Understanding ADHD Motivation and why its just so hard to get started sometimes!

"It's on the to do list and I want to get it done - why can't I just do it?"

When ADHD and Neurodivergent people seek to undertake tasks, our ability to get going and motivate ourselves can be very unpredictable.

Whilst we may often have the benefit of Hyperfocus as a skill (and what a skill it is when we channel it in the right direction!) other times, we can deeply desire to complete a task and yet struggle to get going or stay focused for what feels like absolutely no reason.

Nearly every client I work with reports these same challenges. They are frustrated by the unreliable nature of their motivation and want strategies to help. As I take a strengths-based approach to supporting people, I find that by understanding more about how our brains and nervous systems work, we can start to understand the inherent levers we have that can help us access motivation when we need it.

We can start to work with our natural ways of working rather than against ourselves…this reduces stress and potential burnout, which makes work far more sustainable and enjoyable.

Interest-Based vs. Importance-Based Nervous System

Did you know that different Neurotypes are motivated differently?

Neurotypical people tend to have what is called an importance-based nervous system. This means that for them, motivation occurs, and tasks are prioritised based on the motivators of personal responsibility, external expectations, or rewards. They complete tasks because they are:

• Personally meaningful

• Important to someone else (like a boss)

• Tied to rewards or consequences

  
  

This is why to-do lists may be perfectly motivating to a Neurotypical person even if the task itself is not particularly interesting.

If it is on the list and meets one of the above criteria, it is likely to get done. (or at least more likely than it might be for their neurodivergent buddies!)

On the other hand, Neurodivergent and in particular ADHD people, with interest-based nervous systems, may fully understand that a task is important and that not completing it will involve consequences BUT we can still struggle or even find it impossible to get started or focus on that task at all.

Most of the clients I work with feel guilty and ashamed about this seeming ‘lack of motivation’ they have towards tasks on their ‘to-do’ list BUT have no idea what to do next. Because we are not taught how to tap into our inherent motivations, we often rely on a stressful cycle of procrastination and panic. What we actually need, is to understand how our nervous systems activate, how to tap into our dopamine (the most important neurotransmitter we need to get going) and to have a plan of how we are going to use this information when we need it.

So, what are the key motivators for our brains?

Neurodivergent, and in particular ADHD brains thrive on 5 key motivators. Dr. William Dodson coined the acronym ICNU to describe these motivators, but it’s more commonly referred to as PINCH, which stands for:

• Passion and Play: Doing things that are enjoyable and intrinsically motivating.

• Interest: Focusing on tasks that are inherently fascinating.

• Novelty: Seeking out new, exciting experiences to stay engaged.

• Competition (or Cooperation/Challenge): Adding a people element of challenge or competition to make tasks more interesting.

• Hurry (Urgency): Creating time pressure to feel a sense of urgency and get things done.

  
  

So, what does Dopamine have to do with it?

Dopamine and the Interest-Based System

To understand the ADHD motivation system, it’s important to know what role dopamine plays. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that influences everybody’s reward system and motivations. It drives humans to pursue things we expect to be rewarding. In fact, when dopamine levels are depleted in mice, they stop eating because they no longer feel motivated.

Many of the things that we are likely to have been taught are the result of ‘willpower’ or ‘intention’ are actually related to the levels of dopamine in our brains.

We aren't intentionally lazy or unmotivated, we just have unreliable dopamine!

Brain studies tell us that the ADHD brain processes dopamine differently than a neurotypical brain, which explains why people with ADHD tend to be dependent on dopamine-driven motivation systems.

This is part of the reason why stimulant medications work: they prevent dopamine from being reabsorbed too quickly, so it stays active in the brain longer hence why those of us who take medication may report higher levels of motivation, even for boring tasks, when our medication is effective.

The Plan - How can you use this day to day?

I’m a big believer in planning how we work most effectively in advance because if there is one thig that goes out the window when we are stressed and that’s problem solving!

Working with my clients, I have found that there are a number of ways you can use these insights in the workplace or during study to make it easier to do the work you need to do. Here are some of the ways in which I use these ideas to support people:

-          Reflection – what has worked for you in the past?

Take a look at the 5 ADHD motivators and think about the times when you have been in hyperfocus or been able to motivate yourself to work hard and complete a task effectively. Which of these motivators were present? How did you use those motivators to work effectively in the moment? How might you make a list of the different ways in which you could use these motivators in similar ways in the future?

-          Reflection – what has not worked previously?

Think about a piece of work or project you have undertaken that was not motivating. Which of the 5 motivators was missing and how did that make things difficult for you?

-          Strategise – Make a plan

Think about a piece of work or project you have coming up that you anticipate you might have trouble feeling motivation towards. Which of the 5 motivators is missing in this work? In what way might you experiment with using that motivator yourself to increase your motivation for the task? E.g. If a lack of clear urgency and deadline is the issue, can you commit to a supervisor that you will report on your progress on a specific element of the work in next week’s team meeting?

Final words!

At the end of the day, trying to work in Neurotypical ways that don’t work for us often leads to increased stress and burnout, in addition to generally being highly ineffective.

If we want to maximise our effectiveness and reduce stress, t's essential to learn how to work with the motivation system we have—one that thrives beautifully on interest, novelty, and urgency.

If you are a Neurodivergent professional, I would love to help you reduce your overwhelm at work and support you in designing a Career you can thrive in.

Alternatively, if you are an awesome manager or HR professional looking for ways to increase the wellbeing and performance of your Neurodivergent employees whilst boosting retention, innovation and profitability - let's talk!

Book a no-obligation complimentary 15 minute chat here to discuss how I can help you achieve you work more sustainably and achieve your goals.