How my brain works
I have ADHD. It shapes almost everything about how I work, and once I learned to build around it, most of that has been for the better.
How it shows up
- Interest over importanceMy attention follows what's interesting, not what's important. It's sometimes called an "interest‑based nervous system," and that describes it pretty well.
- Deep divesWhen something grabs me, I can go all in on it for hours and come out the other side knowing far more than I planned to. That's been true with every hobby I've picked up, and it's how WhatBars happened.
- The hard partRepetitive, low‑stakes work is genuinely hard for me. Admin, data entry, and anything I've done a hundred times drains me faster than the hardest creative problem.
What I build around it
I don't rely on willpower. I rely on systems.
- A quiet phoneStripped down to the stock apps, with notifications off except for family and work calls.
- Blocked distractionsDuring work hours, the websites I waste time on are blocked by a tool that won't let me turn it off once it's set. I've blocked some sites for months at a time.
- Keystone habitsA regular workout makes eating well, sleeping well, and focusing at work all noticeably easier.
- A want listA new idea for something to buy has to survive three to six months before I act on it.
- A second brainA system that knows how I work. It keeps information short and scannable, gives me one decision at a time, and remembers what I'd otherwise forget.
- AutomationRepetitive work goes to automations and AI agents, so my attention is free for the parts that need a person.
What it gives me
- BreadthI've done a lot of different jobs, and that range helps with problems nobody has seen before. That's most of the job when you're the only marketer and the problems change every day.
- ConnectionsBrand, product, sales, and data are all in my head at the same time. That's how a sales objection turns into a headline instead of staying a sales problem.
- DepthWhen a problem is interesting, I'll research it further than almost anyone wants me to.
What it means if we work together
- Short and specificThat's how I'll write to you, and how I'll ask you to write back.
- One decision at a timeUsually with a clear date attached.
- Written downI don't trust my memory, so if it's in my system, it gets done.
- Full attentionIf your problem is interesting, you'll get all of it.