Stephanie: Yes, it’s true: when you have Adult ADHD, it’s much easier to start projects, and even to get 85% of them done, than to get that last 15% finished. First, you need to be aware of what’s happening here, and that it’s normal with Adult ADHD.

Someone with Adult ADHD starts bondage out a project and it’s really exciting, fun and you’re interested in it. You’ve got a lot of momentum, and then you get halfway through, and you say, “Yes, it could be really cool.” Then you get to about 80% or 85% and you say, “Oh, man. This is so boring. Ugh. I’m not going to do this anymore.” Does that sound familiar?

Tellman: This is what I call the “Three-Quarter Rule.” It’s a common thing with Adult ADHD. For me, it’s about 75%. I get the thing launched..it’s going well enough to exist, but it’s not really polished. So, what I did is, I recently hired someone, and their only job is to finish all the stuff that I don’t finish.

They’re happy, because they’re learning about all the really cool, creative things that I’m doing, and how to pull things like this together. This person is very, very organized, very meticulous, doesn’t have Adult ADHD like me, and is very good at just sitting down and focusing on something until it’s done, regardless.

I’ll tell you, he’s one of the most valuable people in my company. I can’t believe how well it worked. He’s finishing all the stuff that I’ve left unfinished.

But I’d like to bring up another point here, Stephanie, which is something people with
Adult ADHD need to ask themselves:
“Does everything actually have to get done?”
“Does everything you start have to end up finished?”
 

Stephanie: The direct answer to that is, “No. It absolutely does not.” It’s okay to leave some things unfinished if it’s not going to impact you financially, spiritually, emotionally or mentally in a way that’s very negative. How many times have you heard, “You’ve got to finish what you start”?

We hear it from parents, teachers, everybody.
They are usually really focused people without Adult ADHD, who only start one project at a time.