Called For Something More, Something Greater

Hey friends,

My mind has been reeling since the conference I mentioned last week, and I think a big reason is that I was given this indescribable drive to do “something more,” to move beyond where I’m at (safe and secure and comfortable as it may be) and create something unique and my own.

I know I am lucky to have a good job, with a good company, doing the kind work I’m good at and enjoy—by all accounts I shouldn’t feel any desire to move on. I don’t take that for granted, and I am so thankful and appreciative for the career that allows me to support my family.

And yet.

Have you felt this sort of drive or inner fire before? I imagine many of you have.

It’s no secret there are strong ties between ADHD and entrepreneurship.¹

We often have unique ideas and creative visions we want to express. Passions that need to see the light of day, something we need to create because only we can be the ones to make it happen.

We excel at divergent thinking which isn’t always appreciated in our day jobs. Far too many companies seem to conform strictly to neurotypical norms, making it difficult for people with ADHD to even survive, much less thrive.

Just like most things regarding ADHD, this entrepreneurial drive isn’t universal among all of us with ADHD. As others have said, “if you’ve met one person with ADHD, you’ve met… one person with ADHD.” We’re all different in a wide variety of ways!

But something about our makeup just tends to kick up that gotta-do-it-myself spirit. Maybe it’s the desire to pick our own hours more than anything. 😅

I just know that I have this itch to step out into something new, something that scares me just a little bit.

Now I just have to figure out what steps to take in order to make it happen.

Can you relate? Do you have any stories of a business idea or passion you pursued? What happened? Or are you still trying to figure it out? Reply and share your stories of triumph, failure, or current pursuits.

Note: I may share these in a future newsletter, so let me know if you don’t want your reply shared.

I’m excited to hear what has worked for you, or what idea you’re about to tackle next.

All of us weird brains are in this together. 💙

Stay focused,
Jesse J. Anderson

P.S. I’ve been reading Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield (one of the conference speakers) which speaks directly to this topic. A great source of inspiration and practical advice for moving from your nine-to-five to something with just a bit more freedom.

P.P.S. So many wonderful responses from people expressing gratitude last week. I hope you all felt that little bump of dopamine and serotonin! 🤗

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Related Reading

Shiny Objects

Things that grabbed my attention this week. Normally these are for paid subscribers only, but I’m sharing a couple that are specific to ADHD above the paywall.

Extra Focus is a reader-supported publication, please consider becoming a paid subscriber and support the ADHD advocacy and education work I do.

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Software helps my ADHD brain think by

Meg Conley

Interested in developing a “second brain” and better managing your thoughts, notes, insights, etc? This is a great place to get started. Meg recommends an app that is resonating for her (which I haven’t tried yet, but I suppose it’s only a matter of time). There are lots of other options out there for this sort of knowledge management and organization work and I’ve used most of them: Obsidian, Craft, Logseq, Thunk Notes, Reflect, Workflowy, Tana, and now I’m back to trying out Obsidian again. 🙃

Secrets to Better Sleep with ADHD by

Kristen McClure

This article is a great summary of some of the different strategies for managing better sleep. Sleep is such a huge issue for people with ADHD and I’ve written about ADHD and sleep in the past as well:

ADHD and (a lack of) Sleep

ADHD + Sleep Struggles