The Faster Than Normal Podcast: Add | Adhd | Health

The thing I love the most about ADHD is this: I get to talk to people who went through the exact same things as a kid, that I went through as a kid. This week's guest is no exception - Meet John Sonmez - Bullied as a kid, and turned his ADHD into a mega-power for him. A day or a week doesn't happen for John without a plan. In John's terms, "ADHD people suck at judgement calls. So I remove them." The key: Create your plan when you're NOT in the moment - When you're NOT fueled by passion, dopamine, or fire. Then you can make the right choices. PS: Meta rule: You can only modify the rule NOT when you're doing the rule. I.e., you can't say "I don't want to run today" if your rule for this week says you have to run today. In this episode, Peter and John discuss: John's background story (01:32) Negatives of growing up with ADD (04:42) Dealing with society and expectations (07:31) Tips to maximize your day (09:16) Modifying rules (11:22) Flying of the rails (12:56) Start with the end in mind (14:58) Things John wil

Meet Dr. Jim Poole. He's this week's guest, and he runs a wonderful company called FastBraiin, which has centers around the country that focus on helping children, students, and parents understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. (Sort of like a walk-in version of this podcast!) The best part about FastBraiin? It's deliberately misspelled, because Jim has ADHD and mistyped the domain when he bought it. I love that. Enjoy! In this episode, Peter and Jim discuss: Jim's story (01:16) Different types of patients (04:13) The McDonald's syndrome (05:47) Protein for breakfast (07:28) Meditation and kids (09:56) Tips for parents (11:30) Watching TV (13:38) Links/Mentions Fast Braiin John Ratey - Spark (book) As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of anyone you think should be on the FTN podcast? Shoot us a note - We'd love to hear!

Not often we get a TV star on Faster Than Normal! Meet Ryan Zamo, star of Amazon's "Backstabber." One of the hardest things anyone has to deal with in life is rejection - Now imagine having ADHD, and having to deal with rejection in a million different ways. "Was it because of this? Or this? Or maybe this?" Ryan has amazing stories about how he handles rejection, and as importantly, how he stays focused, stays in the zone, and of course, his amazing ability to "reset" on a moment's notice. Don't miss this one! In this episode, Peter and Ryan discuss: Ryan's story (01:21) Dealing with rejection (05:32) Ability to reset (07:01) Staying focused (08:37) Creativity on medication (09:37) Natural ways to get in the zone (11:44) Ryan's show (13:13) Links/Mentions Ryan Zamo (Twitter | Instagram) Backstabber (TV show) As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of anyone you think should be on the FTN podcast? Shoot u

Let me tell you about Rachel Cotton. Other than the half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich on foccacia bread that's strangely taking up half her headshot, she's one of the most hyper-focused people I've ever met. Possibly even more than me, and that is saying a LOT. Also, she loves Daft Punk. My kind of woman. But, she proves a point - Having a faster brain really DOES mean we can do anything. There's something to be said for having a playlist for your workouts, AND a playlist for your WORK. Like many of us, she's a regular person, making her mark in a world that's just a little bit slower. She has a really impressive backstory, and I think you're going to enjoy this interview. Pay special attention to the parts where she talks about how she handles projects that require massive amounts of focus. There's some gold in there. Enjoy! As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of anyone you think should be on

If you're an entrepreneur, and you've never heard of the EOFire Podcast, you're probably not an entrepreneur. John Lee Dumas launched a podcast in 2012 focused on the entrepreneurial journey, and by 2015, the revenue from it allowed him to move his family to Puerto Rico and live the life he wants to live - And yes - He credits his ADHD for it. He's a brilliant entrepreneur, who has used the Faster Than Normal staples of elimination of choice and avoiding distractions to blow up his life for the better. You're going to like this one! In this episode, Peter and John discuss: John's background (02:08) Focus and avoiding distractions (06:22) The squirrel theory (09:00) Elimination of choice (09:31) Sleeping times (11:21) Rituals (13:36) Time Hack (19:46) Links/Mentions EOFire The Freedom Journal Dynamite Circle Tour of John's house Workflowy (app) Shankminds Asana Pomodoro Method As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't al

