“You Know What to Do. So Why Can’t You Do It?”
A kinder framework for late-diagnosed adults with ADHD.
If you were diagnosed with ADHD later in life, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this phrase more times than you can count:
“You know what to do. Just do it.”
Just start it.
Maybe it came from a boss, a coach, a partner, or even from inside your own head. Maybe you wrote it on a Post-it note. Maybe you tried to believe it.
And maybe, despite knowing exactly what needed to be done, you still couldn’t bring yourself to do it.
For many Wise Squirrels, this gap between knowing and doing is one of the most painful and confusing parts of ADHD. It’s not a lack of intelligence. It’s not laziness. And it’s not a character flaw. It’s part of how ADHD affects motivation, initiation, and regulation.
Before diagnosis, many of us internalized this struggle as a personal failure. After diagnosis, we begin to see it for what it is: a neurological mismatch between intention and action.
Why “Just Do It” doesn’t work
The cultural obsession with “just do it” and the swoosh logo is everywhere. It’s on billboards, shoes, videos, storefronts, and even productivity advice. The message is simple: effort equals action.
But ADHD doesn’t work that way.
If you have ADHD, you often already know what to do. You may know it in great detail. You may have researched it, planned it, talked it through, and mentally rehearsed it dozens of times. And yet, starting feels impossibly hard.
This isn’t because you don’t care. It’s because ADHD affects the brain’s ability to initiate tasks, especially when they feel boring, overwhelming, emotionally charged, or undefined.
Telling yourself to “just do it” often adds shame on top of paralysis. And shame is not a motivator. It’s a blocker.
A shift that helps: from “Just do it” to “Just start it.”
What if the goal wasn’t to finish the task, do it perfectly, or even do it well?
What if the goal was simply to start?
Instead of “just do it,” consider this reframe: just start it.
Starting is different from doing. Starting lowers the bar. It removes the expectation of momentum, clarity, or sustained focus. It only asks for movement.
This is where a concept I’ve been using both personally and with my coaching clients comes in.
Consider your Minimum Viable Action (MVA)
You may have heard of the term MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, in the startup world. It refers to the simplest version of a product that can exist and still function.
Minimum Viable Action applies the same idea to your nervous system.
Ask yourself:
What is the smallest possible action I can take right now that moves this forward?
Not the ideal action. Not the complete action. Not the action I “should” take.
The minimum one.
That might be:
• Opening the document
• Writing one sentence
• Looking at the spreadsheet
• Drafting a rough email
• Making the appointment call
If it feels almost too small to count, you’re probably doing it right.
For ADHD brains, action creates clarity more often than clarity creates action.
A practical tool: the Reverse Pomodoro
Traditional productivity advice often centers on the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break.
For many people with ADHD, that can feel overwhelming before you even begin.
The Reverse Pomodoro flips the script, a concept I first heard about on the podcast when I interviewed Jennifer Dall, Ed.D.
Reverse Pomodoro Timer
Use these 25 minutes to recharge. When the timer finishes, take a small 5-minute step toward your avoided task.
For best results, turn your volume up so you can hear the chimes.
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Here’s how it works:
• You spend 25 minutes doing whatever you want
• When the timer ends, you commit to just 5 minutes on the task you’ve been avoiding
That’s it.
Five minutes is short enough to bypass resistance. Often, once you’ve started, continuing becomes easier. But continuing is optional. The win is starting.
This approach respects how ADHD motivation works rather than fighting against it.
Self-compassion is not optional
Late diagnosis often comes with grief. You may be mourning perceived lost time, missed opportunities, or years spent believing you were broken.
That’s real. And it deserves compassion.
ADHD already makes things harder. Beating yourself up for struggling only adds friction. Progress doesn’t come from punishment. It comes from understanding, accommodation, and gentler expectations.
If you take nothing else from this, take this:
Struggling does not mean you’re failing.
Not starting yet does not mean you’re incapable.
Awareness is not weakness. It’s the beginning of change.
Try this today
Pick one thing you’ve been avoiding.
Ask yourself what the minimum viable action is.
Set a timer for five minutes.
Start there.
And when it feels hard, remind yourself: you’re not broken. You’re learning how your brain works, possibly for the first time.
That alone is a meaningful step forward.
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