Are you exhausted from trying to be “consistent”? Feel like you’re failing every time you break a streak or miss a day?
It’s time to stop.
Consistency is the most oversold advice in the productivity world, and it’s especially harmful for ADHD brains. In this episode, we’re breaking down why traditional consistency doesn’t work for ADHD—and sharing practical strategies that actually do.
What We Cover in This Episode
The Problem with Consistency
- Why consistency is an unfair expectation for ADHD brains
- How we’re comparing our behind-the-scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel
- The real definition of consistency (and why it feels suffocating)
- Why routine makes your brain itch—and how to reframe it
How ADHD Brains Actually Work
- ADHD brains run on dopamine and novelty, not steady motivation
- Why our interest and energy naturally rise and fall
- The truth about inconsistency: it’s not a personality flaw, it’s biology
- Why you can be consistent in things you’re interested in (until the interest fades)
What Actually Works: Practical Strategies
Strategy #1: Reconnect with What You Want
- How to identify what you truly want (without fear of failure)
- Moving from “I’ll stop wanting so it doesn’t hurt” to intentional goals
Strategy #2: The Minimum/Maximum Method
- Define the LEAST you need to do that still counts
- Define the MOST you could do
- How this eliminates all-or-nothing thinking
- Real examples: Exercise (5-minute walk vs. full body workout) and relationships (sending a text vs. planning a full day together)
Strategy #3: Make It Easy to Start
- When to schedule new habits (hint: not when you’re mentally exhausted)
- How to fit routines into your life where they actually work
- Why the right routines create freedom, not restriction
Strategy #4: Track the Truth
- Why your brain will lie to you about your progress
- How to make tracking easy and visible
- A personal story about forgetting 4 weeks of consistent workouts
Strategy #5: Baby Quitting vs. Real Quitting
- What “baby quitting” means (hitting pause without giving up)
- Why quitting completely isn’t an option—so you might as well keep trying
- How every quit and restart makes you better
Strategy #6: Reframe Failure
- Failure isn’t the end—it’s information
- How to decide ahead of time what you’ll say to yourself when you miss a day
- The voice that will either pick you back up or end you
Key Quotes from This Episode
“Consistency isn’t about perfection. It’s about freedom.”
“The right routines don’t box you in. They give you freedom because they take decisions off your plate.”
“We compare our behind the scenes to their highlight reel.”
“Mostly consistent is a lot better than you were doing before.”
“Your brain will lie to you about your progress.”
“Every time you quit and restart, you’re getting better and better. You’re becoming more of who you want to be.”
“Consistency isn’t about never quitting. It’s about what you do after you quit.”
“The only real failure is quitting for good.”
“Failure tells you what doesn’t work. Consistency is about trying again in a way that does.”
Action Steps: What to Do After Listening
- Stop expecting perfect consistency from yourself. It’s not realistic for ADHD brains.
- Choose ONE thing you want to work on and define your minimum and maximum for it.
- Set up simple tracking that’s visible (calendar, app, journal—whatever works for you).
- Decide ahead of time what you’ll say to yourself when you miss a day or break a streak.
- Ask yourself: Where can you show up one more time, even if you’ve quit before?
Real Talk
Inconsistency isn’t your fault. It’s not laziness. It’s not a character flaw.
It’s your brain running on a different operating system—one that needs dopamine and novelty, not rigid routine.
The goal isn’t to become someone you’re not. The goal is to build systems that work WITH your brain, not against it.
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