A Fable from Bonnie Mincu
Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a plow horse who worked hard on the Jones farm.
Farmer Jones depended on the horse to till the soil and plow the fields. It was tough, thirsty work and the horse would begin to sweat and slow down after a time.
Day after day, the farmer would try to guide the horse to a trough of water. But the horse always refused the water and insisted on continuing the plowing without getting hydrated. He wanted to finish the plowing as soon as possible to get back to the barn. Leaving the field to drink seemed a waste of time to the horse.
Finally, only when he was ready to drop from exhaustion and thirst, would the horse take a drink from the trough.
The neighboring farm had a similar sized field, and a plow horse as well. Farmer Jones noticed that his neighbor seemed to get the plowing done much faster. “What do you feed your horse to make him work so productive?” Farmer Jones asked his neighbor.
“Nothing special,” said the neighbor. “Every few rows he takes a water break. That seems to help his energy and motivation.”
The next day, Farmer Jones plowed 5 rows in the field, and then unhitched the horse from the plow. He led the reluctant horse to the water trough.
“I didn’t ask for a water break,” snorted the horse impatiently. “What kind of sissy do you think I am, taking a break after only 5 rows. At this rate, we’ll be at this plowing all day.”
The horse stood there refusing to drink until Farmer Jones gave in, hitched the horse back up and resumed the work.
As always, the horse slowed down more and more until he was trudging and exhausted. They finished the day’s work long after the neighboring farmer and his horse had returned to the barn.
Farmer Jones ran into his neighbor that Sunday in town. “I notice you put in some long workdays” said the neighbor. “Your horse looks beat.”
“What can I do?” said the exasperated Farmer Jones. “That stubborn beast would rather tough it out instead of drinking when he’s thirsty. He thinks he looks weak if he takes a water break. He just doesn’t get it, that taking time for water will actually help us get done faster.”
“I can lead the darn horse to water, but I can’t make him drink.”
Don’t be That Horse.
You don’t have to do things the hard way just because have ADD / ADHD.
There are many tools and strategies for work that you may fear will take up valuable time, but will actually help you work far more efficiently. And in using them, you’ll appear more competent, and you won’t feel exhausted and stressed out at the end of the day.
In fact, once you learn your own best solutions for working at your top potential, you can become a “productivity engine!”
ADHD Productivity Engine Training Starts Thursday, Jan. 15
My ADHD Productivity Engine training program gives you everything you need to dramatically improve your productivity, for any kind of work or projects. You'll learn tools and strategies and how to customize them to your ADD / ADHD traits, so you can pull out of procrastination, manage your time, write quickly, organize and plan, and follow-through.
It's a 9-week program, with structure and support to begin implementing what you learn immediately in your real work and life.
We start this Thursday, January 15. It is simulcast live online, plus all sessions are recorded for download, along with complete notes and a private coaching bonus.
I only give this program once a year, so you won't want to miss it.
