While my hope is that every adult with ADHD who wants help can get support, I also know that investing in 1-1 ADHD Coaching can be too much of a reach for some.
In part I know this from the emails I’ve received and conversations I’ve had with prospective clients who say or write something along the lines of:
- “I wish I could afford your services.”
- “When I can afford coaching I’m going to call you.”
So, when I heard such a comment again recently, I thought about what I have done in situations where I get that queasy feeling in my gut just thinking about spending money for support, whether it is coaching, a class or a group.
After all, I know I owe a great deal of my success to the help I’ve received from other professionals
Just Do It?
I’m sure you’ve come across some form of the statement below that people use on their site, hoping you will buy their service.
“If you really want to afford ‘x,’ which is guaranteed to change your life, you can find a way to make it work. “
While it is meant to scare you into acting, it is just not true.
Choosing not to invest in a certain service does not mean you don’t want to make the changes you envision. It may be that what you would have to give up to get “x” is too great for you right now.
So, listen to your instinct about what you can afford.
But I hope you won’t go it alone
Groups
Because it is harder to successfully reach your goals without the help of other people. One option is to find a group.
You can find ADHD specific groups in the CHADD Resource Directory. If you don’t find exactly what you are looking for, reach out to one of the local CHADD chapters and ask if they know of any local resources.
Can’t find a local in-person group? I have a membership group, ADDed Perspectives, you can check out. Also, check out the online support groups in ADDConnect.
Maybe you don’t want an ADHD group, but still want support. You could look for groups:
- related to your profession to help you enhance specific career related skills
- focused on where you are in life such as parenting or job search groups
- created to help you makes connections, like faith or sports groups
- other
One resource to find groups related to your interests is Meetup where you can find almost any of the above and more.
If you want to be connected to a group, there is one out there for you
Accountability Partner
Maybe groups are not your thing.
Another option is to work with an accountability partner. While it works well when this person also needs accountability, it is not necessary if they are willing to help you without an “equal exchange.”
Here are examples of questions you could use to provide some structure to your meetings.
- What are you working on this month? When is it due? What do you want to work on each week in order to meet the deadline?
- What is on your plate this week?
- What is going well? Be specific.
- What are you find challenging? What specifically is getting in your way that makes it challenging? What would make it easier?
- What did you intend to work on that you are putting off. Why do you think that is? What support or help do you need to get going?
- What do you want to commit to doing this week?
- Did you forget anything?
- Other
The key is provide enough structure to your meetings so you get as much value as possible out of it.
Books
What if you just want to learn more about ADHD from books?
There are a lot of excellent books out there related to ADHD. And you may have tried reading some of them. But, like many of us, maybe you’ve ended up skimming them and thinking, “Hmm, there is a lot of good stuff I should try.”
To help you get the most out the material, you could also work with an accountability partner.
One way to structure this is to:
- Divide the book into chunks and go at a pace that feels right to you. Maybe you read only a chapter a week or every two weeks.
- Come to your meetings prepared to discuss the chapter.
- If you come across a helpful tip or strategy you want to try, ask your partner to hold you accountable.
- Then review how it went at your next meeting.
This will help you experiment more with all of that “good stuff” you’ve been reading about!
Clarity
Finally, take time to assess whether it is true that you can’t afford the service you are considering.
I know there have been times in my life when it did not “feel right” to spend the money. At the time I may have wanted financial stability, a vacation or something else more than I wanted the promised results of the what was being offered.
But I also know that there have been times when I decided to invest in my professional or personal development and found a way to make it happen by forgoing something else or putting it on a card.
Answering the questions below will help you to get clarity on what is “true for you.”
- Where am I spending my money?
- What would I have to give up to invest in this service?
- If I invest money in this service and get the results I want, what could be different for me 6 months, 1 year or 3 years from now?
- If I don’t invest money in this service, where will I be 6 months, 1 year or 3 years from now?
- Are these results worth the investment?
- If it is just not feasible now, can I create a plan to be able to afford it down the road? What kind of help do I need to do this?
There is no right or wrong answer.
ADDed Perspectives Bottom Line
Whether you choose to create your own support or invest in professional services you will progress faster if you work with other people.
Are you ready to connect to get the support you need?