Transcription
Do you remember when I said, "And so what I do now is wake up, I shower, and then get to work immediately." You probably don't, which is good because I lied. Well, I didn't lie. But the truth is, I stopped doing a certain routine during this time because I really thought I didn't need it anymore until I realized that everything started falling apart. I started waking up feeling already behind, already overwhelmed, and didn't know why.
That's what ADHD mornings are usually like, right? You then grab your phone just to feel something and get out of that morning brain fog and suddenly it's noon. You've been reacting to everything. Messages, notifications, other people's needs, and the stuff you care about never stood a chance. People say it's just low dopamine or laziness. But there's something deeper going on. If you have ADHD, your brain wakes up with lower cortisol and high melatonin. So the hormone that's supposed to get you moving too low. And the one that tells your body it's time to sleep is still way too high.
When I brought back my morning routine, everything shifted. I stopped waking up in a fog and started feeling clear, focused, and actually ready for the day. No willpower, no motivation hacks, just a system that finally charges up my ADHD brain instead of depleting it. This routine took me over 8 years to build. And honestly, it's probably my best-kept secret behind why I was able to quit my 9-5, grow a business, and post content consistently, all while traveling the world full-time and feeling happy and fulfilled. Because if you have ADHD, if you don't win the morning, you most likely will lose the day.
This routine is built around three simple 20-minute blocks designed to boost your brain chemistry and give you back control. And I promise if you do this just once, you'll feel the difference. This isn't hype. It's backed by science and built on my lived experience. And it might just change your life. If you stick around until the end, I'll show you how to stay consistent with it, even if you've never stuck to anything in your life. And there's one thing I never do during this routine, because the moment I do, the whole thing collapses. Can you guess what it is? I'll reveal it in just a minute.
This video was inspired by the following books.
First 20 minutes, move. There's a reason why most successful athletes have ADHD. It's not complicated. They're just chasing the dopamine rush. It's a positive addiction and a fuel that keeps carrying them forward. And so, here's the twist. That same dopamine craving that makes life with ADHD so chaotic because we have way less of it and it's massively disregulated is also the exact thing that makes you unstoppable. The goal here is simple. Move your body.
Right after I get out of bed, I drink a glass of water and then get my heart rate up. Not to burn calories, but to get myself breathing deeply and hack my brain chemistry. I run, bike, or just walk fast. And here's why this works. And this is going to sound weird, but stick with me. Imagine the CEO of your brain is Popeye. He handles focus, decision-making, and impulse control. All the stuff ADHD messes with. But without movement, Popeye has no spinach. He's weak, sluggish, useless. Aerobic exercise is Popeye's spinach. It triggers a wave of dopamine and serotonin, which is why you start feeling clearer, calmer, and more motivated right after. And if you do this consistently, it actually rewires your brain. Your baseline dopamine levels rise. You become more resilient. Distractions don't derail you as easily. Setbacks don't stick. Your brain isn't just surviving anymore. It's adapting.
Studies show that if you combine this with sunlight, actually getting light into your eyes first thing, you supercharge the effect. Why? Because it naturally drops your melatonin and raises your cortisol, which wakes your brain up even faster. But here's where most people mess up. You come back from that movement window, your cortisol is up, your melatonin is down, your brain is online, and what you do next will either lock in that momentum or let it fade.
The second 20 minutes, reflection. Right after the run, I jump straight into a cold shower. Not just to cool off, but because it boosts dopamine by up to 500%. Pair that with the endorphins from exercise, and you've basically got a neurochemical cocktail that lights you up like a Christmas tree. And this next part, it's where I let that clarity breathe. I throw on some music, let my mind wander, and just listen. This is when my best ideas hit. Some of my top videos came straight from this exact space. My brain will all of a sudden have inspiration to jot down things I'm grateful for, which is great. Not just because it's wholesome, but because it fights off the ants, those automatic negative thoughts that try to hijack the day before it even begins. Especially common in ADHD. Then I ask myself a few grounding questions. How do I want today to feel? What actually matters to me today? What would make today feel exciting and meaningful? No pressure, just curiosity. What do I want out of the day? The ADHD brain needs a clear path forward. Without it, we're overwhelmed. And this next window is how you make that emotional armor and clarity stick.
