Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Hosted by David A Greenwood

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Episodes

372

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with Adult ADHD takes a street-smart approach to managing adult ADHD. This is THE podcast for busy professional adults, including business owners, entrepreneurs, CEO's, marketing and creative professionals and even PHD's with demanding workloads. The podcast is an excellent resource for any adult, especially individuals looking for strategies and tactics to create better circumstances in their professional lives. If you're a small business owner with ADHD and other life responsibilities, this is the perfect podcast to help you navigate the ups and downs of business and life with ADHD. Every week host David Greenwood, author of the book by the same name, has experts in the field of adult ADHD as well as other entrepreneurs with ADHD. Every episode is packed with solutions and methodical approaches to having a better life with ADHD. The podcast covers productivity, navigating workloads, how to manage yourself in a chaotic work environment, and burnout. And MUCH more! Entrepreneurs and business owners with ADHD share their insights and approaches with Dave regularly on the podcast. How did they do it and what do they need to have in place to be successful? Those answers can be found in the podcast. There are also many episodes with just Dave, who shares his thoughts as a busy entrepreneur with ADHD. Dave Greenwood has been both an entrepreneur for decades and an executive at one of the most recognized brands in the world, doing it all with ADHD. This is not a Q&A or a stuffy podcast. Every time you hit the download button, you'll feel like you're having a cup of coffee or a pint of your favorite beer with Dave and/for his guests.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 14, 202622 min

Why Busy Adults with ADHD Need More "Focus Days" Instead of More Productivity Hacks

What if the biggest productivity problem for adults with ADHD isn't a lack of focus, but not having enough uninterrupted time to focus? For business owners, entrepreneurs, and busy professionals with adult ADHD, constant interruptions, meetings, emails, messages, and competing priorities can make it nearly impossible to reach the level of focus needed for high-quality work. In this episode, Dave explains why large blocks of protected time can be one of the most powerful productivity tools available to the ADHD brain. And he offers ways to create them despite the demands of a busy professional life. The goal isn't to work harder. It's to create the conditions that allow your ADHD brain to do its best work. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

August 7, 202642 min

From UNILAD Founder to Advocate: Alex Partridge on How RSD Impacts Busy Professionals with ADHD

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions , Dave interviews Alex Partridge, founder of UNILAD and LAD Bible and host of the ADHD Chatter podcast, to explore how Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) impacts adults and entrepreneurs with ADHD. The central takeaway from their discussion is that in the absence of context and clarity, the ADHD mind catastrophizes ambiguity, filling in the blanks with the worst-case scenario and severe emotional distress. They unpack the origins of RSD, the role of early childhood criticism, and how these factors drive people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, and professional burnout. Key Discussion Points: Defining RSD in Adults: How Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria extends beyond childhood into busy professionals, driving catastrophic thinking in ambiguous situations. The Impact of Ambiguity: How unsaid details or minor shifts in behavior trigger a knee-jerk reaction in the ADHD nervous system to expect rejection or disaster. Alex's Personal Journey: The story behind founding UNILAD, the legal battle over ownership, and how RSD and poor self-esteem led to signing a detrimental partnership agreement. The 20,000 Extra Rejections: How children with ADHD receive significantly more micro-rejections growing up, shaping adult struggles with burnout and people-pleasing. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: The concept of "out of sight, out of mind" regarding personal achievements, and the strategy of storing tangible evidence of success to build confidence.

July 24, 202629 min

10 Must-Haves Every Small Business Owner with ADHD Needs to Succeed

The most successful entrepreneurs with ADHD don't rely on willpower, they build systems that support the way their brains naturally work. Running a small business with ADHD comes with unique strengths and equally unique challenges. Creativity, innovation, and big-picture thinking can fuel incredible success, but staying organized, prioritizing the right work, and following through consistently often require intentional systems. In this episode, Dave shares the 10 must-haves that have helped countless entrepreneurs and business owners with ADHD reduce overwhelm, improve focus, and spend more time growing their businesses instead of constantly putting out fires. Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for years, these practical strategies can help you work with your ADHD instead of against it. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min In this episode Dave talks about: Why every business owner needs one trusted system to capture ideas and tasks. How a weekly "CEO Meeting" with yourself creates clarity and direction. The importance of identifying your daily revenue-generating priorities. Simple ways to protect your time with healthier boundaries. Why financial visibility reduces stress and improves decision-making. How automation can eliminate repetitive mental load. The value of accountability through coaching, mentors, or peer groups. When and why delegation accelerates business growth. Why scheduling recovery time is essential for long-term success. How replacing self-criticism with self-compassion leads to better systems and better outcomes.