Happy last day of August, live from Shanghai! Hope you're having a great week! This week's guest is Elliot Weissbluth, the CEO of Hightower Advisors. Elliott was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was a young boy, and much like those with ADHD, he learned to change his brain to use his gift to his advantage. It seems to have worked, as Hightower currently has something like $36 billion dollars under management. Elliot gives some great insight on how he runs his team, and uses his unique talents to do so. This is a departure from the ADHD guest format, and I'm glad we did it, as there's a lot we can learn from Elliot and the dyslexic mindset that we can apply to our own, as well. In this episode, Peter and Elliot discuss: Elliot's background (01:46) Stories about carrying typewriters to school (03:24) Overcoming Dyslexia (07:02) Staying present and in the moment (10:45) Definition of normal (11:28) The concept of firing yourself each year (13:24) (This is a good one) Feeling stuck (15:33) Avoiding target fixatio

A big welcome this week to all who found us in today's Wall Street Journal article on the benefits of getting up super-early! So glad to have you! Fun podcast this week - We're talking to Kirsten Milliken, author of the book PlayDHD - Her premise is very simple: As adults, we don't get enough playtime. Playtime is key and essential to mitigating the negatives of ADHD (without medication,) and allowing us to truly evolve our brains to be Faster Than Normal. Now, as we all know, I'm not anti-med. I am, however, a believer that medication to treat ADHD should be a last resort, and not a first strike. There are so many ways to improve our brains to adapt and thrive with ADHD! It's why I get up super-early, it's why I skydive, run, exercise, don't drink, etc. And millions of people do the same thing! It's important to note - The concept of sitting at a desk all day isn't more than a few hundred years old. Before that? Well, we were up virtually constantly. Working, playing, walking, exercising - it was who we were

This week on Faster Than Normal, we speak with Elaine Taylor-Klaus, who runs the website Impact ADHD. Elaine is a coach, working specifically with parents and kids with ADHD. She's got some wonderful advice for the parents in the audience, and as a bonus, it works for all of us! Enjoy this episode! In this episode, Peter and Elaine discuss: How Elaine discovered that she has ADHD (01:20) The Impact ADHD website (03:58) Five tips for parents who have a child who has been gifted with ADHD (05:42) Naughty versus neurological (07:21) What to tell a kid who feels different because of their gift (08:41) How to stop kids from rebelling as teenagers (09:10) Is there a difference between boys and girls with ADHD (10:06) Tips for dealing with compulsive behavior (12:19) Links/Mentions Impact ADHD (Website / Community) As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of anyone you think should be on the FTN podcast? Shoot u

As a welcome to all our new listeners who found us from our wonderful interview last week with Seth Godin, I thought it might be a good time to flip it up a bit, and let you learn a little more about me, your host. For the past six months, I've been interviewing successful people with ADHD every day, but very few of you know my story. Perhaps now is the right time to change that. Also, I'd like to put out a request: If you know of anyone who you think would make a great guest for future episodes of Faster Than Normal, I'd love to meet them! You can have them reach out to me at here on the contact page - Or send me their info, and I'll reach out to them directly. We're always looking for people with passionate, positive ADHD stories to tell - how ADHD helped improve their lives, and take them to the next level. Remember: ADHD is a gift, not a curse. PS: Extra bonus points if the person you know has some kind of celebrity status or following. It's truly amazing how many publicists don't understand the value of

I literally can't even right now. I present to you an interview with Seth Godin. Yes. THE Seth Godin. He's on the Faster Than Normal Podcast this week, opening up about his ADHD, talking all about how he's made his life the unbelievable success that it is, and how he's used his ADHD to his advantage. Seth Godin! I mean, this man has done for the online world what Dr. Jonas Salk did for vaccines, and I'm not blowing smoke. Seth is known WORLDWIDE for his business acumen (he started Yoyodyne and sold it to Yahoo! for an estimated $30 million...) His books, including Purple Cow and Permission Marketing, and he blogs EVERY SINGLE DAY at sethgodin.typepad.com. He's been one of my heroes and idols forever, and I'm just so honored that he agreed to join us for what may be the most informative and inspiring interview I've done on FTN to date. I'm tremendously thankful to Seth for his time, energy, and passion that you'll no doubt hear from the first second of this interview to the last. Do enjoy! In this episode, Pet