Last 20 minutes, plan. These last 20 minutes are the final stretch of my morning routine and also the most impactful for the rest of my day. Think of these as the last reps in the gym that yield the highest outcome. This is where you stop reacting to life and start directing it. Your future, your goals, your plan, it all starts here. And it all started here for me. Back when I was stuck in a 9-to-5, I cold-called 50 people a day. Maybe 10 would pick up, maybe two would lead anywhere. And people always ask me, "Nick, how are you so motivated?" To be honest, there was nothing special about me. I just finally understood what my ADHD brain needs. Simple, measurable goals every single day. Why? Because ADHD time works differently. We constantly overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year. And so once we make everything measurable, we gain clarity on what we can accomplish. You'll want to be as specific as possible. Don't write "close three deals." Write "make 50 calls." Why? Because the ADHD brain doesn't thrive on vague pressure. It thrives on things you can control like time. Outcome is a side effect and it's unpredictable. It sets you up for failure because we are terrible at estimating how long things take. And so I realized action is the strategy. Ask yourself, "How long can I act for regarding this specific thing?" ADHD brains are incredible at sprinting, but only if they can see the finish line. That clarity, it builds confidence, it builds momentum, and over time, it builds a life that actually feels like yours.
And after all that is when I go for my black coffee, no sugar, and get to work. And even though I took 60 minutes to get ready, I'm also able to get a lot more done in less time now because my brain is charged up. By the way, were you able to guess what I didn't do during the first 60 minutes? If you caught it, congrats. I'm proud of you. If you didn't, don't worry. That's what you're here for. But it might be staring you right in the face. Literally, it's your phone. Weapon of mass distraction. A few years ago, I understood that your ADHD brain is much more susceptible to what you give it in the morning. And so, if you wake up and scroll, you'll likely be stuck in a dopamine-seeking loop for the rest of your day. And you know exactly where you can get it. So, no phone. I actually recommend charging it in a completely separate room. If you rely on its alarm clock, get an analog one.
Okay, I know how you might feel right now. Part of you is fired up to take action, but another part is already whispering, "This won't last." And I get it. When you've started and stopped a hundred things, it's easy to lose trust in yourself. But the truth is, it's not that you've failed. It's that no one taught you how to build a morning routine in an ADHD-friendly way. You don't need more motivation. You need a system that finally makes sense for your brain.
Here's the part nobody talks about. You will want to quit even if it's just a simple walk in the morning. Even if you know it's good for you because you crave fast results. We want to see instant change, right? You've probably been stuck in the same cycle: set a big goal, lose 10 kg, build a business, go all-in, then crash when results don't come fast enough. We overestimate what we can do in the short term. But that's where you need to shift your lens. Progress is not all or nothing. Not seeing it doesn't mean it's not there. The problem is that it's not linear. It actually goes like this. There's a valley of disappointment you have to get through. You need to be prepared for your ADHD brain to resist that valley. This is the make-or-break point. It will be very difficult, and you have to remember during this time not to focus on the outcome, but to focus on the process. You want to try to get better just 1% every week. And it's okay to sidestep. You don't need a unanimous vote to win an election. You just need a majority. Doesn't matter if you cast a few votes for bad behavior or an unproductive habit. Your goal is to simply win your morning the majority of the time.
Every new good action will be evidence for the person you want to become, your new identity. This will help you come out from under that valley and make you into a changed person. And you will not just feel it; the outside world will confirm it. I didn't see traction on my social media for 5 years. Then suddenly I got 2 million followers in under one. That's what exponential growth looks like.
To help you kickstart this, start with one thing from this routine. I recommend the movement window since it'll have the biggest impact. And tell us down below when and where it will happen. For example, you could say, "I will exercise for 20 minutes after waking up in the park next to my house." Telling us this and committing to your intention down below actually 2x your chances of actually doing it. And if you really aren't down with it, you can also try something called temptation bundling. It means pairing something you should do with something you already want to do. Your brain is way more likely to follow through when the reward is already built in. So if movement feels like a chore, stack it with something enjoyable. Listen to your favorite podcast while walking. Watch YouTube while cycling. Jog into a coffee shop instead of driving. Make it fun. Make it frictionless. And your brain will stop fighting you.
That's why staying consistent long-term feels nearly impossible without the right support. But there is one strategy that changed everything for me. It's not about mindset. It's not about motivation. It's something called curated external triggers. A system that makes follow-through feel almost automatic. No willpower, no discipline, just structure that actually sticks. This one simple shift works almost every time. It killed my procrastination, crushed my executive dysfunction, and finally let me focus long enough to actually build a life that feels like mine. And no, it's not another planner, app, or medication. I'm breaking it all down in a completely free online event. How it works, why it works, and how you can use it to finally get consistent without burning out. Seats are super limited, so grab yours before they disappear. Click the link in the description and I'll see you there.