Raise your hand if you’ve ever made a beautifully color-coded to-do list… only to ignore it for three days straight and spiral into a shame scroll on TikTok. 🙋♀️ Been there. Done that. Don’t look at that pile of planners.
If you’re an ADHD entrepreneur or professional, the problem isn’t that you’re lazy, undisciplined, or need to “just try harder.” (Please throw that advice directly into the sun.) The real problem? You haven’t found the systems, supports, and brain-friendly experiments that actually work for you.
Let’s fix that.
Why Follow-Through Feels Impossible with ADHD
ADHD brains are brilliant—but they’re not exactly wired for the boring, repetitive stuff required to build businesses or finish long-term goals. Your brain is designed for novelty, interest, play, and loves to overcome a challenge or win bragging rights for the next month.
Here’s what you’re probably up against:
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You’ve got a hundred ideas… and no idea where to start or which to prioritize.
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Motivation shows up like a flaky friend: fun when it's around, totally unreliable.
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You’re great at starting, but consistency? Not so much.
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Your tools and systems feel either overwhelming or totally invisible within 48 hours.
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You beat yourself up for “knowing what to do” and still not doing it.
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You might be in a boom then bust cycle of working. You work burnout inducing hours when needed, and then crash out for…who knows how long after.
Sound familiar? That’s because most productivity advice was written for neurotypical brains—not the beautifully chaotic brilliance of yours.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need a personality transplant. We want to help you find what works with your brain, rather than trying to force yourself to conform to something that doesn’t work for you. There is no right way to do something, perfection is a myth that does not exist.
So, if you can, put on your amateur scientist hat, get curious, and let’s start experimenting so we can find what actually works for you.
The ADHD Follow-Through Experiment Menu
Tools are bullshit, unless you find ones you will actually use. I created the ADHD Follow-Through Audit for people just like you—smart, creative, ambitious ADHD humans who are done feeling stuck and ready to actually figure out what works.
Inside, you’ll get 25+ super simple, low-effort experiments to try in 5 key areas:
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🧠 Focus & Clarity
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🗓️ Planning & Scheduling
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🧘 Emotional Regulation
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🤝 Support & Accountability
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🧰 Tools & Systems
The audit will show you which areas your muscles are weakest in, so you can take these experiments to start building those muscles and making changes that actually move you forward. No pressure. No “shoulds.” Just ADHD-friendly strategies you can test, tweak, and ways to set yourself up to actually remember to use them.
(Seriously—it’s in a Google Doc. You probably already use those. Functional and easy. Will show you how to increase your follow through, for your specific brain, in less than 15 minutes.)
Why Experiments Work Better Than Routines
ADHDers don’t thrive under rigid systems—we thrive with flexible frameworks. Your brain needs novelty to stay interested, which is why flexibility is key. My Follow Through Audit download includes a menu of ideas you can rotate through and remix depending on your mood, your energy, or your latest “I’m gonna redo my whole life” moment at 11pm.
And yes, the science backs this up (links to all references at bottom of this blog):
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ADHD brains need novelty and reward to sustain attention (Volkow et al., 2009)
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Tiny wins + immediate dopamine = more consistent action (Barkley, 2010)
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External accountability drastically improves follow-through (95% success rate in one study by The American Society of Training and Development)
What Happens When You Finally Follow Through?
When you stop relying on memory, motivation, and mood—and start using real systems that work for your brain—you’ll notice:
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More clarity, fewer 2am spirals
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Less burnout, more momentum
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Real results in your business or career
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That elusive feeling of being proud of yourself (and not in a “finally paid that parking ticket” kind of way)
Stop telling yourself you can’t and set yourself up for success.
💬 Final Thought: You’re Not Failing. You’re Under-Supported.
If you’ve tried 42 planners, 14 productivity apps, and every ADHD podcast known to man and still feel like you’re stuck—good news: it’s not you. You’re just trying to follow through without the structures, strategies, and support you actually need.
Let’s change that.
👉 Click here to download the ADHD Follow-Through Audit
(Then try one thing today. And celebrate it like it’s a big damn deal—because it is.)
References & Links:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006322308014094
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20808981/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12683826/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5803656/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054714527792
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8932084/
focusmate.com - this is a referral link that will give you a free month
https://www.timeryapp.com/ (great visual timer app)