July 18, 202635 min

Rediscovering Joy and Balance After an Adult ADHD Diagnosis

High performance often masks undiagnosed adult ADHD, leading to burnout in systems designed exclusively for neurotypical minds. Dave talks with entrepreneur, author, and speaker Meghan French Dunbar about her journey with late-diagnosed ADHD. Despite founding successful ventures like Conscious Company magazine, Meghan spent years masking her struggles, overcompensating as an overachiever, and eventually burning out. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min They discuss the critical turning points that led to her diagnosis, the vital shifts she made to reclaim her life, and how she now manages her ADHD sustainably. Key Discussion Points: The Trap of the "Over-Performer": Meghan debunks the stereotype of the hyperactive "problem child" by sharing how her intense hyperfocus on school and sports allowed her ADHD to go unnoticed and unmasked for decades. The Neurotypical System & Burnout: The business world is built for neurotypical individuals; without the proper support, neurodivergent founders easily fall into chronic stress and identity-consuming work habits. The "Ideal Life Statement": Inspired by entrepreneur Sharon Rowe, Meghan highlights the power of prioritizing the quality of being over the quantity of doing by setting non-negotiable boundaries around working hours, family, and rest. Actionable ADHD Management: Key strategies for reclaiming mental health include establishing physical barriers, like removing work email from mobile devices, committing to daily physical movement, and building customized backend AI dashboards to organize and calm a busy mind.

July 10, 202623 min

Reclaiming Time, Boundaries & Agency in Your Business with ADHD

Your week doesn't have to happen to you. You can intentionally design it around what matters most. For many busy professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners with ADHD, the end of the week can leave you wondering where your time actually went. You were constantly busy, yet your most important priorities may have taken a back seat to interruptions, urgent requests, and other people's agendas. In this episode, Dave explores how asking yourself a few intentional questions each week can help you strengthen your boundaries, protect your time, and regain a greater sense of control. Let's create a more focused, purposeful, and rewarding week ahead. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min Key discussion points: Why ADHD professionals often feel busy but not intentional The difference between living reactively versus proactively Asking yourself, "Did my week happen to me or because of me?" Recognizing where you protected—or abandoned—your priorities Identifying the commitments that should have been a "no" Strengthening boundaries that protect your time and energy Breaking the habit of automatically saying "yes" Discovering where your time quietly slips away Creating more agency and ownership over your schedule Visualizing what an exceptionally successful week would actually look like Simple weekly reflection questions that help you build intentional habits over time

July 2, 202637 min

Healing Stress Illness for Busy Adults with ADHD

True physical recovery begins only when we stop ignoring the brain's response to chronic pressure and prioritize our own joy. This is a must listen podcast episode for anyone with adult ADHD experiencing physical symptoms and stress! Dave sits down with Dr. David Clarke, author of They Can't Find Anything Wrong and president of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms. Together, they explore the profound connection between high-achieving professionals, ADHD-ish tendencies, and "stress illness." Real, debilitating physical symptoms generated entirely by altered nerve pathways in the brain rather than structural disease. Dr. Clarke sheds light on the medical blind spot surrounding neuroplastic conditions and reveals how a childhood spent in high-stress "minefields" frequently shapes the overachieving, people-pleasing adult personalities susceptible to burnout. Ultimately, this insightful conversation highlights how listening to your body's distress signals and intentionally relearning how to pause and play can heal decades of unexplained pain. Key Discussion Points Defining Stress Illness: Dr. Clarke clarifies that ailments like migraines, chronic back pain, and GI issues are 100% real, physical conditions triggered by neuroplastic brain pathways rather than localized injury or organ disease. The Childhood Connection: Many high-achieving adults and individuals with ADHD traits grew up in unpredictable environments where they developed hyper-vigilance and people-pleasing tendencies as survival mechanisms. The Medical Blind Spot: Standard Western medical training primarily addresses structural issues, leaving both primary care and mental health professionals under-equipped to diagnose brain-generated physical symptoms. The Necessity of "Finger Paint" Play: High-performers often lose the essential human skill of purposeless play, trapping them on a treadmill of constant achievement until the body protests. Shifting the Mindset: Healing requires self-respect, acknowledging early life stressors, and taking actionable steps toward recovery through specialized self-assessments and neuroplastic recovery therapies.

June 12, 202642 min

Emotional intelligence can be your greatest entrepreneurial strength as an adult with ADHD

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions , Dave sits down with Mark Steiner, founder of the powerhouse event marketplace GigSalad. After receiving a life-changing ADHD diagnosis at age 57, Mark looked back on his journey from a New Jersey theater actor to a highly successful CEO. They dive deep into the unique mechanics of the ADHD brain in business, exploring how unconventional paths can breed massive professional success. Entrepreneurship and ADHD: The Reality of Late Diagnosis: Mark shares his personal journey of discovering his ADHD later in life after his daughter was diagnosed, highlighting how common it is for adults to finally make sense of their lives decades into their careers. EQ Over IQ: Mark emphasizes that high emotional intelligence (EQ) and "street smarts" are critical for building a flourishing company culture, far outweighing traditional MBA or textbook knowledge. Non-Negotiable Systems for Success: To sustain a thriving, bootstrap company for over 20 years, Mark relies on hiring people who complement his weaknesses, delegating autonomy completely, and protecting his calendar for essential solitary decompression time. · Build a Culture of Autonomy: Avoid micromanaging your team. Plant the overarching vision, give your employees a "long leash" with plenty of freedom, and act as their ultimate cheerleader while they execute. · Acknowledge and Map Your Social Window: Recognize that even if you are an extrovert who thrives at conferences or in boardrooms, you likely have a "four-to-six-week window" before you need dedicated, solitary decompression time to reset. · Practice Extreme Self-Mercy: Forgive yourself for the tangents, the oversharing, and the inevitable administrative blemishes. Mark attributes true professional freedom to showing up as your authentic self without "shape-shifting" or masking. You can find GigSalad here: https://www.gigsalad.com/

