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Thrive with ADD Newsletter - November, 2003
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Distributed
by Mincu & Associates
November 17, 2003 |
In this Issue:
- FROM IDEA TO COMPLETION
Test Your "Follow-Through" IQ
Sidebar:
- BEYOND PROCRASTINATION
"The Keys to Getting Started" E-book
- "THRIVE WITH ADD" AUDIO WORKSHOP
CD or Immediate Download
- CELEBRATE THE DIFFERENCE
Fun Illustrated Products Show Off ADD Strengths
- COACHING FOR ADD ADULTS
Website: www.thrivewithADD.com
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BONNIE MINCU
Personal and Business Coach
for ADD - AD/HD Adults.
NEW PRODUCTS HERE! |
COMPLETING PROJECTS
Test Your "Follow-Through IQ"
ADDers have gained an unfortunate reputation for having loads of great ideas, but poor follow-through. I've been inspired recently in coaching a young man who has succeeded amazingly well at every venture he's tried, from investments to opening a hot restaurant. His success may look to outsiders like "luck," but he actually makes the right moves at just the right time to create his success.
What sets him apart? Yes, he's smart, hard working, creative and intuitive... but so are most of my other ADD clients. The difference is that he starts with a vision of what he wants to achieve, a goal date to achieve it, and then sets about doing the steps that will make it happen. He makes sure all the steps are covered - not just the ones he likes. And when he's ready to move on to his next venture, he creates a working system to keep the first operation generating income.
Most of us need to be very intentional in how we follow through. But instead, we tend to be great at some steps, and ignore others altogether. We can't improve until we identify where we're falling short. Here's how to determine your "Follow-Through IQ."
YOUR FOLLOW-THROUGH SELF-ASSESSMENT
Read about each Stage of Completion for a typical project. Then, for
each of these five stages, rate your past tendencies on a scale of 1
(poor) to 5 (excellent).
1. IDEA - Your Vision or Goal
This is an articulation of what your intention is. You'd do best to
visualize your goal clearly, making it as specific as possible.
For example, Shanna's dream is to open a small reading café in the city. Her vision begins: "I will create a café that feels like a quiet, cozy oasis from the world, where people will come to curl up with a book in big armchairs while enjoying home-style desserts and soft music." She continues to flesh out the café in more detail.
YOUR SCORE_____
2. FEASIBILITY- Doing a Reality Check
At this early stage, you research the possibilities for financing, profitability,
gaining approval of your boss or support from your family. Also consider
the possible constraints. While you don't want to be too easily influenced
by pessimistic nay-sayers, you do need to become aware of the circumstances
required to see your vision through.
Opening a café means Shanna must carefully consider
rent, construction, products, wages, competition, and hours of operation.
Shanna also needs to assure her husband that she won't be working in
the cafe every evening.
YOUR SCORE_____
3. STRATEGY - Planning and Timetables
Your overall strategy would involve the means by which to achieve your
goal, keeping your vision in mind. What are all the steps necessary
to reach your goal? Considering the strategies you want to follow, plan
what actions are needed, and anticipate any roadblocks that could hinder
you. As you think of each step, ask yourself, "What must be done first?"
Shanna's café would attract customers through the strategies
of 1) Serving high quality homemade desserts, and 2) Creating a special
ambiance desirable to those who crave a quiet place to read or talk.
Shanna wants to hire a baker, and she needs to obtain a liquor license
to serve wine. In order to reach her prospective book-loving customers,
she must have a marketing plan. It might include promotional mailings
to music groups and book clubs, or local ads run on National Public
Radio. A timetable is critical!
YOUR SCORE_____
4. IMPLEMENTATION - Taking Action Steps
Here's where the rubber meets the road - actually doing what needs to
be done, to make this vision a reality. If you haven't anticipated possible
roadblocks in Stages 2 and 3, you could get stuck here. This is where
ADDers often falter, when the unexpected glitch crops up. The danger
is in not building flexibility into your plan; or thinking it must be
perfect, or not worth doing at all.
Shanna hadn't anticipated all the forms and permissions
she'd require to open a café. Instead of giving in to her feeling of
paralysis when faced with all the paperwork, she enlists the help of
a detail-minded friend.
YOUR SCORE_____
5. COMPLETION - Tying It Together
Once your project is up and running, there's danger in losing interest
before you actually reach the goal. How will you know when you've achieved
your goal? How does it fit in to the big picture?
Shanna's vision wasn't only about opening a café, but
about it being profitable while still allowing Shanna to have time for
a personal life.
YOUR SCORE_____
WHAT DOES YOUR SCORE TELL YOU
1. IDEA/VISION - A low score could indicate a feeling of paralysis, not being sure what you'd like to do. You may feel shut down by too many options or constraints, have a hard time making decisions, or are simply at a stage where you're content where you are. If so, follow-through is not as much an issue with you as motivation to make a change.
