ADHD: The “Doing” Disorder (Not the “Knowing” Disorder)

You know that saying “Knowledge is power”? Yeah, not if you have ADHD. Because here’s the truth: ADHD isn’t really a “knowing” problem it’s a “doing” problem.

I can know exactly what needs to be done, have the Post-it notes, color-coded calendar alerts, and a carefully curated playlist ready and still nothing happens. It’s like trying to push a boulder uphill, except the boulder is my own brain.

Take this blog, for example. When I first launched it, I was on fire. I was cranking out posts every day, riding the dopamine wave of novelty and accomplishment. And then, the dopamine wore off. The novelty wore off. Suddenly, writing a blog felt less like riding a wave and more like dragging myself through wet cement. My brain was like, “Cute idea, but let’s scroll TikTok instead.”

This is the classic ADHD struggle: it’s not about knowing what to do (spoiler: I know I should sit down and write). It’s about doing it.

Why “Doing” Feels Like Climbing Mount Everest in Flip-Flops

Executive dysfunction in ADHD makes task initiation and follow-through feel ridiculously hard. It’s not laziness, lack of discipline, or a moral failing. It’s brain wiring. The ADHD brain struggles with:

• Task initiation: Getting started feels like jumping a 10-foot hurdle.

• Sustained effort: Once the initial spark fades, so does the motivation.

• Reward response: Our dopamine system doesn’t always fire reliably, which means the “good feelings” that usually follow accomplishment don’t land the same way.

Translation: We know what needs to be done, but the brain is like, “Yeah, but also… what if we just reorganize the fridge instead?”

So, What Actually Helps?

Here are some strategies that trick, nudge, or gently bribe the ADHD brain into action:

1. Gamify It

Turn your task into a game. Timer races (“How much can I get done in 10 minutes?”), points, rewards and suddenly your brain perks up like, “Oh, a challenge? Say less!”

2. Do a Task-Adjacent Activity

If writing feels impossible, sometimes I’ll start by rereading an old post or making a silly doodle about ADHD. It’s like sneaking up on the real task sideways, before my brain realizes it’s working.

3. The Might As Well Concept

Tell yourself you only have to do the task for 5 minutes. Just five. Once you start, momentum often carries you further, and then “might as well” continue on (but if not, you still did 5 minutes! Which was your goal to start with).

4. Body Double

Work alongside a friend, colleague, or even a virtual co-working group. Just having someone else present can help cue your brain into “we’re doing a thing now” mode.

5. Make It Dopamine-Friendly

Pair the boring task with something fun like blasting a favorite playlist, sipping a fancy drink, using new colorful pens or change up the task by doing it in a new environment. ADHD brains need rewards up front, not just at the finish line.

In Case You Skimmed (Totally Okay, ADHD People Do That Too)

If you live with ADHD, you already know plenty. You know what you should do, when it’s due, and probably three different productivity hacks you’ve bookmarked. The challenge isn’t the knowing, it’s the doing.

And sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to stop waiting for motivation, stop shaming yourself for procrastination, and instead experiment with little brain-friendly hacks to get the ball rolling. Pack your tool kit full of ADHD friendly hacks that can help engage your brain so you can get shit done.

After all, writing this blog wasn’t about knowing how, it was about tricking myself into actually sitting down and doing it. (Full disclosure: a fancy iced coffee and a carefully curated playlist were involved.)

Want more ADHD-friendly metaphors, hacks, and real-life stories? Subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss the next post… assuming, of course, I can wrangle my executive function long enough to actually hit publish. If I can do the thing, you’ll get it straight to your inbox.