Outsource Your Willpower

Do you ever feel like you work so hard at school to keep focused and do a good job that you are exhausted when you get home? You’re so tired from school you just want to forget it all when the bell rings? And when it’s time to do your homework, you just…can’t…make…yourself…get…started?

Perhaps you just don’t have enough willpower. WHAT!?

That’s right, scientists have been discovering there are limits to willpower. Had you heard that you have a limited amount of willpower every day? Once you use up your daily does of willpower, you’ll need to replenish it.

There are times in our lives when we need more willpower than we have the personal resources for. That’s where outsourcing comes in.  Outsourcing is a business tactic where companies free up internal resources by delegating responsibilities to external companies. Just like a company outsources their call center to a company that specializes in that expertise.

You don’t have to do it all on your own! Use your ADHD coach as a way to outsource some of your willpower. When you hire a personal coach, you are making a commitment to yourself to working on something you care about. AND, more importantly, you are asking someone for help in sticking with that plan.

Think of your coach as an extension of your highest self. Just like people find working with a personal trainer makes it more likely for them to work out in between training sessions, your ADHD coach can help you set weekly goals, develop a plan, and make a commitment to yourself to make it happen.

When you work with your coach, she helps you stay accountable. Often times just knowing you have an appointment with your coach at the end of the week will be enough motivation to get started on something today. Plus, your coach can also send you a reminder of the things you decided you wanted  (and were able) to accomplish that week. When you get to the end of the week and you haven’t hit your goals, your coach can help you figure out why you missed the mark and what to do about it next time.

Yes, you could ask your friend to do the same thing. Perhaps you’ve tried that already, so why didn’t it work? The big difference is that your coach is more motivated to see you succeed, because you are paying her! Your friend has his own set of goals to keep track of and may forget yours.  Also, your coach knows a lot about ADHD and is experienced with helping people find plans that work for their personal styles. Why reinvent the wheel?

Are you ready to pump up your willpower through outsourcing – or is this just a crazy idea? Please sound off in the comments, below.