The ADHD Truth Bomb That Helped Me Let Go of Perfection
- May 30
- 2 min read
Let’s get one thing straight:
If you have ADHD and you’ve been called a procrastinator…You’re not lazy.
You’re not broken.
And you’re definitely not alone.
Here’s the truth bomb no one tells you:
Procrastination is self-protection dressed up as perfection.
Let me explain.
Why ADHD Brains Often Wait, Delay, or Freeze
Imagine this:
You need to start something important.
A project. A message. A task that matters.
But your brain goes:
“What if I mess it up?”
“What if it’s not good enough?”
“What if I look careless or fail… again?”
So instead of starting…You scroll. You tidy. You tweak. You plan.
You wait.
Because in your mind:
No action = no mistake.
No mistake = no shame.
That’s not laziness.
That’s protection.
ADHD + Mistakes = Double the Pressure
For people with ADHD, making mistakes can feel 10x louder.
Why?
Because we’ve probably been told off more often.
Because we’ve internalized that our “slips” make us look unreliable.
Because we remember the embarrassment of forgetting, rushing, or getting distracted.
And because we deeply care—but our brains don’t always cooperate in real-time.
So we try to stay safe.
By avoiding the very things we want to do.
Or making sure it’s absolutely perfect before we share it with the world.
Here’s the Twist: Perfectionism Isn’t Helping
The more pressure we pile on…The more frozen we feel.
We think perfection will protect us.
But really?
Perfectionism just builds a prettier cage.
It looks good, sure.
But it still keeps us stuck.
So What’s the Real Antidote?
Self-compassion.
Not more planning.
Not more punishment.
Not more pressure.
Just soft, steady kindness.
What Self-Compassion Might Sound Like:
“It’s okay if this isn’t perfect. I’m still showing up.”
“Mistakes don’t mean I’m failing—they mean I’m trying.”
“I’ve done hard things before. I can do this, too.”
“I’m human. And being human is allowed here.”
Executive function skills are predictor of future success.
Take the test to discover the areas you need to focus on to maximise confidence, happiness and performance.
Need Someone Who Gets It?
If you’re tired of being hard on yourself but don’t know how to do it differently, let’s chat.
Together, we can make room for progress without perfection.
Book your 30-minute consultation with me.
We’ll talk, laugh, maybe cry a little—but mostly, we’ll find a way forward that feels lighter.
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