So you read the headline. Confused? Maybe. Of course we'll be talking all sorts of goal getting but what about that twist? That "twist" is mental illness or as I like to call it "brain surprises". It makes for a more light hearted conversation I suppose. I want you to dive deeper into your mind and recreate a better mindset to achieve whatever your goals may be while reading.
So back to the main idea. We are all goal getters whether you think so or not. Mostly everyone has a hobby and if you don't then you usually have something you've always wanted to try. Now doesn't that create a goal for you? Exactly. For instance, my goal is to be a Team USA Olympic Weightlifter. Is that a larger goal to reach? Well, yes but who's to say you can't reach for the stars? It's all about execution. Typical execution is laying out a detailed plan of what you're going to do to get there whether it's long term or short. Now add in those brain surprises that we've talked about and now...you're stumped. So, what now?
I deal with ADHD. Some other common effects that correlate directly are depression and/or anxiety. Yes, I deal and work around it all. Is it ideal? No, but the idea is to trick your mind to stay productive and positive. I like to start by repeating this quote by Debbie Allen at times to myself. "But with limitations comes creativity". With ADHD or most other illnesses comes very short attention spans, procrastination, interrupting, or simply not wanting to do anything. So let me repeat to you, "but with limitations comes creativity". How do you take these limitations and create anything?
I take the standard approach and build that diagram most people use to showcase a logical end goal at first. Then I find what works for me. This is the key. I'm a detailed yet forgetful human. So, I add in clever notes or snippets around my main goals to help jog my memory of what little things need to be done in order to execute the rest. The ADHD mind typically thrives off of chaos so by "clever notes" I mean post it notes everywhere, reminders in my phone, notes written on my calendar just to help side track my mind. It sounds stressful but again the chaos is what keeps everything up and running.
The point of this blog isn't to give quick tips and tricks for how to reach a goal. It's simply to get you to understand that there is an absurd amount of creativity under your limitations. Your "brain surprises" are just blocking the road temporarily. Jogging your mind with the little tasks like post it notes can help you jump from point A to point B in no time once you find what works for you. Mine happens to be notes everywhere my eyes can see while yours may be to sit outside for 10 minutes looking at the sky or writing a random fictional excerpt.
Just always remember, "but with limitations comes creativity".
