Ep 105: ADHD, Consistency, and The Slight Edge Philosophy

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The Slight Edge: Small Steps, Big Wins for ADHD Brains

Ever feel like you're working incredibly hard but nothing's changing? That frustration hits different when you have ADHD. In this episode, we explore "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson and why this book is perfect for rewiring how we think about success.

Why This Book Works for ADHD:

Your ADHD brain craves novelty and quick wins, but Olson shows us that boring, repetitive actions create lasting change. With time blindness being so real for us, this book reframes time as your ally - because even tiny actions compound when repeated.

Key Insights:

• Every choice moves you toward success or failure (even when results feel invisible)
• The habits that create success are simple but not easy: saving money, drinking water, reading pages
• Steve Martin's 40-year perspective: he gave himself four decades to master comedy and the banjo
• Small daily wins give the dopamine boost ADHD brains need to keep moving forward

The 7 Success Habits:

Show up. Be consistent. Stay positive. Commit long-term. Cultivate desire. Pay the price. Practice integrity. (Pick ONE and practice it imperfectly but consistently!)

ADHD-Specific Strategies:

• Break habits into micro-steps that feel doable
• Use external reminders (Post-its, vision boards, widgets)
• Design your environment for success, not willpower
• Trust the invisible process when results aren't immediate
• Choose rest as a slight edge decision too

Your Next Step:

Pick something so small it feels almost silly. Drink one more glass of water. Read two pages. Write one sentence about your dream. Then repeat tomorrow.

Remember: It's not about intensity, it's about consistency. Time is compounding with your efforts, even when you can't see it.

Have a question or want to share a win? Leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/learntothrivewithadhd - you might be featured on a future episode!

Book mentioned: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

Click here for full show notes

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Transcript

Have you ever felt like you're working so hard? But nothing's changing? That's one of the most frustrating parts of ADHD, right?

The truth is, every single choice you make is either moving you toward success or toward failure.

And it's easy to say I'll just skip today, but those little steps add up. In fact, only one out of 20 people, just 5%, actually reach their goals.

That's why I want to talk to you about the book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, because what he shares can change the way you look at your success, especially if you're living with ADHD. Now, if you're new here, you may not know. I absolutely love books and learning, and I really enjoy sharing those that I know are helpful to my ADHD brain.

This is for sure one of those books. So why is this book perfect for ADHD adults? If you have ADHD, your brain craves novelty and quick wins.

But Olson reminds us that it's the boring, repetitive little things that we avoid that actually create success. And with ADHD, time blindness is real.

This book reframes time as your ally because even the tiniest actions add up if you repeat them.

And if you've ever fallen into all or nothing, thinking,

Believe in. If you can't do the whole thing, you might as well not start. This philosophy proves small steps are enough.

The slight edge is in about one big breakthrough. It's about small, consistent actions repeated over time. Every choice you make moves you closer to success or closer to failure, even when the results feel invisible. Time will eventually reveal them.

It's not luck. It's patterns. Each decision you make either works for you or against you. And with ADHD impulsivity, it's easy to underestimate how much those little. I'll just skip it. Moments add up.

The habits that create success are simple. Saving a little money. Drinking some water. Reading a few pages. But because the payoff isn't instant, they're just not easy to do.

And if your brain craves quick gratification like most ADHD brains do.

Trusting this invisible process is a game changer.

this is exactly what I work on with my clients. We focus on small moves towards our goals. Those small moves stack up

until they've become the person that they want to be, doing the things that they thought they could never do. That's the slight edge at work. And honestly, I'm right in the middle of this myself now.

I'm in the third week of my fitness journey. My commitment isn't glamorous. It's just show up, weight, train, get my steps in, drink water, gets about on time and eat the protein that I need.

It may not look like much today, but I know that it's adding up to something bigger.

And when I feel stuck or overwhelmed, I ask myself one question. How can I make today slightly better than yesterday?

That little shift keeps me moving forward. And those tiny moves always add up.

In the book, Jeff Olsen talks about Steve Martin, and he tells the story of when Steve Martin was a teenager. He couldn't act, he wasn't funny, and he wanted to play the banjo, but he wasn't very good.

But he practiced the boring things every single day one liners, magic tricks and yes, the banjo. He gave himself 40 years to learn it. 40 years. That perspective changed his life. And over time, those mundane repetitions turned him into one of the biggest names in comedy.

That's what mastering the mundane looks like.

This book also reminds us to keep learning. Reading just ten pages a day, or listening to 15 minutes of something inspiring can completely change the way you think. And when you repeat it enough,

It shifts from your conscious brain to your subconscious where habits live.

And that's when they become automatic. The science backs this up every time you repeat a small action, you strengthen the neural pathway. Your brain is literally rewiring itself. And the old saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks. It's simply not true anymore.

Neuroplasticity proves we can form new habits at any age.

And here's why this matters even more if you have ADHD. Our brains don't regulate dopamine consistently. That's why waiting for long term rewards is harder for us. But small daily wins. Checking a box. Vanishing a micro habit. Give the dopamine boost that keeps us moving forward.

This is exactly why Olson's philosophy works so well with ADHD brains.

Olson shares seven habits that create success. Show up. Be consistent. Stay positive. Commit for the long haul. Cultivate deep desire. Be willing to pay the price. And practice integrity. Even when no one's watching. Now don't try to do them all. Just pick one. Practice it imperfectly, but consistently.

He also says. Dream it. Write it down. Make a plan. Write your goals where you can see them. Revisit them every day and give them a deadline. Because, as Napoleon Hill said, a goal is a dream with a deadline for ADHD. Writing things down is everything. Post-its, vision boards, widgets, those external reminders turn vague wishes into real momentum.

And here's what I'd add for those of us with ADHD. First, emotional regulation. We often give up when the results aren't visible. This book teaches us to trust the invisible process. Second, recovery and rest. We tend to push hard and then crash hard.

But choosing rest is also a slight edge decision. Going to bed instead of staying up for one more show. And then third environment design

Consistency doesn't happen from willpower. We need scaffolding, reminders, cues, and accountability. That's what keeps us moving.

Here's why I think you'll love this book. It removes the pressure to be instantly perfect. It validates that boring equals powerful. It gives you permission to start small, stay messy, and let time do the work.

And it reframes success as consistency, not intensity. That is such a relief when you've spent years chasing quick fixes.

So here are some takeaways just for you. Break habits down into micro steps so they actually feel doable. Don't measure progress by today's results. Measure it by your consistency. Surround yourself with people moving toward success because your environment matters.

And most of all, trust that time is compounding with your efforts. Even when you can't see it, get.

so here's your next action step. Pick one thing so small it feels almost silly. Drink one more glass of water. Read two pages. Write one sentence about your dream and then repeat it tomorrow. That's how the slight edge works.

It's invisible at first, but over time, it's unstoppable. And before we wrap up, I'd love to hear from you. I've set up a speak pipe page where you can leave me a voice message with your questions, your challenges, or even your wins.

I may feature some of them on future episodes so we can keep this conversation going together.

That link is

speech

pipe.com

forward slash. Learning to thrive with ADHD.

And you'll also find that in the show notes.

I love this topic. I feel like this topic

is in much of my life

where these small, little consistent habits and I know I'm hearing some of you say

consistency. It's so hard for me. Yes, it's hard for all of us.

And when it's hard at first, you're right on track.

It's always hard at first, but I've built so many consistent habits in my life that I thought I could never build. And I know that you can, too.

I want to thank you so much for being with me today, and I will see you guys next week.