Driven to distraction

What Hacker News says

1. robvirenDec 2023
   I struggle with the same thing. I have tried several times to get seen thinking it would be an easy process and have ended up missing them or procrastinating scheduling. I don't want to change who I am while at the same time I don't want me holding me back anymore. I am truly hoping 2024 is the year where I actually give it a try.

   For what it is worth I found a lot of comfort in the audio book version of "Driven to Distraction". Somehow listening to others struggle made me feel not alone in the battle with one's mind. https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Revised-Recognizin...

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2. steve_adams_86Jul 2023
   I highly recommend reading up on it if that particular aspect resonates with you. Driven to Distraction is a very useful and informative read with a decent amount of technical information as well as personal accounts to help relate how the condition manifests.

   It’s very diverse. It isn’t always bad, but often is, and even people with god outcomes can often benefit from the insight of understanding why they’re different.

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3. superasnFeb 2022
   I guess it would depend on the category, like if you are doing any sort of front-end dev then one book I'd recommend over any other is Don't make me think which is still relevant today.

   For the smb/indie-hacking I think E-myth revisited really changes your whole perspective about running a small business, especially when you read yourself on the pages.

   Also there is one book which I don't think everybody should read but was truly life changing for me was Driven to distraction. It helped me get a evaluation and understand that ADHD is a very real thing (real as something which Doctors can spot on a MRI and it's not something you can overcome with strong will and determination).

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4. fsocietyFeb 2022
   IMO find companies that are remote friendly, even if you go into the office, and do not value ass in chair time. They are more likely to not care if you show up late one day, or don’t get much done one day.

   I see a lot of comments on medication here, but you should know it is not the most effective treatment. Rephrased, medication alone will not be enough to overcome ADHD. The advice I received was that, it will help me do the things which will help my ADHD. For example, breaking large tasks into smaller ones, bullet journaling, etc.

   Lastly read “Driven to Distraction”.

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5. staredFeb 2022
   Is it real? Yes.

   Did you get the correct diagnosis? Well, no idea how even the best & brightest internet crowd could guess.

   Do features of ADHD interact with one's way of life? Hell yeah! It goes both positively (e.g. providing much-needed stimulation) and negatively (modern media & marketing prey on the addiction to dopamine kicks).

   Regardless if you have it or not (and since it is a spectrum, the answer is not binary) - try "How To ADHD" YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx13a2-unjE) and the book "Driven to Distraction" (https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Revised-Recognizin...). It might help you in understanding yourself.

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6. staredJan 2022
   > As I haven't really worked at big companies, I've always had this nascent feeling that I never really learned "the right way" to do things. I often feel like a "patchwork engineer", learning how things work only sufficiently to make things work in a smaller scale without understanding important big project/organization principles.

   What you write reads like a typical ADHD Imposter Syndrom. Why do I bring ADHD? Because you are a jack of all trades[1], experience FOMO, work at startups, and are concerned with not doing things "the proper way". Been there, done that.

   There is "Driven to Distraction" book by Hallowell & Ratay (https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Revised-Recognizin...), which deals with ADHD in adults. This type of behavior is common. The crucial thing is to accept that one will never be (or should strive for) being a "typical [insert a job here]". So corporations and other well-specified jobs are usually (though not always) bad fits. And there is a lot of strength in that - startups, freelancing, consultants [2].

   Furthermore, big companies push this narration that only "things at a scale" matter. I strongly disagree. All startups start from a small scale. And even in big companies, a lot of innovation comes from small, proof-of-concept projects.

   [1] The complete phrase is "a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one".

   [2] For me, school, studies, even Ph.D. were too standardized. Then I started to shine as a freelance consultant, and now I flourish as a founder. It is good to find one's niche!

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