How I stay focused as an ADHD entrepreneur 🧠

Dec '25 (edited) • 🧠 ADHD

I have built three separate six-figure companies, and sold one of them for $350k. I've been a solopreneur for over a decade. (Till this year, when I partnered up with the dope-ass human that is

@Rex Loyer

)

All the while, I've dealt with my ADHD constantly bombarding me with shiny objects, rejection sensitivity, overwhelm, procrastination, perfectionism... you name it, I've probably faced it.

Here's are the best ways I've found to stay focused as an ADHD entrepreneur:

1️⃣ Having a clear vision and goal that excites me and lights me up.

Never have I been more successful in my life than when I knew exactly what I wanted and was obsessed with getting it.

If you don't know what you want, start with what you DON'T want. Go from there.

2️⃣ Utilizing body-doubling and accountability.

The most consistent and sure-fire way I've found to getting something done when I'm really struggling to focus, is to have someone work with me and hold me accountable.

This is why we have our virtual eat the frog sessions every single weekday morning. Working on something together—even if you're working on entirely different things and aren't even in the same room—is a cheat code to getting an ADHD brain to focus on the task at hand.

3️⃣ Coming from a place of "get to" rather than "have to".

My ADHD brain HATES doing things I "have to" do but don't WANT to do. Especially if that task is boring or tedious, or I don't see the WHY behind doing it.

The secret I've found here is to change the narrative; I don't HAVE to do anything. I get to—that is, I choose to—do this thing because it supports me in my vision (point #1).

If it is truly a "have to" or "should do" thing, I GET to re-assess whether this task is actually in greatest service of my vision for my life. If it is, I GET to either CHOOSE this task (turn it into a choice and a get to) or remove this task by delegating, automating, or choosing not to complete it.

And if it's truly a "have to" task that my brain cannot or will not change to a "get to", then I utilize body-doubling, accountability, caffeine, and whatever else I need to do to get it done.

But these "have to" tasks should be VERY rare. (For me, these are things like taxes (which is why I pay

@Ernesto Guardado

to do them for me so I don't have to) or paperwork-type tasks.)

If they are common for you, re-read the previous paragraphs.

4️⃣ Noise-canceling headphones, lofi, close your tabs, put on a timer.

My favorite way to get myself to sit down and focus is to head to a cafe, pop in my noise-canceling headphones, close out every single tab except the ONE thing I want to focus on, turn on some lofi, and set a pomodoro timer.

Bonus points for turning phone to DND mode and even putting it in another room or in a bag so it doesn't even have a chance to distract you.

Shout out to

@Sam Rathling

for mentioning Brain.FM!

5️⃣ Exercise, diet, sleep, sunshine, routine.

If I am consistently struggling with difficulty focusing and low energy levels, these are the five things I look at first. Any time I've noticed myself struggling with ADHD to the max, it almost always overlaps with these things being off.

Exercise has been shown in many studies to cause an almost immediate improvement in ADHD symptoms and focus. Balance exercises (like yoga and exercise ball workouts) have been shown to be of particularly high benefit for ADHD.

A high-protein diet also helps. If I'm not getting enough protein, it messes with my energy and focus.

(There's also some research linking diets high in both gluten and histamines to increases in ADHD symptoms. Please do your own research, though!)

A walk in nature or a bike ride also does wonders not only for my ADHD, but also for my mental health. I tend to suffer from seasonal affective disorder, so time in the sun and touching grass is particularly effective for helping me get through the darker, colder times.

And lastly, keeping a normal consistent routine regulates my nervous system and helps me stay more focused and grounded. Knowing what I need to do at any given time (without having to think too hard about it) not only makes me less distractible, but it also is a good business practice.

*️⃣ If all else fails, it might be time to make a major shift.

If I've done points 1 through 5 and I STILL can't focus, it likely means my life is out of alignment, and I get to make a major shift.

This has happened to me a few times throughout my career, and it has almost always marked either a new business or a new way I do business.

If you've implemented all 5 of these tips and are still struggling, I would suggest either:

A) Ask yourself if you're living the life you want to be living. And if you're not, figure out what gets to shift to bring you to alignment!

B) Consider medication. While I personally choose not to be medicated, for those higher up on the ADHD spectrum, medication can be extremely beneficial and can be the stepping stone you need in order to implement other good, more natural habits.

I'll pass the mic to you now. What have you done in your journey as an ADHD entrepreneur that's helped you stay focused and achieve more aligned growth?

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