ADD and Task Completion: Stop Focusing on Your Goals

As far as goals go, looking for a job is a common one for most, if not all, of us.

Remember when you have looked for jobs in the past? Perhaps you are looking for one now.

There are so many moving parts: resumes, cover letters, job sites, networking, books, etc.

Arghhh!!

When faced with this kind of task, like many of you, I can easily become overwhelmed. It just seems like too much to do.

And then I remind myself that, yes, it is too much to do today if I consider all that I could possibly do to increase the chances of getting a job.

A more helpful perspective is having the whole picture in mind, but giving more thought and energy to the daily actions that will help us achieve our vision, like getting a job.

Have a Vision

So, here is what I do, and I invite you to play along at home. You could play alone, but I suggest you find supportive people to join in with you.

Here is how it goes:

Take a step forward and look at your vision. Remind yourself what you want and why you want it. Ask yourself, "If I accomplish this, what will it bring to my life?"

Create a vision board to remind yourself of a distant goal. When you have ADHD, this can help to make better choices in the moment and resist the many temptations. You will have a better chance of acting more in line with your intentions.

Then, take a step back into the present.

Focus on Today

After creating your vision, it is good to occasionally look at it. However, focusing on those things that you have control over and can take action on can be more motivating; you can gain a sense of success as you follow through and complete these tasks. This may be especially true if your goal is not entirely within your control, like getting a job.

Also, it is helpful to focus on setting yourself up for success by eliminating potential distractions and creating an environment that is most conducive for you to do your best work.

If it feels like there is too much to do, decide what is possible to do today. Writing the objective statement for your resume will bring you one step closer to getting a job. And getting the feeling of success in following through can give you better traction in moving forward.

And that is the way the dance is done. One step at a time.

Invitation to Experiment

Even if you are not sure-footed, you can learn to do it, one step at a time.

Try this.

List all the parts of a current project you are working on in whatever logical order makes sense to you. If the steps or the order in which to do them is not apparent to you, please don’t despair. Enlist someone’s help, if you need it.

You may also want an accountability partner to check in with as you move along.

Then, decide what you are going to do today, however small it may seem to you. Every action you take will bring your goal closer…

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