The Disorganized Mind - Part 2
I have to say one thing about this book, it’s not intended to be a fast read. It’s a read that if done right will have you with your notebook or laptop or mobile device sitting there taking notes. Reflecting on the things that are asked.
The point up to now in the book has been - think about your base. Where are you at and where do you want to be. It is ideal for people who can read, internalize, and implement. I have re-read chapter 3 at least 4 times now. Each time I do I come away with more and more. It’s the questions that are asking you the hard questions. Especially if you have ADD/ADHD.
The first time through I read it and started to think about them. The next time through I read them and typed them into my electronic journal. The third time through I put them into my notebook. The last time through I reviewed my notebook and compared to my e-journal and now am re-answering them. They say a “Genius” has to see something 5 times before he internalizes something so maybe there’s at least 4 or 5 more times I’ll need to review them.
Check back in a day or so and I’ll have the answers here - (no questions though - that would be giving it away).
The thing that I would point out here to everyone who is thinking about this book or picked it up and put it down because the truth of the answers were too hard to face up to, this is what life is about. ADDers or non-ADD alike have to come to this base. It may seem that some people might have their “act together” but what we see and what we don’t see are miles apart. Just because you feel you need to initiate change in your life is not a solitary experience. EVERYONE regardless of ADD, nearsightedness, balding, lactose intolerant, or anything other physical difference, goes ponders this and wonders how to implement this. How many people do you know have read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People but don’t follow the guidlines? For the millions of people that have bought that book we’d be a completely different world if they were all living this way.
I tried many times to adopt Covey’s cycle into my life, but as an adult with undiagnosed ADD I was constantly shooting myself in the foot. It’s nearly impossible to adopt it for those of us who on a whim change our minds, impulsively commit to events, or will inadvertently take on too much so we don’t have to face the hard reality of planning and preparation. Especially when doing it by the seat of our pants in crunch time is so much more stimulating.
Living to our values, our core principles is the heart of living a balanced life. So when your co-workers ask you to “help” them do something that you would like to do so you can be seen as the go-to person at work(gratification boost to brain) your core values will kick in and help to determine what is the right choice based on your principles. And that is much more fulfilling than being stuck at work for 2 more hours because you think that at the end of the day it will matter more that you did this when you didn’t really need to.
The Disorganized Mind is about creating the process and structure in our lives to be in a position to make those decisions and understand the repercussions. I would say this again, change is hard. Really hard if you don’t want to do it. BUT with the right amount of structure and learned self control, the ADDer can literally do anything.
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