By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 20, 2023
I’d like to share an old parable used by Mark Twain that I feel illustrates the dangers of searching for, or succumbing to, the control of others regarding what you should do in life.
A schooled military history buff died and was met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates. The man curiously asked for the identity of the most talented general of all time. To the man’s surprise, Saint Peter exclaimed, “There is no question who that is,” and pointed out the individual. Continue reading “To Be You or To Be What Others Want You To Be”
Get ready to get ready to go? How can that concept help manage time for those with ADHD? How can it help them manage transitions? First, we need to understand the concept.
Many of those diagnosed with ADHD are sensitive to their senses, and this can create maddening distractions. It looks something like this. Imagine you have ADHD and are sensitive to light and you’re trying to write a paper. You’re focused, organizing your thoughts, and then there is a flash of light that grabs your attention. In that instant, everything in your working memory is erased and you have to start over… UGH! 
As we age, we have memory loss, and hormonal changes present some attention deficit symptoms. This can get confusing. So, how can you tell the difference between ADD symptoms and age or hormonal changes? It’s a tough question. But the ADDiva, Linda Roggli (
What is chronic fatigue? What is fibromyalgia? Are they related to attention deficit disorder? Although ADHD is not typically associated with either chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia, it does seem to be an unusual combination of features that those with ADHD complain of. For answers, I interviewed Dr. Joel Young, a psychiatrist at the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine (
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Isn’t that what they say? But trying harder is impossible if you are already trying as hard as you can and getting no results. So, what can you do?
ADHD is an issue of self-regulation. As an ADHD and attention coach, I know that many of the tips, tricks, and strategies on the Web don’t typically work for those with ADHD. Often, these tips tell you there is a logic behind using a weakness to overcome a weakness, but this sets you up for failure. And that’s why good ideas or good solutions don’t work in the world of ADHD.
Jane, a woman with attention deficit disorder (ADD), came to coaching, wanting help with organization, specifically, getting things done. So, we focused our work on paying attention to what she pays attention to. Now, understand that this means we focused on her natural tendencies and habits, not necessarily on what she was consciously thinking of.