Learning to Trust Yourself, Even with ADHD

Slay ADHD | Focus for Business Owners with ADHD

In this episode, Laura unpacks the worry-stress-forget cycle that so many ADHD entrepreneurs get stuck in, and shares three practical, ADHD-friendly practices for rebuilding self-trust after mistakes, missed deadlines, or hard days — without waiting for perfection first.

•       Why the brain's stress response actually makes you more likely to forget the things you're most worried about

•       How the "worry – stress – forget" cycle reinforces itself, and how to interrupt it

•       Why traditional productivity tools (long lists, sticky notes, visible reminders) often backfire for ADHD brains

•       How self-talk trains your brain to look for evidence that confirms what you already believe about yourself

•       The 3 C's framework — Curiosity, Challenge, and Competition — for making self-trust and follow-through feel like a game instead of a chore

•       Why waiting for "proof" before you trust yourself keeps you stuck, and what to do instead

•       The meltdown: two reschedules, a shut-down ad, and a rejection sensitivity spiral

•       The question that started it all: a friend's reaction to Laura's post about trusting yourself

•       Practice 1 — Look at your past with intention: brainstorming your wins, what you've overcome, and the mistakes you've survived

•       Practice 2 — Watch how you talk to yourself: the "yellow car" game and why your brain finds what it's told to look for

•       Practice 3 — The 3 C's: Curiosity ("I wonder what would happen if..."), Challenge (turning tasks into a dare), and Competition (body doubling with a friend)

•       The choir music story: how curiosity (not pressure) helped Laura remember something she usually forgets

•       A quote from Simon Sinek on embracing uncertainty as an entrepreneur

"Trusting yourself does mean believing that even if you forget something important, or get a customer order wrong, or get it to them late, you will recover and do what's needed to make it right."

"Don't wait for perfection before you choose to trust yourself."

"Your struggles don't define you. They are just a part of living with an ADHD brain."

1.     Look at your past with intention — use it as proof of what you can accomplish, not just proof of where you fell short.

2.     Pay attention to how you talk to yourself — your brain works to confirm whatever you tell it is true.

3.     Play with Curiosity, Challenge, and Competition — lighten the pressure and gamify follow-through.

•       Free master class: how ADHD shows up in business and what to do about it. Sign up here

Episode Summary

Planners, apps, and quick fixes can only take you so far. In this final episode of the FOCUS series, Laura breaks down exactly what the FOCUS program is, who it's for, and what it looks like to do this work together — so you can decide if you're ready to take the next step.

What You'll Hear

(0:00) Why another program? Why off-the-shelf solutions don't work for ADHD entrepreneurs, and what makes individualized support different.

(2:23) The Three Roadblocks If your business feels stuck, one of these is likely why:

• No reliable planning system — starting every day in reactive, frantic mode
• Projects that never quite finish — the excitement of new ideas pulling you away from completion of existing projects
• Inconsistent revenue — good work, but broken back-end systems holding cash flow back

(7:43) Inside the FOCUS Program An 8-week, fully customized program built around your brain and your business — not a course, not a template. Week by week, you'll work through discovery, identifying your biggest executive function challenges, building core systems, testing and refining, and finally embedding what works. You leave with a system that keeps working long after the program ends.

(10:10) The Beta Opportunity FOCUS is opening to its very first cohort. That means founding-member pricing (the lowest it will ever be), a small group of just 4 members for maximum personal attention, and direct input into shaping the program.

(11:05) Is This for You? This IS for you if you're an ADHD entrepreneur tired of pushing through stress, ready for consistent cash flow, and willing to commit 8 weeks to real change.

This is NOT for you if you want a quick fix or a hand-me-down template.

(12:40) How to Join

Ready to Join the Beta Cohort?

👉 Claim your founding member spot →

Or reply to any email from Laura and say "I'm in" or "I want to know more." She'll personally follow up within one business day.

Spots are limited to 4 members. When they're filled, the beta closes. Don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers.

