Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

High performance often masks undiagnosed adult ADHD, leading to burnout in systems designed exclusively for neurotypical minds.
Dave talks with entrepreneur, author, and speaker Meghan French Dunbar about her journey with late-diagnosed ADHD. Despite founding successful ventures like Conscious Company magazine, Meghan spent years masking her struggles, overcompensating as an overachiever, and eventually burning out.
**Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min
They discuss the critical turning points that led to her diagnosis, the vital shifts she made to reclaim her life, and how she now manages her ADHD sustainably.
Key Discussion Points:
The Trap of the "Over-Performer": Meghan debunks the stereotype of the hyperactive "problem child" by sharing how her intense hyperfocus on school and sports allowed her ADHD to go unnoticed and unmasked for decades.
The Neurotypical System & Burnout: The business world is built for neurotypical individuals; without the proper support, neurodivergent founders easily fall into chronic stress and identity-consuming work habits.
The "Ideal Life Statement": Inspired by entrepreneur Sharon Rowe, Meghan highlights the power of prioritizing the quality of being over the quantity of doing by setting non-negotiable boundaries around working hours, family, and rest.
Actionable ADHD Management: Key strategies for reclaiming mental health include establishing physical barriers, like removing work email from mobile devices, committing to daily physical movement, and building customized backend AI dashboards to organize and calm a busy mind.

Your week doesn't have to happen to you. You can intentionally design it around what matters most.
For many busy professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners with ADHD, the end of the week can leave you wondering where your time actually went. You were constantly busy, yet your most important priorities may have taken a back seat to interruptions, urgent requests, and other people's agendas.
In this episode, Dave explores how asking yourself a few intentional questions each week can help you strengthen your boundaries, protect your time, and regain a greater sense of control.
Let's create a more focused, purposeful, and rewarding week ahead.
**Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min
Key discussion points:
Why ADHD professionals often feel busy but not intentional
The difference between living reactively versus proactively
Asking yourself, "Did my week happen to me or because of me?"
Recognizing where you protected—or abandoned—your priorities
Identifying the commitments that should have been a "no"
Strengthening boundaries that protect your time and energy
Breaking the habit of automatically saying "yes"
Discovering where your time quietly slips away
Creating more agency and ownership over your schedule
Visualizing what an exceptionally successful week would actually look like
Simple weekly reflection questions that help you build intentional habits over time

True physical recovery begins only when we stop ignoring the brain's response to chronic pressure and prioritize our own joy.
This is a must listen podcast episode for anyone with adult ADHD experiencing physical symptoms and stress!
Dave sits down with Dr. David Clarke, author of They Can't Find Anything Wrong and president of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms.
Together, they explore the profound connection between high-achieving professionals, ADHD-ish tendencies, and "stress illness." Real, debilitating physical symptoms generated entirely by altered nerve pathways in the brain rather than structural disease.
Dr. Clarke sheds light on the medical blind spot surrounding neuroplastic conditions and reveals how a childhood spent in high-stress "minefields" frequently shapes the overachieving, people-pleasing adult personalities susceptible to burnout.
Ultimately, this insightful conversation highlights how listening to your body's distress signals and intentionally relearning how to pause and play can heal decades of unexplained pain.
Key Discussion Points
Defining Stress Illness: Dr. Clarke clarifies that ailments like migraines, chronic back pain, and GI issues are 100% real, physical conditions triggered by neuroplastic brain pathways rather than localized injury or organ disease.
The Childhood Connection: Many high-achieving adults and individuals with ADHD traits grew up in unpredictable environments where they developed hyper-vigilance and people-pleasing tendencies as survival mechanisms.
The Medical Blind Spot: Standard Western medical training primarily addresses structural issues, leaving both primary care and mental health professionals under-equipped to diagnose brain-generated physical symptoms.
The Necessity of "Finger Paint" Play: High-performers often lose the essential human skill of purposeless play, trapping them on a treadmill of constant achievement until the body protests.
Shifting the Mindset: Healing requires self-respect, acknowledging early life stressors, and taking actionable steps toward recovery through specialized self-assessments and neuroplastic recovery therapies.

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave sits down with Mark Steiner, founder of the powerhouse event marketplace GigSalad.
After receiving a life-changing ADHD diagnosis at age 57, Mark looked back on his journey from a New Jersey theater actor to a highly successful CEO.
They dive deep into the unique mechanics of the ADHD brain in business, exploring how unconventional paths can breed massive professional success.
 Entrepreneurship and ADHD:
The Reality of Late Diagnosis: Mark shares his personal journey of discovering his ADHD later in life after his daughter was diagnosed, highlighting how common it is for adults to finally make sense of their lives decades into their careers.
EQ Over IQ: Mark emphasizes that high emotional intelligence (EQ) and "street smarts" are critical for building a flourishing company culture, far outweighing traditional MBA or textbook knowledge.
Non-Negotiable Systems for Success: To sustain a thriving, bootstrap company for over 20 years, Mark relies on hiring people who complement his weaknesses, delegating autonomy completely, and protecting his calendar for essential solitary decompression time.
·         Build a Culture of Autonomy: Avoid micromanaging your team. Plant the overarching vision, give your employees a "long leash" with plenty of freedom, and act as their ultimate cheerleader while they execute.
·         Acknowledge and Map Your Social Window: Recognize that even if you are an extrovert who thrives at conferences or in boardrooms, you likely have a "four-to-six-week window" before you need dedicated, solitary decompression time to reset.
·         Practice Extreme Self-Mercy: Forgive yourself for the tangents, the oversharing, and the inevitable administrative blemishes. Mark attributes true professional freedom to showing up as your authentic self without "shape-shifting" or masking.
You can find GigSalad here: https://www.gigsalad.com/

Success can make it easy to overlook what's really happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Dave steps away from productivity hacks, planners, and optimization strategies to focus on something even more important.
ADHD awareness.
If you're a busy professional, entrepreneur, executive, or high performer with ADHD, these weekly questions will help you uncover patterns, recognize strengths, and better understand what your brain may be trying to communicate.
In this episode Dave talks about:
Why ADHD can be both a professional advantage and a source of friction at the same time.
How to identify moments when you felt most energized, engaged, and aligned with your strengths.
What it means when you're constantly "fighting your brain" and how to recognize when a system simply isn't working.
The hidden effort and invisible work many successful adults with ADHD carry every day.
Why unexpected wins, struggles, and surprises contain valuable clues about how you work best.
How to recognize ADHD-related strengths that deserve more attention and appreciation.
The importance of spotting recurring patterns instead of focusing on isolated setbacks.
A simple reflection question that may completely change how you view your ADHD.
**Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min