Are these Real Choices?
As an ADHD entrepreneur, I understand the struggle of constantly being bombarded with and confused by choices. Sometimes, I just sit and think about how unclear it is to entrepreneurs what we should be giving our time and energy to.
The demands and distractions of the Attention Economy make it hard for us to focus and make progress in our businesses. The online space is growing by leaps and bounds every second of the day - as different personalities and businesses try to claim their share of the attention. With each leap out there, we have to renew our commitment to our personal and business goals. Otherwise, our businesses will consume us.
The idea that we have choice is baked into American identity. The presence of so many choices leads us to believe there is a RIGHT choice. This suggests a solution is always at hand - we just have to make the right choice. This also means - if we don’t choose at all or don’t make the right choice, it’s our fault.
Many people mistakenly believe that giving us more choices will somehow give us more freedom to creatively solve problems, but in reality, it often just leads to paralysis by analysis. We need people in our lives who can help us identify the two to three (for me) best options, so we can focus our energy on making a decision that will move us forward. On the flipside is the person who tells us there is only one best way to do things. This can also lead us into paralysis, if that person cannot help us see why THIS is what we need. Why do I need to do X number of discovery calls a week? Why do I need to be on X platform?
The reality is that we thrive on structure and limitations, but they must make sense to us. Instead of endless possibilities, we need to be given a clear roadmap that helps us stay on track and make progress. This doesn’t mean that we can’t be creative or innovative, but rather that we need a clear direction to channel our energy into. In fact, this direction helps ground us and feel safe to experiment. However, this direction has to be offered skillfully. It cannot be presented as a demand or expectation. This is a sure way to prompt us to say, “nope, not doing it”. Besides, a demand is not a real choice. We want real choices, but just a few at a time to decide what should be a priority for us.
One of the biggest challenges for ADHD entrepreneurs is prioritization. With so many options, it can be challenging to decide which task or opportunity to focus on first. This is where having a trusted advisor or mentor can make a significant difference. They can help us identify the most important tasks we need to focus on to achieve our goals, while setting realistic expectations and benchmarks along the way.
I can attest to how helpful it is to have people in our lives who can help us streamline our choices and focus on the two to three most critical options. This can help us overcome analysis paralysis, prioritize our tasks, and make progress towards our goals. Rather than being overwhelmed by choices, we thrive on clear direction and structure - to channel our energy.
Now is the time to go inward - to really think about what you need, so you will recognize it when you hear others say it. Look outward - at what your clients want so you will recognize it when you hear others say it. Otherwise, you will be swept away by all the different, alluring solutions people offer. They may offer wonderful solutions, but are they YOUR solutions?
As you go inward and focus on yourself and look outward and focus on your client, you may be able to continue business as usual, but don’t be surprised if you have to take some time to reset. This is a shift in your reality. These things take time and space. You may be able to reset in your head. You may have to give your body rest from this reset. Either way, you are positioning yourself to know which choices are good for you.