BONNIE MINCU
Personal and Business Coach
for ADD - AD/HD Adults

As summer ends, businesses and individuals consider September a time for renewed productivity. Do you eagerly anticipate fall for a new beginning, or do you fear you'll feel stressed and overwhelmed? Here's a true story illustrating how a sudden, small shift of mind can create a whole new picture.

Lost Briefcase Leads to Breakthrough

One of my coaching clients, Jason, experienced a break- through in his thinking this week that will pay big dividends in his life. It came about when he misplaced his briefcase over the weekend.

As Jason prepared to leave for the office Monday morning, the briefcase was nowhere to be found. Recalling all the places he had it with him over the weekend, Jason despaired of ever finding it again. It contained all his important phone numbers and contact information as well as his appointment calendar.

Jason's initial reaction was to become paralyzed and despondent, flooded with memories of all the times he had misplaced things from childhood on. His self- esteem plummeted. Without his phone book and calendar, he felt helpless to call in for his phone coaching appointment, or to set up an important Monday morning meeting.

Then he asked himself what a non-ADDer -- what an organized person -- would do in such a situation. (Even organized people sometimes lose things!) He decided to ACT AS IF he were organized and self-confident.

Acting As If He were Organized

An organized person would not change his whole day and damage his business credibility by blowing off meetings and appointments. A more productive approach would be to simply and matter-of-factly explain the situation and obtain the information needed to keep his appointments.

So, Jason first did an Internet search to find the phone number needed to keep his coaching his appointment. Then he asked an associate for help in setting up the Monday meeting. Once this was accomplished, he was able to calmly and analytically think about where he had been with the briefcase, asking his wife to help him mentally retrace his steps.

As a result of acting 'as if,' Jason salvaged his day, located his briefcase, and felt proud of the way he handled the situation.

When caught in the middle of a moment of panic, shame, overwhelm or anxiety, it is very hard to think clearly. Jason needed to get back some feeling of control before he could analyze where he might have left his briefcase. Taking the time to keep his phone appointment and consider effective alternatives put him back in control.

This change in thinking and behavior will reap long-term benefits. Next time Jason misplaces something, he'll remember to take constructive action instead of being paralyzed by shame. This small success also helped Jason realize that he has the power to create habit changes that will keep him from leaving belongings behind again.

What if you decided to act 'as if' for a week of your life?

Whether intentional or not, we all project a message through our everyday behavior. If you act disorganized, overwhelmed and late, that's what others will see. But even with ADD traits that undermine you, you can choose to ACT AS IF you were in control. One small behavior change leading to success will help breed more success.

What if you were to pick just one habit to change, and 'ACT AS IF' for a week of your life?

Do you tend to impulsively over-promise?

• Act as if you're a more cautious person. Next time, say 'let me get back to you' instead of automatically saying yes.

Do you get overwhelmed by so many 'to do's' that you end up doing nothing?

• Act as if you were capable of action. Take any one of your to-do's, break it down into small steps, and DO one of the steps. (HINT: Do the easiest steps first!)

Are you constantly late for work, meetings or dates?

• Act as if you respect other people's time. Commit to leave at least twice as much time to get there than you normally do. Then think through what you'll need to leave on time, and do what is necessary to leave on time, no matter what.

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Please let me know how acting 'as if' works for you. I'd love to hear your success story -- no success too small!

COACHING CREATES SUCCESS
Want help in creating your new habits and behavior to dramatically improve control in your life? Consider Thrive with ADD one-to-one coaching. Read about it Then contact me at bonnie@bonniemincu.com for a free sample coaching session/consultation.

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TELEPHONE CLASS RECORDINGS for Adult ADD CHALLENGES

'Will Your Christmas Tree Still be Up in July?' Overview of ADD FREE TELECLASS COMING SOON! DATE: Thursday, September 8 TIME: 9:00 PM Eastern Time PLACE: At home on the phone Thrive with ADD kicks off Fall with 11 teleclasses! They're all at 9:00PM Eastern time, 90 minutes long. Audio recording and notes included with every class. Watch your email for date announcements. DON'T WANT TO WAIT? You can begin learning now, at your own pace, with downloadable teleclass recordings and notes! Read details of each class, and purchase by registering at www.thrivewithadd.com - Audio Class Recordings.'. Telephone Class Recording Topics Available Now WILL YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE STILL BE UP IN JULY?: Overview of Adult ADD - FREE Class Recording GETTING STARTED: Move Beyond Procrastination FOLLOWING THROUGH: From Idea to Completion DEVELOP A TIME SENSE Get Out of 'ADD Time!' GET UN-STUCK with MIND-MAPPING For Planning, Writing and Study ADD and WORK Thriving in Organizations ENTREPRENEURSHIP and ADD Potential and Pitfalls CREATING RITUALS The Key to New Habits RELATIONSHIPS and ADD - 2-Part Class Avoid Friction and Frustration Click here for REGISTRATION and DETAILS.

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