When Focus Took Over

Sometimes success isn’t about doing more—it’s about knowing when to stop. And for some of us, that’s the hardest part.

From My Desk to My Door: When Focus Took Over

When I dive into something I care about, I don’t come up for air. Not easily. Not willingly. It’s like my brain latches on and won’t let go until the loop is closed—until something feels done.

Right now, building this business has pulled me into exactly that space. I’ve spent hundreds of hours writing, editing, designing, refining—often late into the night. I tell myself, “Just get to this next stopping point.” And then the next. And the next. I use it like a reward: once I get there, then I’ll rest. Then I’ll come back to real life.

But life doesn’t wait.

My wife notices when I disappear behind the screen. My kids do too. And when I finally step away, I can see it—the tension, the distance. They’ve been waiting on me, even if they understand why I’m working so hard.

It’s not because I want to tune them out. It’s not because I don’t care. It’s because my brain locks in, and it doesn’t let go. And because perfectionism and purpose are tangled together so tightly, it’s hard to separate one from the other.

I’ve always been proud of my work ethic. I still am. But I’m learning that real success—especially with ADHD—sometimes means knowing how to pause, not just how to push.

🔍 What I Learned

Hyperfocus can be a gift, but without boundaries, it becomes a trap. Productivity doesn’t have to cost presence. The hard part isn’t finding motivation—it’s learning how to shift out of it without guilt.

💡 Why This Stuck With Me

Because the work matters—but not more than my relationships. And learning to walk away, even when the work isn’t finished, is still a kind of discipline.