🚀 INITIATIVE
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
Initiative is the spark that gets you moving—the leap of energy that says, “Let’s try.” In the ADHD terrain, where activation energy is often elusive, where planning can feel like quicksand and starting like scaling a cliff, initiative is both a breakthrough and a rebellion. It’s saying, “I don’t have to have it all figured out. I just have to begin.”
For ADHDers, taking initiative doesn’t always look linear. We might stall, circle, or hyperfocus in odd directions. But when initiative does strike, it’s powerful. It propels us into creativity, into problem-solving, into new connections and unfinished ideas with life. And when we learn to harness that burst—rather than waiting for perfect conditions—we tap into something unstoppable.
Initiative isn’t about constant motion. It’s about agency. It’s the moment you decide to show up—to reach out, speak up, get started. Even if the steps are wobbly. Even if your brain says, “Why bother?” It’s about choosing to move forward, not because it’s easy, but because you’ve decided this matters.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I waiting until everything is perfect—or can I start messy and still make meaning?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who begins, not because I’m ready, but because I’m willing.
- People and Pursuits: Who energises my desire to start things? What pursuits ignite action without overthinking?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll begin something I’ve been circling—not finish it, just begin.
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- ADHD inertia (task initiation difficulty) can stall even high motivation.
- Fear of failure or imperfection may block the first step.
- Hyperactive idea generation can overwhelm intention with distraction.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Initiative
- Use a countdown (5-4-3-2-1) to launch into the first action—however small.
- Break a task into a “starting ritual” (light a candle, clear the space, open the tab).
- Tell yourself: “Done is better than perfect. Started is better than stuck.”
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- When have I surprised myself by starting something bold?
- What’s one thing I’ve been waiting to begin—how might I take the first imperfect step?
- What does initiative look like when I honour my rhythm, not the world’s?
Initiative isn’t about being fearless—it’s about stepping forward anyway, even if your hands are shaking and your ideas are still half-formed.
