Many entrepreneurs are Turbo Thinkers! As innovators, they produce ingenious ideas and fearlessly run with them. They are creative risk takers that see opportunities where others can’t. However, it takes executive function skills to take The Big Idea and turn it into reality.

We all have things to do and limited time in which to do them. So you have the choice to run around like a chicken with your head cut off or to stay calm and carry on. The difference lies in planning and preparation.

In fact, I seek motivation around me. I don’t think it’s only in one particular place or person. I think it’s fluid and the ability to find it anywhere any place, from both within and from external sources, is one of the key executive function skills necessary for peace and success.

Adela Baker is the force behind Mind Coach NOLA. Big things are on the horizon for 2019 & we can’t wait to share them with you! In the meantime see what 5 Life Lessons Adela finds most valuable…

Shanice Webb is our latest coach in the Mind Coach NOLA community. As a transplant from Ohio she enjoys long-boarding in the French Quarter & stopping for an iced vanilla coffee with soy milk.

Happy Mardi Gras, from Mind Coach NOLA! Mardi Gras presents us with every opportunity for impulsive behavior. ADHD or not, the whole city is throwing caution to the wind, so I can too! Right? 

Nine ways to be a #GoalCrusher this year and stay on track!

1. ENERGY

If you are not motivated, you always run out of energy. Going to bed is the best part of your day.

If you are motivated, you move quickly all day long and never stop. You are a source of power.

10 tips to be more productive, empowered, positive and driven for 2019.

Given the time of the year it’s easy to become stressed - between the activities, errands, social commitments, travel etc. Let’s figure out how to reduce that feeling so you can go into 2019 ready to conquer all of your goals!

I just ran across a short article titled, “7 Surprising Ways Your Dog Says ‘I’m Stressed” and glanced at my canine companions. They were in the deep sleep of their mid morning nap after their sunrise run and healthy breakfast.

I read a lot. It’s how I unwind and let my brain wander into another world. It’s my favorite way to unplug and relax. In fact, I often declare digital detox weekends (or afternoons) and head off to the woods, secret cabin or back porch with a pile of books and magazines, looking forward to hours in my hammock. I also love libraries and would be broke without them. Amidst this holiday season when the activities are endless, the weather is cooler and the stimulation is abundant there is no better time to take time and give yourself a mental break than by squeezing in some reading.

One of my favorite sessions at the International ADHD conference earlier this month was facilitated by Dr. Christopher Willard, psychologist, author and educational consultant specializing in mindfulness. He asked us, “Are you mind full or mindful?” Is your mind full of random thoughts or are you paying attention in real time with kindness and curiosity? We reach for our phones on average 150 times per day. How many of those times are necessary? Or even conscious choices?

Perhaps you feel a sense of overwhelm and perpetual stress. Perhaps your self esteem is low because people have accused you of “not trying” or “not caring”. Perhaps you know what you have to do, but you just can’t seem to do it. Perhaps you start many projects but can never seem to finish any. Perhaps you have embarrassed yourself by blurting inappropriate remarks.

Using your phone to Google things too often weakens your memory since you don’t have to prune the neural pathways that strengthen it by trying to come up with the answer, according to Sharon Begley's article "Smart Phone, Lazy Brain" at Mindful Magazine. Begley references a Wired Magazine article from 2011 on the "Google Effect":

Our brains tend to find distractions that boost our dopamine levels. What is something that can make us feel good and require little to no effort? Hulu! Snapchat! And if we can find something that rewards us with zero effort, well that’s even better. Hello, video games!

First of all, students should not base their self worth on their academic performance. Report cards have no importance if a student is always doing his or her best at all times. An ideal student takes ownership of his or her own learning, fully engaging in the education process. We want all students to explore and take advantage of the opportunities offered in school, sucking the marrow out of their education.

I think that they are all related. Some people have a natural aptitude for these, while others need help to develop them. Some people have developed a few while not others. If I were pressed to choose just one, I would say that the most important is the ability to sustain attention when the task at hand is not interesting. Unfortunately, life is not interesting 100% of the time. If you can find a way to make it interesting for your brain so that you can focus, you can accomplish quite a bit.

Lao-Tzu, the father of Taoism, said something along the lines of: “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”

The participants were amazing. They were all engaged, curious and willing to share. Moreover, they were all open to new ideas and eager to grow. They were brave and adventurous in their conversation.