What if the reason you're not making more money isn't that you're not working hard enough — it's that you have a leak in your system you haven't found yet?

What this episode is about

You're putting in the hours. You believe in what you do. So why isn't the revenue reflecting that? In this episode, Laura digs into the hidden money leaks that quietly drain ADHD entrepreneurs — missed invoices, slow follow-up, perfectionism, and ideas that never get off the ground. More importantly, she maps out exactly how fixing your focus systems closes those leaks and creates steady, predictable income — without adding a single extra hour to your day.

In this episode you'll learn

The invoicing trap

Why the longer you wait to bill, the less likely you are to get paid — and how to fix it.

Perfectionism is costing you

How chasing perfect projects slows delivery, kills referrals, and quietly caps your income.

Leads going cold

The simple systems that stop potential customers from walking out the door before you call back.

Steady income vs. income bursts

What sustainable revenue actually looks like for an ADHD entrepreneur — and how to build it.

Love your business again

How getting your systems right brings back the joy and excitement you felt when you first started.

Your worth vs. your price

Why undercharging is a mindset problem — and small steps to start asking for what you deserve.

The FOCUS beta program is open now for a small founding group — at a fraction of the full price. Laura is also offering one free spot to a qualifying applicant. Apply, schedule a free call, and find out if it's yours.

Apply at LauraAnnLang.com →

Connect

Questions? Reach Laura Ann at [email protected]

Tags

ADHD entrepreneurs, business systems, cash flow, invoicing, focus, productivity, ADHD business coach, revenue growth, executive function

In this episode, Laura discusses the unique challenges faced by ADHD entrepreneurs regarding focus and productivity. She emphasizes the importance of creating customized systems that align with the ADHD brain's functioning, rather than relying on generic productivity methods. By redefining focus and implementing tailored strategies, ADHD entrepreneurs can enhance their productivity, reduce overwhelm, and achieve their business goals more effectively.

Takeaways

Real focus for ADHD entrepreneurs is not about discipline.

ADHD brains require customized systems for productivity.

Focus means knowing what to work on and when.

Creating a system can alleviate emotional distractions.

Slowing down can lead to greater productivity.

Trusting yourself and your team is essential.

Custom systems should reflect individual strengths and challenges.

Efficiency leads to better business outcomes.

Building systems with personal input increases effectiveness.

This episode explores the concept of executive function and its impact on business success for entrepreneurs with ADHD. It delves into the challenges of executive function in business and provides insights into specific areas of executive function, such as task initiation, time management, planning & prioritizing, working memory, organization, and goal-directed persistence. The episode also addresses the relationship between stress and executive function challenges, emphasizing the need for structural solutions over willpower.

Learn more at LauraAnnLang.com and you can take advantage of the offer to benefit from the program as a beta tester.

Takeaways

• Understanding the impact of executive function on business success
• Invitation to join the FOCUS program as a Beta Tester

Why do ADHD entrepreneurs often feel trapped by the challenges of running a business? I will discuss the reasons we are so good at what we do, but still struggle to get ahead. With the introduction of the FOCUS Program, I will address these challenges and review how building effective systems can get you over these hurdles.

The conversation explores the impact of neurodiversity in business and offers insights on overcoming ADHD challenges through system improvements.

This is part 1 of a 5 part series.

Takeaways

• ADHD entrepreneurs have advantages as business owners and also face unique challenges
• Building effective systems can help overcome the biggest struggles

Laura opens with a personal story about forgetting to arrange a dinner delivery for a couple in need at her church — and the shame spiral that followed. This relatable moment sets up a deeper conversation about working memory: what it is, why it's harder for people with ADHD, and how to build practical workarounds.

Working memory is the ability to hold multiple pieces of information in your mind while actively using that information to complete a task. Think of it as your brain's processor — sorting incoming thoughts and deciding what to act on now, save for later, or let go.

ADHD makes the brain more susceptible to distraction — a phone call, a new thought, an interruption — which can knock important information right out of working memory at the worst moments.

