Kourosh Dini's Blog, page 13

Leveraging Fear

Are deadlines the only way you can get things done?

What if you can break free from them?

Particularly for those with ADHD, those creative powers waiting within can be a wonderful resource when freed from fear.

“I’m fine. The report’s not due until Friday… I’ll watch a show to relax…”

It’s Monday.

Maybe you write “Do report” on the refrigerator white board, or even nicely place it on a list, complete with an assigned due date for Friday.

Tuesday, the pressure mounts.

It’s “Important, but not Ur...

Time, Nature, and ADHD – a Podcast Discussion with Take Control ADHD

Time isn’t an illusion. We swim in the stuff.

Time and attention would seem to be separate things.

But, I’m not so sure. I often wonder if they are just two perspectives used to describe different facets of the same thing, the words just more evidence of our blinded selves trying to understand another proverbial elephant.

Such were my ramblings on a recent Take Control ADHD podcast episode.

Several weeks ago, their team reached out to me to have me on as a guest. After doing my little happy dan...

Getting to The Edge of Action

Even starting simple tasks can sometimes overwhelm us.

Learn how to bring yourself to The Edge of Action and support your decision, no matter which way you go.

Read on…

I’ve just got to mail this letter. But I’m not doing it. I don’t get it. Why is this so hard?

There’s a often a fight within the self. A part of us wants to do a thing. Meanwhile, nearly inexplicably, “I don’t wanna” feelings compete.

When it’s so hard to get ourselves to do something, especially when it would otherwise seem so ...

The Play Hidden Beneath

Work and play are often posed as contrasting figures.

Particularly for those who struggle with ADHD, they may even seem enemies.

But what if there is a fusion between them, a fusion that could even measure success…

“I have to get this done and turned in by Friday. But it’s Monday… I’ve got time…”

The big report looms, but it’s a ways away and there are other things that need doing. In fact, you know you “do well under pressure”.

“That’s when that flowing state really kicks in!”

And though, you ...

Good Stress Is Still Stress

Good stress is still stress.

Managing it is not only healthy but can also help make good things happen.

Can your system deal with good stress, too?

The success of Waves of Focus has been wonderful. Students are interacting, supporting each other, and learning. Several have discovered new ways of interacting with themselves, feeling less scattered and more accomplished already.

And only a third of what I’ve planned is published to the site!

And my goodness is there stuff to do!

There’s promotion...

Power In Iteration

Hey Folks,

Bit of a change up today. This one’s got video…

A few months ago, my friend Jim Green asked me to help out with one of his pieces, Scryer.

I was in a bit of a bind that I imagine many can relate to. I’d like to do it, but how? I’ve got other stuff to do!

I relied on a little bit a day and the power of iteration. Nothing more magical than that.

Here’s the video…

– Kourosh

PS. Check out Jim’s tunes. They’re excellent.

Broken Promises & the Costs of a Trusted System

Many systems and apps seem to promise everything, like guessing your motivations and prioritizing your next best thing to do.

But the implied promise readily breaks.

Here’s why and what you can do about it…

Every app, every system promises some sense of ease from decision.

Can I finally get things off of my mind?

We’d like to know:
– the best next thing to do is
– without thinking
– with my desires and wants of the moment taken into account
– in the perfect place and time
– optimized and ready ...

“You’re so smart, why can’t you just…?”

“You’re so smart, why can’t you just…?”

What a painful half-compliment.

If only there were a simple switch to make it all come together…

How many times have you heard?:

“You’re so creative. You’re so bright. Why can’t you get your act together?”

That half-compliment can hurt.

What if they’re right? Maybe you are bright, but you’ve never have been able to figure out where you stumble.

Maybe you even know you have potential, but you keep tripping and falling.

You try, you stub your toe, pick that...

Guiding the Waves of Focus – Launching Today!

A thousand thoughts a day…

First this, then that. Wait, what about the other thing?

Before one thought’s finished, the next has already knocked the first aside.

How does anyone remember to pay the bills? How does anyone make anything happen?

It would seem simple. We weigh our decisions and do one thing at a time, setting them aside and picking them up as we continue. That way we could:

Organize our environments to support us.Learn to write and perform music at the piano.Build long term projec...

Turning away from Anxiety-Based Task Systems & Announcing Waves of Focus

Dear Readers,

Getting into things may seem difficult without “the right conditions”, where the stars align and you can finally do that thing you’d been putting off.Maybe you struggle to manage scatter, where decisions weigh you down, leaving you paralyzed.Often the productivity tip *du jour* just doesn’t cut it, not helping you engage, leaving you without any sense of *meaningful* accomplishment.

One trouble you may have is an anxiety-based system.

Constantly measuring by what’s due next, fe...