I'll be honest... When a dentist reached out to me and said he should be on the podcast, I didn't really get it. But then, I talked to Dr. Roger Lucas. Not only is he using ADHD to make his practice one of the top practices in his area, but he's also learned a thing or two about running a business, being married with ADHD, managing people, and yes - even how what you eat, and how you take care of your teeth, affects your ADD and ADHD. You're not going to want to miss this episode - Especially when we talk about Coffee and Methyl-B12 Vitamins! In this episode, Peter and Roger discuss: Roger's background (1:29) About the book, eating chocolate and cavities (2:22) Techniques for writing a book (4:11) Being diagnosed with ADHD (7:33) Top tips for running a business (10:12) Personality tests (12:25) Tips & Tricks for managing people (18:57) Coffee & B12 (21:02)    

Parents: Ever wonder what would happen if you parented "without a filter?" Well, you'd become this week's guest, Rachel Figueroa. Rachel is known for many things, including being the voice behind the famous "El Bloombito" Twitter account that took New York City by storm during the Bloomberg years. Additionally, she's a home-schooling mom to her four-year-old daughter, an avid animal rights activist, a pilot, and of course, massively ADHD. If you're a parent, you simply MUST listen to this episode. The value-bombs she deploys are nothing short of MASSIVE. In this episode, Peter and Rachel discuss: Rachel's backstory (3:22) Being a parent with no filter (05:30) Benefits of ADHD (07:03) How to handle home schooling five days a week (09:03) Tips for being a parent with ADHD (10:12) Addictive personalities (12:55) What to do to replace addictions (17:27) Additional tips for parents (18:17) Links/Mentions Jewyorican (Twitter) ABC Mouse (App) Go Go Lingo (App) Miracle Morning - Hal Elrod (Book) Wunderlist (App) Q

You know what I love? I love emails that start with "Hi, Peter, I should be on your podcast. I have ADHD, and served ten years in a federal prison." This week, we talk to Mark-John Clifford, ADHD and convicted white-collar felon, who shares his story, and it's an amazing one at that. Let alone reading like something out of the TV show White Collar, prison life is beyond rigid, yet Mark learned how to use it to his advantage to help him best manage his ADHD. You're going to want to hear his story. In this episode, Peter and Mark discuss: Mark's story (02:00) What made Mark good with numbers (07:27) Visualization technique (07:51) Dealing with the rigidity and schedule of prison (8:47) Managing the unexpected (13:23) Tips and tricks for dealing with ADHD on the job and in life (16:43) Funny incarceration story (21:32) Links/Mentions It's all Mishegoss (Podcast / Blog) Mark-John Clifford (Facebook / Twitter) As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to

This week, we talk to John Ruhlin. He's written an amazing book called Giftology, and the whole premise is on the concept of gift-giving. Why is this ADHD-related? Well, by nature, faster than normal people like us tend to be very giving. We like helping, we want people to like us. How do we do it, though, in such a way where we don't come across as trying too hard? I know for me personally, it's not always easy. That's why I'm a huge fan here of John's new book, and his whole philosophy. I think you will be, too. Enjoy! In this episode, Peter and John discuss: John's story (03:51) Business cards and gift giving (06:22) Scheduling and following up (08:36) Top tips for streamlining and staying focused (11:25) Working with an assistant (12:32) Favorite apps and software (14:38) Writing on airplanes and tech fasts (16:16) What's next for John (18:55) Links/Mentions Book - Giftology Book - Deep Work: Rules for Focused succes in a distracted world Book - Zombie Loyalists The Ruhlin Group / @ruhlin (Twitter) / j

This will go down as one of the top five interviews I've done so far on FTN. This week, we talk to Emily Anhalt. Emily - get this - did her doctoral dissertation on people with ADHD who succeed by utilizing their ADHD, as opposed to medicating it!! This woman is my unicorn. It's a truly eye-opening interview, and one you need to listen to immediately. When you're done listening, you also need to watch her TEDx talk on the same thing, posted below. I'm so thrilled to have met Emily, and have no doubt we'll be collaborating on many things to come in the future. LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE. It's a game changer. In this episode, Peter and Emily discuss: Emily's story (05:27) Why a lot of research isn't done on ADHD (06:48) What can we do to break through the stigma of ADHD (08:39) Lessons learned from interviewing people with ADHD (09:48) Thoughts on medication (10:34) Tips for functioning without medication (13:46) Procrastination (16:28) Emily's top three tips for turning ADHD into a strength (20:02) Links/Mention