June 9, 202621 min

What Your Adult ADHD Was Trying to Tell You This Week

Success can make it easy to overlook what's really happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Dave steps away from productivity hacks, planners, and optimization strategies to focus on something even more important. ADHD awareness. If you're a busy professional, entrepreneur, executive, or high performer with ADHD, these weekly questions will help you uncover patterns, recognize strengths, and better understand what your brain may be trying to communicate. In this episode Dave talks about: Why ADHD can be both a professional advantage and a source of friction at the same time. How to identify moments when you felt most energized, engaged, and aligned with your strengths. What it means when you're constantly "fighting your brain" and how to recognize when a system simply isn't working. The hidden effort and invisible work many successful adults with ADHD carry every day. Why unexpected wins, struggles, and surprises contain valuable clues about how you work best. How to recognize ADHD-related strengths that deserve more attention and appreciation. The importance of spotting recurring patterns instead of focusing on isolated setbacks. A simple reflection question that may completely change how you view your ADHD. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

May 26, 202638 min

Managing Adult ADHD is Less About Short-Term Hacks and More About Embracing a Regulated Way of Life

Dave connects with Jenna Free, author of A Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation , to dismantle the misconception that thriving with neurodivergence requires endless lifestyle hacks. Instead, they dive deep into the power of nervous system regulation and why busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and CEOs frequently find themselves trapped in a frantic cycle of high performance followed by complete shutdown. Jenna highlights how prolonged states of fight-or-flight mimic and intensify ADHD symptoms. She offers a sustainable path to step out of survival mode and provides actionable advice on thriving with adult ADHD. How adults with ADHD can embrace emotional regulation: The Vicious Cycle: Operating in a frantic, rushing state can feel highly productive but inevitably leads to stress, overwhelming burnout and in some cases physical shutdown. The Mechanics of Dysregulation: When stress tricks the nervous system into perceiving routine business challenges as life-threatening, blood physically leaves the brain for the limbs, crippling executive dysfunction and creative focus. The "In-the-Moment" Regulation Strategy: True regulation isn't about avoiding stress or taking constant breaks. It involves interrupting dysregulation in real-time by slowing your physical pace and breathing without abandoning the task at hand. Unpacking Core Beliefs: Common narrative traps, such as feeling constantly "behind" or believing rest must be earned, keep the nervous system stuck in a permanent, defensive tug-of-war. You can find Jenna's book about ADHD and regulation here. https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Guide-ADHD-Regulation-Enjoying/dp/1400254698 **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

May 15, 202638 min

From Attention Deficit to Flourishing with Adult ADHD

The most impactful way to navigate life with ADHD is to shift your identity from a "disability deficit" mindset to a neuroaffirming, strength-based perspective. In this episode of Overcoming Distractions , Dave chats with Liz Ahmann and Micah Saviet , authors of the new book Flourishing with Adult ADHD (released April 2026). The discussion dives deep into practical, evidence-based strategies for high-performing professionals and entrepreneurs who are tired of temporary "hacks" and ready for long-term growth. They explore how understanding your unique brain wiring is the first step toward moving past the shame of a late diagnosis and toward true well-being. Key Discussion Points Hacks vs. Habits: Why temporary ADHD "hacks" often fail and how a deeper understanding of your specific "flavor" of ADHD leads to sustainable lifestyle changes. The Power of the Pause: Introducing the STOP practice (Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed mindfully) to move from a reactive limbic state to a thoughtful executive state. Neuroplasticity in Action: How mindfulness and nature walks physically clear neural pathways and lower cortisol levels. Identity Re-calibration: Moving away from the "square peg in a round hole" mentality by embracing neurodivergence rather than trying to fix perceived weaknesses. Combating Shame: A look at the research-backed need for self-compassion and how it serves as a foundation for emotional regulation and resilience. Practical Growth Tools: Simple shifts like gratitude journaling, "micro-wins," and using the VIA (Values in Action) assessment to identify natural strengths. Find Flourishing with Adult ADHD: The Evidence-based Guide to Client Well-being for Therapists and Coaches here: https://amzn.to/4uX9Bd0 And learn more about the work Liz Ahmann and Micah Saviet are doing here: https://www.adulttraumaandadhdsolutions.com/ https://www.pathways-ahead.com/ **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min