Are you feeling scattered? Maybe it’s from the 35,000 decisions your brain makes on average a day- likely without you even knowing. (Dr. Joel Hoomans, 2015) The human brain is a magnificent organ. Yet, brain care is not front of mind for most of us. (no pun intended ) The medical field has done an excellent job at creating importance surrounding heart health and even dental care, but we have discarded the one organ that controls us all, the human brain. We may even take our brains for granted and get intensely frustrated with ourselves. Maybe you’re like me muttering to yourself, “How could I forget her name?!? UGGGGG!!!! I should know that!” Big sigh…. You could fill in the blank with a time when you forgot something, maybe just a minute ago.

Imagine how hard it might be for individuals having a brain difference. Struggles with memory, recall, getting started, shifting attention, maintaining attention, filtering stimuli, feeling intense emotions, and combating racing thoughts are very real. The human brain relies on chemicals within the brain to be sent and received to fire fully. This intricate circuitry is not always working in sync. With a brain difference such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the brain does not have the necessary chemicals, mainly dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (Rowe, 2021), to activate or withstand output. As a result, the brain balance is off. ADHD is not a deficit in attention rather an interest deficit. Interest seems to act as a switch, either on or off.  When someone with ADHD has an interest in something, the brain releases chemicals in the brain.

Not too long ago, I had a client who was deeply intrigued by how things were made. She would spend endless time researching for answers to random thought questions. She was immensely curious. I asked what she had recently been interested in and chose to learn more about. She went on to share the intricate details she had newly attained about how panko crumbs were made. She wanted to know how they were so crunchy, unlike any other crumb used in cooking. I learned something new during her session that day. Panko Crumbs are made using an electric current oven containing only five ingredients. Interestingly, Panko Crumbs were invented during World War II to make bread when ovens were not available. (Kym, 2019) Today, the Panko Crumb is used in traditional Japanese Cuisine. Why Panko Crumbs? I asked. She replied I don’t know. I had them for dinner the other night. I wanted to know how they were so small and still crunchier than breadcrumbs. Her set goal in coaching with me was to get her grades up from failing. She was struggling with her inability to start and complete her schoolwork.

The neurotypical brain will read this story and not understand how someone so clearly brilliant would be failing during her senior year of High School. Maybe even assume, “well, she must be lazy. Her parents must not care.” On the contrary. Her parents were gravely concerned and had come to me in hopes I could help. In fact, she didn’t want to fail. She shared that she just couldn’t get started on an English paper that could have so many directions she could write from. She didn’t know what the teacher wanted. Overwhelm would kick in. Distractions would occur, and she would be derailed. Another client of mine would say the assignment was not deterministic, so she couldn’t get it completed. She was frozen, overwhelmed, and ill-equipped to activate on the unknown. Not lazy! During our coaching relationship, she completed her work with new disciplines in place and techniques to start the mundane subjects. It worked enough, but English papers were still a drag. She defined her “why” and used methods that she discovered helped her.

The Panko Crumb story is relevant because I knew she did not lack smarts, focus, or attention. However, she lacked tools for when interest was not there. Schoolwork posed too many barriers paired with zero interest in the topic. Overwhelm set in when too many decisions flooded her brain. This is so common for people with ADHD. Making decisions can be hindered when there is no interest in the decision to be made or when making the decision could go in so many directions. Any option could go down a rabbit hole to a dead end only to start again. Then frustration sets in, and emotions get amped. Oh, dear! Then the brain is hijacked. “Forget it! I’m not doing it!” Shutdown.

It appears fair to say that the ADHD brain has more thoughts than it can make decisions upon. Decision-making requires multiple steps and is not as easy as one would think. How many times have you heard, “Just decide already! It’s not that hard to choose what to have for dinner.” We all make basic decisions daily, yet multiple factors are weighing in during the decision-making process.

“I don’t know what to make for dinner. I don’t know if I have all the ingredients to make that. I could go to the store, but I don’t know how bad the traffic will be or if they will even have what I need. Johnny may not want to eat that tonight. Sara doesn’t even like that. I really don’t have the energy to cook. And then I would have to clean up. And the dish I need to use is in the sink already. Gee—- Forget it. I’m not even that hungry. Can you just pick up something on the way home? I don’t care. Get whatever you want.”

The pressure is off in deferring your decisions. The many roadblocks make it easy to give the decision to someone else or delay it all together. Not lazy, simply a coping mechanism for overwhelm. What would happen if there were interest involved? In the scenario above, the person didn’t have any interest in the outcome. Why? She wasn’t hungry, and she didn’t have energy. What is the driving factor in decision-making? Your why. Why do “it”? Without a clearly defined why you have little investment of the outcome. Think back to my high school client. We uncovered her why in getting her work started and turned in. She wanted to graduate high school and be able to get into college. She wanted to be a designer. Stating what she was choosing at the start of each task helped her gain momentum. She used the “why now tactic” to set her intentions.

Decision-making is not always easy or smooth. Now you know the brain is deeply involved in your decision-making. Many decisions you are not even consciously thinking about. The brain is like the motherboard actively running in the background as I write. I expect it to work. When I get the blue screen, I panic. I will for it to come back. The ADHD brain functions differently. Almost like the power button on a computer. Interest ignites the ADHD brain releasing chemicals required for activation, focus, attention, and self-regulation. Interest is like the surge of power in the push of the power button. How could you use the “why now tactic” to get going? If you feel stuck in moving forward, ask yourself, “What is important about doing __xyz__ now?” Your answer will be your why. From there, you can acknowledge its importance and prioritize. Your why creates intention. Intentions prime you for action. Thirty-five thousand decisions are a motherload for our brains. What will you do next?

In today’s hectic, hurried pace, brain care is more important than ever. Remember, it is your brain that pumps your heart and reminds you to brush your teeth. With tools, strategies, and techniques, you can work with your brain to make living your life smoother and easier. Your hard times don’t have to get tougher. The power of three works in creating forward movement with empowerment. Connecting your heart and mind through an invested partner offers you new awareness in meeting your needs and reaching your goals. “Why Now?” What is your indecision costing you? You can get unstuck even when you have a brain difference. Unsure of what is possible? Consult with a trained ADHD Life Coach or a mental health professional for help.