106: Effective Goal Setting for ADHD Brains

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[00:00:08] Laurence: Hello and welcome back to the ADHD Goals podcast. I’ve got another bite-sized episode for you. So have you ever had a goal that felt really exciting at first, but then it fizzled out before you even got started? Yeah, me too. With ADHD. Our minds are full of ideas. Big, beautiful, bold ideas, but turning those ideas into action, that’s where things can get a little bit messy.

Today we are talking about goal setting, but not the kind that makes you feel overwhelmed or stuck. We are diving into how to break down your goals into smaller, doable steps using my goal setting worksheet, which you can download for free by [00:01:00] going over to the show notes and clicking the link.

Let’s take that amazing idea in your head and finally bring it to life. So here’s the thing, people with ADHD don’t have a motivation problem. We have a clarity and structure problem. Big goals can feel overwhelming. We don’t always know where to start, how to prioritize, or how to stay on track once the excitement wears off.

And because our executive functioning struggles make it even harder to break things down into steps, we either go in all in, we either go all in with a chaotic burst of energy, or we avoid it all together. And it’s not about laziness. It’s about needing a system that works with our brains, not against them.

And when we don’t set clear goals or we set goals that are too vague or too big, here’s what tends to happen. We [00:02:00] get stuck in thinking mode without ever reaching, doing mode. We bounce between projects, never really finishing anything, and we feel defeated, frustrated, and start doubting ourselves. And that lack of follow through can hit our self-esteem hard, and it becomes this loop.

We don’t finish so we feel bad, so we avoid trying again. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When you set goals in an ADHD friendly way, something amazing happens. You get clear on what you’re actually trying to do. You break the overwhelm into bite-sized steps. You feel motivated by small wins instead of crushed by giant tasks, and you start building momentum and trusting yourself again

A goal without a plan is just a wish. And we’re all done with wishing it’s time to do. [00:03:00] Alright, let’s dig into the free download of Created the Goal Setting Worksheet. It’s simple, clear, and designed for ADHD brains that need structure without the stress. Step one, identify your goal.

Pick one big goal you want to focus on, and make sure it’s smart. And by smart, I mean specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Step two, break it into major steps. Think of the big pieces needed to get there. These are your milestones, the major chunks of work.

Step three is to break each major step into smaller tasks. This is the secret source. Take each major step on, take each major step and list out all the small actionable things [00:04:00] you’ll need to do. The goal is to make it so doable that you can’t help but start.

So here’s an example. Imagine the major step was to build a website. Those smaller tasks could be choose a domain name, set up hosting, pick a template, write the homepage, copy.

Step four, assign timeframes, give each small task a realistic target date. This helps avoid time blindness and keeps momentum going. One way to assign timeframes is to stick it in your calendar.

Step five, prioritize your tasks. List them in [00:05:00] order that they need to be done. That way you won’t get stuck trying to write a blog before the website exists. Pro tip, use color coding check boxes, or even rewards. A visual motivation works wonders. Visual motivation works wonders with ADHD brains. So if you are ready to finally start that big goal or finish one that’s been sitting on the back burner, go download the free goal setting worksheet.

You’ll find the link in the show notes and you can grab it there. This is about working with your brain, not forcing yourself to become someone else.

You are capable of incredible things. You don’t need more motivation, you just need a map. And this worksheet is your starting point, one goal, a few clear steps and the courage to begin imperfectly and on your terms. So [00:06:00] go ahead, download it, write that goal, and take the next small step. ’cause once you start, you are no longer stuck.

Until next time, see you later.

Well there, we have it. Thank you so much for listening this far. If you want to hear more episodes, then please subscribe on YouTube or whatever podcast platform you use. It really helps us spread the word. So if you know anyone, this episode could help, then please share it with your friends. If you want to follow me on social media, I am on Instagram at ADHD underscore goals. And you can find me on Facebook too. If you want to get into touch with the show, then you can email me at hello@adhdgoals.co And finally, if you’re struggling to manage your ADHD and you would like me to be your coach, then please head over to my website and get in touch. Until next time. Bye for now.