I haven’t missed a morning workout in almost a decade.
Sometimes it’s just a stretch, sometimes it’s at the airport, but there’s always something.
A lot of people see it as discipline, but it’s really just an addiction.
Recently, I’ve been having conversations with a lot of founders, and we talk about how many of us were “diagnosed” with ADHD as adults, and how helpful Vyvanse has been.
Some people ask:
How do you know if you have ADHD?
The cognitive questionnaires that doctors use are fine, but the real test is taking some Vyvanse.
One of two things will happen:
- You have ADHD: The whole world slows down and clears up. The clutter in your mind fades away. You are calm, less restless, less irritable, less easily distracted, less easily overwhelmed, more productive, more creative, with more energy, and nicer to people.
- You don’t have ADHD: You feel like you’re on methamphetamines.
I’ve noticed that nicotine has a very similar, but much more short-lived, effect.
I like coffee, but I drink it for the taste. It does nothing.
Another misconception about ADHD is that you can’t focus. That is incorrect. Focus is hard to acquire, but once you do, you enter hyperfocus. This is why people with ADHD get cranky when you pull them out of their flow.
This has made me reflect that many of my patterns throughout life were never habits or acts of discipline. They were all just the result of an addictive personality, driven by short- or long-term obsession.
Is this related to having ADHD? Is it a result of being slightly on the spectrum? Is it just my personality? Is this the personality that entrepreneurs need? As with everything, it’s probably a balance of all of it.