1. Build Habits & Routines — Recurring tasks (invoicing, follow-ups, analytics) become automatic when turned into habits, removing the need to rely on working memory at all.
2. Write It Down — Use paper notebooks, desk calendars, whiteboards, and digital tools like Google/Outlook calendar with alerts. Offloading thoughts frees up mental bandwidth.
3. One Thing at a Time — Resist the urge to chase new thoughts mid-task. Capture them in a note and return to what you were doing.
4. Use Visual Cues — Leave physical reminders in your path (items you need to bring, things to reorder, tools you want to use).
5. Be Where You Are — Staying present reduces rumination, shame, and anxiety. Mindfulness practices like body scanning, guided meditation, or journaling can help.

Poor working memory isn't a character flaw — it's a wiring difference. Accepting that is the first step. Try one strategy at a time, and don't be discouraged if something doesn't click right away.

Book a free call with Laura or check out her free masterclass at lauraannlang.com.

In this episode of Slay ADHD, Laura discusses the challenges of time management faced by individuals with ADHD, particularly entrepreneurs. She explores the concept of time as a symphony, the issues of time blindness, hyper-focus, and the importance of planning and prioritizing tasks. Laura provides practical tips for improving time management skills and emphasizes the need for self-compassion in the face of these challenges. The episode concludes with an offer of a free ADHD planner for business owners.

takeaways

• Struggling with time management is a common challenge for those with ADHD.
• Time can be viewed as a symphony, with its ebbs and flows.
• Time blindness affects the ability to estimate how long tasks will take.
• Hyper-focus can lead to losing track of time and missing deadlines.
• Planning and prioritizing are crucial for project success.
• Imagination can help in visualizing successful outcomes.
• Using analog clocks can provide a better sense of time passing.
• Setting alarms for important tasks can aid in time management.
• Recognizing the reasons behind time management struggles is important.
• Self-compassion is key when dealing with time management issues.

To help get better organized and have a better grip on your scheduling and time management, I’m giving you a copy of my ADHD planner for Business Owners.  Along with the planner, there will be follow up emails, with descriptions of how to use the different parts of the planner.  You can get the planner here.

https://www.adhdentrecoach.com/planner

And if your ready to get some custom business help, schedule a free consultation here. https://www.adhdentrecoach.com/calendar

What if instead of being overwhelmed by all the responsibilities in your life, you could see them each as a part of the whole beautiful life, like the branches of a tree?

In this episode of Slay ADHD, Laura discusses the challenges faced by entrepreneurs with ADHD, particularly the feelings of overwhelm and stress-induced dysregulation. She introduces the concept of the ADHD Mind Balance Tree as a creative organizational tool to visualize and manage various responsibilities in life. This method emphasizes the importance of seeing life as a whole rather than a series of tasks, helping individuals to feel more balanced and less overwhelmed. Laura also provides insights on how to break down responsibilities into manageable parts and encourages listeners to embrace creativity in their organization process.

takeaways

• ADHD can lead to feelings of overwhelm and confusion.
• Stress-induced dysregulation affects decision-making abilities.
• The ADHD Mind Balance Tree helps visualize life responsibilities.
• Each limb of the tree represents different life roles.
• Breaking down responsibilities into branches and twigs aids clarity.
• This system is not about productivity but about balance.
• Seeing responsibilities as part of a living thing reduces anxiety.
• Creative expression can be a powerful organizational tool.
• The Balance Tree can be customized to fit individual needs.

If you would like a free copy of the ADHD Mind Balance Tree to write on and make it your own, come claim it at this link.

In this episode, Laura discusses the importance of creating balanced habits for entrepreneurs, as a way to create a sense of balance and ease in life and in business. We all need self-care to prevent burnout and improve productivity, but it's hard to find the time.

Laura shares her personal experiences and introduces four key balanced habits that can help individuals manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. The conversation highlights the significance of recognizing stress, setting up evening rituals for better sleep, and the overall impact of self-care on business success.

If you'd like to learn more, check out my free masterclass here.