Reply To: Untapped potential?

[blackdog]

@robynshobyn

No, it is not something that is all made up in your head. Untapped potential is something we all wrestle with. The question of how to tap it is a difficult one to answer, and one that only you can figure out.

The hyper-analysis, or as I like to say, analysis paralysis, is also a common problem with ADHD. We have a tendency to live inside our heads. Understanding yourself is a good thing, but you have to watch that you don’t overdo it and start going around in circles in your head.

Writing things down can help. When you have one of those “A-Ha!” moments, take a minute to write down what you have discovered, or record it as a memo on your phone or whatever. Take it from being just an intangible thought inside your head to being something real and tangible.

 

LOL, I just read the second half of your post. Your list of things you want to do is almost word for word identical to mine. Especially the genius freak who knows everything. Except the religion, but I have considered it. I have come to the conclusion that I am just not the inner peace type.

Anyway, remember  that you are still young and you have time. I know it feels like you have to do everything all at once, right now, but you don’t. You also don’t have to be stuck with whatever you choose forever. It is possible to do all of those things, one or two at a time. I highly recommend considering how you will earn a living first. Remember, there is a reason we have the saying “starving artist”. But motivation is the key, like you said. The more motivated you are, the better your chances for success. So don’t make a choice that is purely practical, just for a paycheque, either.

Only you can decide which way to go. It helps to think about what really matters most to you, which it sounds like you have been doing. If you really can’t decide, then just take a leap and go for something. Chances are once you start that motivation will kick in. And when you get bogged down and start feeling restless and bored, there are a few tricks you can use to get yourself going again. One is to create a sense of urgency. Set a short term goal for yourself , like accomplishing one part of the task in the next 15 minutes. Then when that one is done, set another goal. Or use your imagination. Pretend that aliens are invading Earth and the fate of all humankind depends upon you completing this task. Another trick is to associate what you need to do with something  that is very important to you, one of your core values. Think about saving the whales, feeding the homeless, helping people fine inner peace,  and then transfer the energy and motivation that you feel from that to what you need to do.

These  are things that have worked, to some extent, for me, though I never knew what I was doing until recently.  But when I read about it I realized I have been doing it all my life. I like sci-fi and fantasy books and I am often daydreaming about whatever I am reading while I am working. And if I think about a particularly exciting or action packed part of the story, I will usually speed up and get the work done faster. The same is true for anything that is extremely thought provoking, like a story that has a lot of nuances and layers of hidden meanings in it. I will keep going over it in my mind, picking apart the layers finding all the little subtle meanings and different angles and possibilities. It keeps my brain busy so it helps me to focus, as long as I don’t focus too much on the monologue going on in my head.

I hope this helps a little. Not knowing how to get started is one of the biggest challenges we all face. Just take it one day at a time, one step at a time. If you have to, break down each step into tinier steps.  I will sometimes write out all the steps it takes to do one job. I have found that instead of just “clean living room” it works better if I write 1) clear coffee table off and put things away 2) clean coffee table 3) pick up things on floor and put away  4) Vacuum carpet… etc. It may seem silly and even a little embarrassing, but you have to do have to do what you have to do.

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