This week, we talk to Cameron Herold. I first met Cameron when he was working on Got Junk, a company he wound up selling several years ago. He's one of the top entrepreneurs in the business today, and his advice goes for thousands of dollars an hour. He's also, of course, ADHD. Check out his interview, and you'll be amazed how much of yourself you'll hear in his story. In this episode, Peter and Cameron discuss: Cameron's story (03:15) Not fitting in at school (05:21) Feeling disappointed with performance (06:05) Advice for those not feeling ok with being different (07:15) The strength that comes from being scattered (09:00) Tips and tricks for surviving the day (12:04) ADHD and accountability (13:58) Top tips for running your life (15:45) Links/Mentions App - Committo3 App - Pomodoro App - Trello App - Omnifocus Book - Meetings Suck Book  - Double Double Book in a Box CameronHerold.com As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you

This week's guest is Jessica Kupferman, podcaster extraordinaire. She proves yet again that the things that make us "different," can also be our best gifts. She's launched podcasts, been featured all over the place, and as a bonus, is the founder of She Podcasts, where she teaches people and companies around the world how to tell their stories and get paid for it! It's a fun little interview, you're going to enjoy it! In this episode, Peter and Jessica discuss: Jessica's story (1:49) Failing in college and wanting to get diagnosed (4:31) Thoughts about taking medication (6:24) Correlation between ADD and addiction (7:36) Best business advice Jessica's received (9:40) Top three tips to manage ADHD (12:40) Links/Mentions Podcasts - (She podcasts / Off in The Weeds) JKMAgency.com Jessica Kupferman's Socials (Twitter / Facebook / Linkedin) Chrome Extension - Sortd As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of a

This week, we talk to Kevin Clayson, who managed to take his ADHD, and the one trait that drives us crazy, and turn it into a major business, that's made him a fortune several times over! Today, we're going to discuss the business of follow up here on Faster Than Normal! In this episode, Peter and Kevin discuss: Kevin tells his story (02:39) Being ok with being different (05:30) Rituals that help gain control on a dailty basis (08:12) Being a morning person and rapping Vanilla Ice lyrics (09:42) Having priorities (12:13) Advice to high school students about feeling different (13:37) Links/Mentions Kevin Clayson.com Book - Flipping the Gratitude Switch Book - Rich Dad Poor Dad Book - The Miracle Morning Book - Essentialism As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Know of anyone you think should be on the FTN podcast? Shoot us a note - We'd love to hear!

It's pretty amazing what can happen when you get up at 3am! Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, will tell us how his life changed when he realized the power of the early morning. I've been getting up long before dawn for years, and I know firsthand how it has changed my life. Hal shares his story, and how his ADHD became a gift, when he learned to embrace the hours before sunrise! In this episode, Peter and Hal discuss: Hal tells his story (05:29) Anger is a choice (09:21) The five minute rule story (09:53) Hal's ADD diagnosis (11:55) Medication, depression & what started the miracle morning  (13:00) Creativity when on ADHD drugs (14:07) What happens when you sleep late (14:56) The one things successful people have in common (17:42) Priorities (20:22:05 How applying the miracle morning affects Hal's ADHD (20:31) Three tips to thrive with ADHD (24:12) Links/Mentions The Miracle Morning (Official Site) HalElrod.com As always, leave us a comment below, drop us a review on iTunes (PLEASE!) and of co

Imagine being able to spot typos like Superman can spot a bad guy, or editing a thousand pages in 36 hours with breaks only to sleep and hit the bathroom? Our guest today can do all of that and more. Say hi to "super-editor" Jennifer Harshman. Even if you just want to make your next work presentation look good, you don't want to miss the hacks in this episode of Faster Than Normal!   In this episode, Peter and Jennifer discuss: Jennifer's background and when she was diagnosed (04:38) What Peter used to do to wake up in the morning (06:09) How Jennifer felt after getting the diagnosis (06:18) The number of books Jennifer has read (07:07) What it's like being a book editor with ADD (08:26) Top five tips on how to edit books with ADD (09:46) Getting in the zone or flow (11:44) Tips for dealing with interruptions (12:48) The importance of a good night's sleep (13:44) Handling projects that you don't love to do (14:26) Links/Mentions Jennifer Harshman (Facebook) Harshman Services As always, leave us a comment belo