What if the perfect workflow you're building is just another way to avoid making the hard decisions?

I screwed up a camera review this week. Made a factual error, took it down, and my first thought wasn't to slow down and check my work. It was to build a better system. A friend called me out: "You're not rushing because you lack a system. You're rushing because you're afraid of being irrelevant." This episode is what happened when I had to face that truth.

This is a solo episode where I break down how my ADHD brain turns anxiety into projects, why analyzing my thought patterns became another layer of avoidance, and what I'm actually cutting from my content for the next six months. If you've ever told yourself you need a better workflow before you can start, this one's for you.

What You'll Learn

• Why turning anxiety into a "system to build" feels productive but keeps you from actually solving the problem
• How ADHD brains need constraints, not more sophisticated systems, to work with scattered creative energy
• What happens when you try to make three different types of content simultaneously and why nothing gets the attention it deserves
• The difference between speed and direction, and why chaos looks like productivity when you're moving fast enough
• Why trying to do everything at 60% quality serves no one, especially not the people you're trying to help
• How the fear of running out of time creates panic that looks like action but leads nowhere
• What it means to stop using analysis as a way to avoid commitment and actually make decisions
• Why the only system that matters is asking yourself each day: did I help someone, and did I make something that matters
• The real reason creatives build elaborate workflows instead of doing the work they're afraid to commit to
• How to recognize when you're using complexity as an excuse not to choose a direction

Listen & Subscribe

Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Generator on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Enjoyed this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover these conversations.

Connect with Generator

Website: generatorpodcast.com

Instagram: @generatorpodcast

TikTok: @generatorpodcast

YouTube: @generatorpodcast

Host: Matt Stagliano - Stonetree Creative, Maine

Generator is a podcast about the creative process, personal growth, and what it means to build something meaningful. Hosted by portrait photographer Matt Stagliano.

Here's what I use to make Generator a reality: 

SOFTWARE

ECamm - What I use to live stream, record my video, and conduct interviews (Only for Mac)

https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=generator

Captivate.fm - The software I use to publish every audio episode and distribute it everywhere

https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yjuymdqo

17Hats - Get 50% off your first year of the best CRM for entrepreneurs

https://referrals.17hats.com/card/stonetree

BorisFX Crumplepop- Clean up audio faster than ever before 

https://borisfx.com/?a_aid=68bb347aa27d1

Cloudways - Solid, affordable Hosting for my wordpress websites

https://vrlps.co/f83e6os/cp

Pixieset - Get $20 off my favorite way to show clients their galleries

https://pixieset.com/ref/djDARTY4pa

WisprFlow - My typing gets slow, so being able to dictate anything in any app makes Life a lot easier. 

https://wisprflow.ai/r?MATT1716

HARDWARE

My Entire Studio Setup - This is an ongoing list of all the equipment I use in my home studio

https://www.amazon.com/shop/stonetreecreative/list/UI27EORM80W1?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_91ERYXJ9ZAQ1E4C0Q1VT

Small print: Some of these are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I get a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I actually use.

Keywords: ADHD and creativity, creative workflow, content creation strategy, photography podcast, creative business, overcoming creative blocks, productivity for creatives, photographer mindset, content strategy for photographers, creative entrepreneur, Maine photographer, finding your voice as a creator