would I get it?" And then move accordingly.

♡

Don't think about all the reasons why you wouldn't be able to get there. That will just discourage you, sap your spirit, plunge you into mediocrity. Your problems are only as bad as you think they are. Your obstacles are only as immovable as you make them out to be.

Your mind is the one key factor that plays a role in your success and its completely yours to control. If you don't believe you can be successful you won't be, and if you don't believe you can achieve great things you won't.

Being delusional is a genuine superpower, because reality is shit and if you were supposed to focus on it you wouldn't get anywhere. Focus on what you want instead, indulge in the reality you desire and move towards it.

[truthlust]

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” -Bruce Lee 🌹💎🔥 #truth #lust #safety #everydaystyle #focused #SPEARgaragegym #keepgoing #🌹💎🔥

[striderpngart]

[travelinglowcarb]

I had another great water workout this morning. 😊💦❣️

I struggled Monday: froze up and went into tremors with cognitive impairment, but luckily was near the edge and able to get myself back out after it passed (I'm shaky & weak & have vertigo after those episodes). 😵‍💫

I was in a pretty harsh crash all week but thought the cool water would help with the muscle fatigue & joint pain. 😬🤦‍♀️

I went to acupuncture Thursday and got a great reset 🙌 and was able to enjoy a good half hour of physical therapy / exercise yesterday and today. 💖

I'm so proud of myself for getting back up and trying again, over and over, and doing what I can - when I can. And also knowing when to rest & recover, which is a lot of trial & error: figuring it out as I go. 🙃

I wanted to go swim early this morning at 830am but I had a whole respiratory flare-up that set me back... but once that passed, I still went. ✨️😁✨️

It's been almost 3 years now, but I'm still hopeful for a full recovery, and doing everything I can to be the happiest healthiest version of myself I can be today (every day) - and for my future self.

🎯

Whatever YOUR "hard" is, keep focusing forward while fully living in the NOW - creating your day and your future with mindful intention. "Choose Yourself" in ways that serve you best, that also allow you to better serve others. 💕 xo

[sadnesshasanappeal]

Getting finer and avoiding letting people see you through the process >>>

[powerofbeauty]

Hey dear!

Just work hard and leave everything to the almighty after that! I know you are working hard and facing ups and downs every single day! Just stay strong 💪💯

All the best for your future 💯😌

~Power of beauty

[orcaandseal]

"Flow State" is fucking bullshit

So, maybe that's a bit of an inflammatory title. But I think it still stands. The flow state is bullshit. Often described as a time "where you are totally absorbed by and deeply focused on something, beyond the point of distraction. Time feels like it has slowed down. Your senses are heightened. You are at one with the task at hand, as action and awareness sync to create an effortless momentum. (headspace.com)"

As someone with adhd, that is hyperfocus. Time dissolves and I can spend forever on what I'm doing, hell, as I sit here and write I'm in that state right now. I'm not sure if I'm simply misunderstanding, but it feels a tad bit like neurotypicals found out how to tap into the hyperfocus state -everyone can do it but adhd people do it more- and they repackaged it to be more palatable.

It's very frustrating to see something I was shamed so much for when I was younger now being sought after and praised by so-called "normal" people. But while that's my own cross to bare, I worry that it could cause things like hyperfocus to continue to fly under the radar. Hyperfocus is a very real symptom and can cause damage.

Have you ever been so zoned into something that you don't eat? that you become increasingly dehydrated? Have you ever focused so hard that you almost don't make it to the bathroom before your bladder fails because you couldn't feel it screaming at you?

"But Rachel," you say, "Flow state isn't like that, you're supposed to be able to take breaks, chugging along like a locomotive at a steady but enjoyable pace, rather than a one-stop bullet train!"

To that I say, could you tell the difference? if you're not paying rapted attention to the individual, because let's face it no one has that kind of time, how would you know? How could someone undiagnosed tell the difference between the two, if there is one? Or worse, someone attempting to explain their symptoms to a friend and family or a partner, and it's brushed off as "Oh that's just flow state!"

Overall, I feel like the idea of flow state vs hyperfocus needs to be reevaluated, and we need to double checking and make sure that we aren't misidentifying the two states and protecting the adhd community from more harm.

[godmegastareunoia]

yup

if you don’t separate yourself from your distractions, your distractions will separate you from your goals.

[btgcoach]

🔭Stay Focused!⚡️

Are you ready to rise above the noise and embrace your best self?

#BridgetheGapcoaching #BridgeTheGap #btgcoach #believeinyou #SeeTheBeauty #PositiveVibes #focused #focusonyourgoals