10 practices for quirky-brained founders — How do you score?
Calling all quirky-brained entrepreneurs and Founder/CEOs! If you’re often dazzled by too many possibilities and struggle to harness your inconsistent brain, this post is for you.
Did you know…
61% of entrepreneurs lean on intuition for decision-making, but only 20% of the overall population does so
35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic
29% have ADHD, and 62% of high-achieving entrepreneurs have ADHD traits
11% are bipolar
While the official stats on autistic entrepreneurs are non-existent, I’ve worked with strong performers who display autistic traits (mostly women). And hello Elon!
The likelihood that you are neurodivergent – on the edges of the human-brain bell curve – is well over 60%... even if you don’t have a diagnosis.
Additionally, 72% of entrepreneurs report mental-health conditions, which add depression and anxiety to the above list.
Yet the start-up world offers precious little support for people like us. Is it any wonder that 90% of startups fail?
Here’s what that means for you:
You can’t look to the establishment or traditional best practices for insights. And your brain is likely extra-sensitive to the toxic work expectations of typical startup culture.
To create consistent income and growth without boredom or burnout, you need new tools, strategies and approaches that are tailor-made for you. Think of it this way:
Using neurotypical practices is like taking a road trip when you have 5 destinations in mind, a carload of kids and a dog demanding your attention, and a partner with a bladder infection.
The typical route-planning process is not gonna work. And while targeted support like ADHD and productivity coaches can certainly help, they can’t address the underlying problem.
The underlying problem is not your brain, but rather:
The extent to which you rely on your inconsistent brain to solve problems that it is responsible for creating, and
Trying the same traditional approaches over and over again while expecting different results
How do you score?
I’ll bet you ten organic oat-milk lattes (yes, that’s my drug of choice) that you haven’t optimized your life and business to be divergent-friendly. Add one latte to the bill for each of the following that you’re NOT doing:
Supplementing your inconsistent brain with the trustworthy distributed intelligence in your body and emotions
Focusing on what doesn’t need to change (who you serve) instead of what changes often (what you do)
Trusting yourself over other people’s opinions
Embracing and strategically using your limitations instead of trying to fix or hide them
Creating a “zone of possibility” to play in rather than fixed goals
Borrowing from natural laws of power, like flow and gravity, rather than force or striving.
Reverse-engineering your plan from a desired outcome, instead of trying to plan forward.
Confession time… how many lattes do you owe me? Write it in the comments! If you owe more than 3, you’re likely struggling unnecessarily.
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Bottom line, what works for divergent mavericks are usually paradoxical in nature. No surprise, right? These shifts aren’t taught in startup accelerator programs and you won’t get them from the average coach or mentor.
It took ten years of trial and error for me to figure out what does work, and I’ve codified it in a structured-yet-fluid, standard-yet-highly-personalized process to help you shortcut your success.
There are several ways to work with me… including applying to be one of 10 founding members of the Groundbreakers Guild – an emerging global ‘center of excellence’ for divergent founder/CEOs.
C’mon, status-quo busters… let’s cut the startup failure rate in half and double the number of divergent-led unicorns by embracing our divergence!
Book a no-obligation 30-minute chat with me so we can learn more about each other.
P.S. Which of the ten practices surprised you or created curiosity? Share in the comments!
