Last updated: December 23rd, 2019
While I’m not an ADHD coach, and I don’t offer ADHD coaching services, I don’t have anything against hiring an ADHD coach.
In fact, I think that hiring an awesome ADHD coach can be a smart decision.
On the other hand, ADHD Boss is a free self-help resource for adults with ADHD. This website is sort of like a fun, modern and intensive ADHD coach who’s always there for you.
But, it’s really up to you to decide whether you think it’s best to hire an ADHD coach, or help yourself using ADHD websites like this one. Like most things in life, the solutions to your problems usually lie somewhere in the middle.
This article ultimately explores the benefits of hiring an ADHD coach vs. accessing free ADHD self-help materials in 2020. Enjoy.
Contents
Benefits of hiring an ADHD coach
Like most professional services – there are some benefits to hiring an ADHD coach.
Here they are:
Shock your system
Hiring a coach is probably one of the best ways to ‘shock your system’ and spark immediate change in your life.
It’s very easy for humans to get caught up in the same old routines and habits. So, everyone can use a coach on occasion.
By hiring a good ADHD coach, you might discover that you’re wasting hours of your day on low-impact activities.
You might waste a lot of time endlessly scrolling through your Twitter feed, lounging around, or watching TV, without even giving it much thought.
A qualified ADHD coach will call you out on this behavior. and help you get to the root of your problems.
Learn about ADHD as fast as possible
If there’s one thing that most ADHD coaches are great at, it’s understanding ADHD inside and out.
Certified ADHD coaches have to go through extensive training to prove that they fully understand the disorder.
If you just want to learn everything that you can about ADHD in the shortest amount of time possible, then hiring an ADHD coach might not be a bad idea.
Great short-term strategy
Hiring an excellent ADHD coach can be a powerful strategy in the short-term.
You ideally want to spend a few weeks or months with an ADHD coach, learn everything that you can from them, and then move on with your life.
Negatives of hiring an ADHD coach
On the flip side, there are some negatives to hiring an ADHD coach as well.
Here are the negatives of busting out some cash for an ADHD coach:
Most ADHD coaches are still goal-oriented
In case you still haven’t read How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big (Amazon), you absolutely need to read it.
It’s a must-read book for anyone with ADHD because it dispels the unfortunate truths about being a ‘goal-oriented’ person.
To summarize one of the most important parts of the book for you, just keep in mind that setting goals is like setting yourself up for a lot of unnecessary depression.
Goals don’t really work for people with ADHD. People with ADHD actually have to create “daily systems” to succeed.
The best way to learn how to create winning systems for your life is to read the book.
Not an economical long-term solution
Great ADHD coaches aren’t cheap.
I think it’s safe to say that most people aren’t going to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for a long-term ADHD coach.
You still have to put in the work
The point of hiring an ADHD coach is to help you make the most of the limited time that you have on this planet.
ADHD can be a nasty condition. You want to make sure you’re doing your best to overcome it.
But, coping with ADHD ultimately requires a lot of work regardless of how you deal with it.
Having a quality ADHD coach can make ADHD more manageable, but not necessarily easier.
Best resources for ADHD coaching services
If you’re interested in finding a good ADHD coach, then I do have some convenient resources that you can use.
These are the top resources for ADHD coaching services:
ADHD Coaches Organization
The ADHD Coaches Organization offers a useful tool that can help you find an ADHD coach in your area.
CHADD
CHADD is an awesome resource for people with ADHD. They frequently host conferences, training events and many other activities that benefit the ADHD community.
Benefits of ADHD self-help
Now, for the fun part…
This is where I show you the benefits of using ADHD self-help (such as websites like ADHD Boss):
Mental toughness and resilience
Self-help is the most challenging yet life-changing process that someone with ADHD can go endure.
To practice self-help, you’ll have to change how you eat, breathe, think, interact and sleep.
But, it will be well worth it in the end. I promise.
Learn about yourself
When you have to “fix” your ADHD on your own terms, you also have to do a lot of soul searching.
For example, to make the most of ADHD self-help, you need to be answering questions like:
- Am I an outgoing person, or more of an introvert?
- Is my current job a good match for my skills and personality, or should I be working someplace else?
- Is my ADHD brain actually imposing limits on specific areas of my life, or am I simply creating my own limitations out of thin air?
These are tough questions to answer.
But, they’re also the type of questions that can change your life, if you decide to handle ADHD on your own terms.
Long-term solution
Self-help never ends. This is a positive thing. It means that you’ll constantly be moving forward with no end-game in sight.
We can only continue pushing towards more knowledge, a better life, and a greater understanding of ADHD mental health.
Cost-effective
Solving your own ADHD-related problems is practically a free process.
Sure, you’ll have to purchase high-quality food, use great supplements for treating ADHD, and read a few life-changing books to make the most of your ADHD.
But, the expenses involved with self-help are minimal in comparison to what you get in return.
Negatives of ADHD self-help
Unfortunately, using self-help to manage your ADHD isn’t a perfect process.
But, that’s okay. I’m willing to admit that.
Here are the downsides of ADHD self-help.
Slow process
The worst part of ADHD self-help is that sometimes you won’t catch your own mistakes until days, weeks or even months go by.
For example, it could take you a long time before you realize that you’re wasting hours on some simple task, when you could’ve just applied the 80/20 rule, and realized that you only need to be focusing on ‘big wins’ in your life.
Am I hunting antelope or field mice?
ADHD self-help can be an especially slow process when you don’t catch your own mistakes. So, stay focused on the big picture!
Think antelopes, not field mice.
Must get comfortable with embarrassment, fear and mistakes
Because people with ADHD tend to be a little bit neurotic, we typically feel overly-anxious about things that just aren’t a big deal.
This usually makes self-help more challenging for people with ADHD.
To improve your life and your ADHD symptoms, you have to expose yourself to embarrassment, fear and failure. This is only a ‘con’ because it’s perceived as negative.
In reality, getting comfortable with your fears will only help you in the long-run.
Best resources for ADHD self-help
I consider myself the king of ADHD self-help because I’m almost entirely self-taught in the field of ADHD (apart from spending some time with an ADHD psychologist).
So, here are the best resources for accessing ADHD self-help materials:
Side note: I wrote a separate article dedicated to the best resources for people with ADHD (which you also might find helpful).
Local library
Local libraries are amazing for getting free books on ADHD and any other subjects that you’re interested in.
Amazon
Amazon makes life a lot better. I order at least a few self-help books from Amazon every month. Even books that aren’t related to ADHD can be extremely useful. Try reading more about human psychology, biology and philosophy. These subjects will help you understand how your own brain works.
YouTube
YouTube makes it so easy to find free videos on a range of ADHD topics, DIY tutorials, binaural beats for ADHD, and so many other awesome videos. I love YouTube, and highly-recommend that you spend some time over there.
ADHD coach vs. ADHD self-help conclusion
You can get an ADHD coach if you decide that it’s the right thing for you.
But, you can choose to go down the path of self-help if it’s more of a fit for your personality and lifestyle.
You can even pursue both options if you want to.
As someone with ADHD, how you decide to improve your life is entirely up to you.
Just know that if you decide to go down the path of self-help, I’ll be here to help.
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