Episode #384: Do It the Easy Way (The Hard Way Is Keeping You Stuck)

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Kristen Carder

About This Episode

What if the easiest version of the task is actually the smartest one?

In this episode, we’re talking about the path of least resistance — and why for ADHD brains, it’s not laziness. It’s strategy.

The path of least resistance is the version of a task that:

  1. Requires the least activation energy
  2. Uses the least executive function
  3. Hurts the least
  4. Gets you moving the fastest

Not the A+ version.

Not the neurotypical version.

The version you can actually do.

So why don’t we take it? Perfectionism.

Russell Ramsay calls perfectionism the number one cognitive distortion in adults with ADHD. It sounds like, “If I’m going to do it, I have to do it right.” But “right” usually means the hardest, most optimized version — which often means we don’t do it at all.

We’ll talk about:

  1. Why 70% done changes your life
  2. How all-or-nothing thinking keeps you stuck
  3. The moral layer that makes “easy” feel like cheating
  4. Why the hard way is often the never-finished way

Plus, I’ll give you a simple coaching tool to use when you’re stuck:

What is the easiest possible version of this?

Because forward motion builds momentum.

Momentum builds self-trust.

And self-trust changes everything.

Watch this episode on YouTube

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Learning About My Brain...

Changed Everything

Hi, I’m Kristen Carder—ADHD expert, podcast host, and certified coach who’s been exactly where you are. Diagnosed at 21, I spent years cycling through planners, courses, and systems that never quite worked. Everything changed when I discovered the power of understanding my ADHD brain and the transformative impact of community support.

Now, after 15+ years of research and experience, I’ve helped thousands of adults with ADHD thrive. I’m here to show you how understanding your brain can transform your life, just like it did for mine.

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