2. FEASIBILITY/REALITY CHECK - This is often a tough area for ADDers. It can feel discouraging to put a possible damper on your idea by exploring facts and constraints. But without taking this stage into account, your ideas will lack credibility and could leave you with painful scars and a reputation for pie-in-the-sky thinking.
3. STRATEGY/PLANNING - If you have a history of skipping the planning stage to jump directly into action, you are practicing "Ready, Fire, Aim" - shooting first and aiming later. This approach is most likely to rack up unnecessary costs, trauma, rework and frustration. It's ultimately much more efficient to think things through and do them right the first time. If you're too impatient to plan, ask others with a more analytical approach to help you talk things through, or be your "Board of Advisors." A business coach familiar with ADD would be a great help here.
4. IMPLEMENTATION/ACTION - A low score on Implementation / Action has more meaning when taken in context with the scores that precede it. If you're also low on Stages 2 and 3, it may be that you're more interested in thinking about new ideas than on actually realizing them. Low Action with high Planning scores indicate that your strength lies in planning rather than execution. You may want to partner with someone who prefers the "doing;" together, you'd have the bases covered.
5. COMPLETION - This stage is dangerous for ADDers. We tend to get bored easily, and drift off without an exit plan, leaving loose ends. When you're planning, be sure to include plans for determining measures of success, and some milestones to reach long-term. If you're deadline-oriented, you may procrastinate and then squeak through at the last minute. That usually means you've reached completion by sacrificing quality and sleep!
Now that you've identified exactly what your bugaboos are, you can think more clearly about strategies to address them. Successful strategies will be ones that work with your traits, attention span, and interests. A coach can help you develop these, or you could brainstorm with a friend or family member who really understands you.
LET ME KNOW
what stages are hardest for you. In the coming months, I'll be working
on solution-oriented e-books and telephone classes. They'll be announced
in subsequent THRIVE with ADD newsletters. See the right-side column
for the Audio Workshop CD and "Getting Started" E-book AVAILABLE NOW
www.thrivewithADD.com
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BEYOND
PROCRASTINATION
"The Keys to Getting
Started" E-book
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YOU CAN'T FOLLOW THROUGH IF YOU NEVER GET STARTED!
At last, there's an easy-read e-book to help you
identify what keeps you from getting started on projects, study, work
and goal-fulfillment. After coaching and teaching hundreds of ADD adults,
it is clear to me that simple "procrastination" doesn't tell the whole
story. "The Keys to Getting Started" e-book deals with all the aspects
of procrastination, distraction and paralysis that we experience, and
gives some tips (the "keyes") to help start new habits and thinking.
For only $8, download
it now www.thrivewithADD.com!
Read Bonnie Mincu's "Ask the Coach" column in The
AD/HD CHALLENGE JOURNAL. Subscribe at 1-800-ADD-2322.
E-mail: adhd@adhdchallenge.com
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"THRIVE WITH
ADD" AUDIO WORKSHOP CD or Immediate Download
GIVE THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING
What could be a more meaningful
gift than a tool that provides new insight into yourself or a loved
one? The 74-minute "THRIVE WITH ADD" Audio Workshop
gives an overview of ADD, and an in-depth exploration of challenges
and strategies for "Work, Tasks, Projects & Study." It contains guidance
for self-observation and coaching, real-life anecdotes, and will help
your loved ones understand you.
ORDER
IT NOW
at www.thrivewithADD.com
in audio download ($15)
or CD ($19).
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CELEBRATE THE DIFFERENCE
Fun Illustrated Products Show Off ADD Strengths
We're multi-talented, multi-tasking, artistic, smart, and never at a loss for something to do.
Check out colorful new T-shirts and mouse-pads with illustra-
tions that celebrate these special qualities. They're for sale on the website at:
www.thrivewithADD.com/products
Great for gifts!
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COACHING FOR
ADD ADULTS
"Coaching is a way to develop
effective strategies to help you reach goals of greater performance,
change or transfor-
mation in your life. Coaching will help you reach
important decisions, and deal with people, events and organization in
an optimal way. As an ADD Coach, I help you understand how ADD works
with you in particular, so that you can work WITH your own flow and
rhythm, rather than against it You can reach goals you never thought
possible!"
Bonnie Mincu, "Thrive with ADD" Coach
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FREE COACHING or CONSULTATION SESSION
Is coaching for you?
Find out now!
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"Thrive with ADD" SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER.
QUESTIONS? Contact:
Bonnie Mincu, Personal & Business Coach
www.bonniemincu.com
212-614-7317
bonnie@bonniemincu.com
© Copyright 2003 Bonnie Mincu. The "THRIVE with ADD Newsletter" may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the author must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.
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