Growing up, I suffered from severe ADD.
Although I didn’t know this until I was nearly 19 years old, I remember always feeling like there was this thick cloud or fog surrounding my brain and nothing I did could help me escape it.
My dad was my basketball coach during my year on Junior Varsity and also an assistant coach while I was on the Varsity team.
He recounts many times, in the most heated moments of the game, we would be in a timeout and I would just be staring off into space with this blank look on my face. My body was there, but my mind could have been anywhere!
In class, I vividly remember being called on during one of these bouts of “mind-body separation” and, in some kind of witty fashion, trying to answer the question that had been asked even though I drifted off into mental oblivion half an hour ago.
This tactic never succeeded.
Whether or not you have ADD, it is very common to suffer from intense bouts with brain fog.
Brain fog presents itself as:
- An intense staring competition with the wall or floor
- An inability to gather your thoughts into a comprehensive sentence
- Lack of clarity, focus, attention, and creativity
And can result in:
- Feelings of doubt, worthlessness, or shame
- Difficulty completing tasks or even starting them
- Lack of motivation to follow-through on commitments
I’m sure that you have experienced at least one of these things listed above. I mean, haven’t we all?
It’s good to know that you’re not alone. Often, when we have a struggle, we immediately feed our minds with the idea that we are the only one going through this.
Millions of people, everyday, everywhere, suffer from brain fog.
In the comedy movie, “Office Space”, Peter (the main character), when talking about his daily work experience says,
“After that, I sorta space out for an hour…I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I’m working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I’d say, in a given week, I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual work.”
If you’ve watched the movie, you know that many factors play into Peter’s lack of motivation. However, what he is experiencing in this quote is intense brain fog.
So, how can you get rid of brain fog and begin producing at an elite level with high motivation and enjoyment?
- Develop a Set of Core Values
Core values are the things that drive you forward. They are what you believe about yourself and the world around you.
Examples of core values are integrity, honesty, simplicity, etc…
Once you have your core values listed, you can then move into:
- Establish a Transformative Purpose or Vision
Your vision for your life and purpose are driven by your core values. Without core values, there can be no vision or purpose.
When you have a transformative purpose, or “why” for doing what you do, you are able to escape the daily battle with brain fog and get to work!
- Set Goals for Yourself — And Follow Through
Goals are so important. Many research studies have proven that the individual who sets goals, writes them down, and acts on them is more successful than the individual who does not.
When you don’t have any goals, each day goes by without any intention.
No intention = brain fog, lack of motivation, and lack of success.
When you apply all three of these things to your life, you are able to achieve flow every day. You will also begin making decisions centered around your core values and driven by your vision.
Anything that lies outside of your values and vision, will not be included in your personal goals and will not have any time dedicated to it.
This level of specificity will drive away brain fog because you will wake up each day with a deep sense of passion, enjoyment, and intention to move you forward towards massive productivity and the achievement of your goals.