October 1, 2025

Jesse J. Anderson Talks About ADHD, Extra Focus, and Finding Flow

My next book, Productiveness, arrives this September. It's about the difference between doing more and doing what matters, and how we lost the ability to tell them apart. I'll send the release date the day it's set. Visit https://mikevardy.com/productiveness to learn more.In this episode of A Productive Conversation, I sit down with Jesse J. Anderson, a writer, speaker, coach, and ADHD advocate whose work has resonated with countless people navigating life with ADHD. He’s the author of Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD and the voice behind the popular newsletter of the same name.Jesse brings a mix of humor, honesty, and lived experience to the conversation. We dive into the challenges of attention, time, and motivation—and the strategies that can help not only those with ADHD, but anyone who wants to work with their brain instead of against it.Six Discussion PointsHow Jesse’s diagnosis at 36 reframed his past struggles and opened new possibilities.The concept of the “clockless mind” and why time feels so different for those with ADHD.The oscillation between friction and flow—and how to recognize both.Jesse’s “4Cs” framework (Captivate, Create, Compete, Complete) for unlocking motivation.Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) and how it impacts relationships and self-perception.Why strategies like adding action verbs to tasks and “eating the ice cream first” can help create momentum.Three Connection PointsJesse's Extra Focus newsletterGet Jesse's BookListen to APC 164: Faster Than Normal with Peter ShankmanTalking with Jesse reminded me that productivity isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you live with ADHD or simply want to work more effectively, strategies like the 4Cs and reframing how you view time can shift the way you approach your day. I hope you’ll check out Jesse’s work and experiment with some of these ideas yourself.Your inbox is a receiving dock, not a warehouse. Three moves, seconds a message, and only what needs you today is left standing. That's the promise of The 10 Second Inbox. Get it at https://mikevardy.com/10secondinbox today.

Also available on Apple Podcasts ↗