Kapitel 4
The Exercise Imperative: Your Brain's Natural Medication
Imagine having a medication that improves focus, enhances mood, boosts creativity, and has virtually no negative side effects. That medication exists-it's called exercise, and for the ADHD brain, it's non-negotiable. The science behind this natural remedy is both compelling and transformative, offering hope for those struggling with attention and focus challenges.
Exercise fundamentally changes the ADHD brain, releasing the very chemicals it craves: dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline. These neurotransmitters enhance focus, creativity, and concentration while reducing impulsivity and irritability. Dopamine, in particular, plays a crucial role in attention and motivation, while serotonin helps regulate mood and anxiety. Until about 200 years ago, humans were constantly moving - hunting, gathering, farming, and walking miles daily. Our sedentary modern lifestyle, with its endless hours of screen time and desk work, is profoundly unnatural for our brains, particularly for those with ADHD.
Shankman isn't suggesting you run marathons (though he does Ironman triathlons)-he's talking about being more active for twenty minutes daily. He advocates for "exercise snacking" - short bursts of physical activity throughout the day. When facing boring meetings or tasks requiring focus, he improvises: taking stairs instead of elevators, walking around buildings before entering, or doing quick push-ups in empty offices. During phone calls, he paces or does wall sits. These micro-exercise sessions are essentially self-medication for ADHD, providing immediate cognitive benefits.
Research backs this up extensively. Studies published in the American Journal of Public Health found significant improvements in ADHD symptoms after time spent in physical activity, particularly in natural environments. University of Illinois research demonstrated better attention after just a 20-minute walk in a park versus urban settings. Additional studies from the Journal of Neural Transmission show that regular exercise can increase brain volume in regions associated with executive function and memory.
The absence of nature connection has become so prevalent there's now a term for it-"nature deficit disorder"-associated with diminished sensory awareness, attention difficulties, and increased physical and emotional illness. For those with ADHD, depression, anxiety, agitation, and impulsivity can worsen without regular outdoor exposure. Green exercise - physical activity in natural settings - appears to provide enhanced benefits, combining the neurochemical advantages of movement with the calming effects of nature.
Consider Shankman's personal experience: After his daughter was born, he neglected exercise, justifying it as wanting family time. This led to weight gain, poor eating habits, increased drinking, and his ADHD symptoms becoming unmanageable. His focus deteriorated, work productivity plummeted, and relationships suffered. After a 2 AM moment of clarity seeing his unrecognizable reflection, he committed to change-giving up drinking and committing to regular exercise. Within weeks, his ADHD symptoms became more manageable, his mood improved, and his productivity soared.
The takeaway is clear: for the ADHD brain, regular physical activity isn't optional-it's essential maintenance. Even small increases in daily movement can provide the chemical boost needed for mental focus and emotional regulation. The key is consistency rather than intensity. Whether it's morning yoga, lunchtime walks, or evening bike rides, finding sustainable ways to incorporate movement into daily routines can dramatically improve ADHD symptoms. Your brain is literally begging you to move, and the benefits extend far beyond physical fitness into every aspect of cognitive function and emotional well-being.
Kapitel 5
The Undeniable Rules: Structure Creates Freedom
To truly harness ADHD's power, implementing strict personal rules is essential. Just as airplanes represent both ultimate freedom (travel anywhere) and complete constraint (confined space), managing ADHD requires seemingly paradoxical structure to achieve true freedom. These undeniable life rules aren't optional-they're essential for preventing the rapid downward spiral that can occur when ADHD goes unchecked.
The first rule is eliminating unnecessary choices. For Shankman, this means maintaining a simple wardrobe system that prevents the ADHD spiral that begins with simple decisions. Without this system, selecting clothes could trigger memories, lead to cleaning sprees, and ultimately result in missed meetings and unproductive hours. Like Mark Zuckerberg with his hoodies or President Obama with his limited suit selection, eliminating these minor choices preserves mental energy for decisions that truly matter.
The second rule focuses on nutrition. Despite the constant contradictions in nutrition advice, eating habits significantly impact ADHD management. The consensus among experts is that "clean eating"-avoiding processed foods with numerous additives-provides the best foundation. Shankman follows the simple guideline: "If my grandmother wouldn't have recognized it as food when she was ten years old, I'll try not to eat it." Combined with intermittent fasting (eating only between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM), this approach has helped him drop fifty pounds and focus his ADHD "like a laser."
The third rule addresses sleep. Shankman once proudly displayed his sleep deprivation as a badge of honor, relying on caffeine while bragging about needing only five hours of sleep. He now recognizes this approach was deeply misguided. Studies show that ADHD is magnified by lack of sleep-affecting focus, mood, concentration and increasing impulsivity and anger. He now prioritizes "sleep hygiene" with a 9 PM bedtime, turning off his phone completely, using blackout shades, and tracking his sleep data.
For those with ADHD, these rules aren't restrictions-they're liberation. By creating guardrails that prevent the all-or-nothing tendencies that can derail productivity and goals, you're not limiting yourself-you're enabling your best self to emerge.
Kapitel 6
Identifying and Defusing Your ADHD Triggers
Like hitting a pothole while driving, ADHD triggers can instantly shift your attention and ruin your entire day. While it's impossible to eliminate all triggers, you can learn to identify, minimize, and defuse them before they cause damage.
Professional triggers often revolve around meetings and preparation. Shankman maintains a one-meeting-day-per-week rule religiously, only making rare exceptions for emergencies. Lack of preparedness emerged as a massive trigger, illustrated through Mark's sales career struggles. Despite loving sales, Mark kept losing jobs until implementing a daily hour of preparation time for the next day's meetings. This simple habit transformed his career, giving him genuine confidence and record-breaking sales numbers.
Being early serves as perhaps the best defense against ADHD challenges. Arriving early prevents the stress and cortisol release that comes with rushing, which otherwise hijacks focus. Shankman advocates "living your life thirty minutes early" through preparation, building buffer time, using technology for automation, and finding accountability partners who share this value.
Personal triggers can be even more disruptive. During a Caribbean vacation, Shankman experienced how personal triggers can spiral out of control. Waiting for his girlfriend who was running late for their 8:00 PM reservation, his ADHD brain went into overdrive with catastrophizing thoughts. Years later in therapy, he learned the crucial lesson that "you can't control people, only how you react to them." People with ADHD often try to "fix" others rather than managing their own reactions.
For those with ADHD, moderation simply doesn't work. After drinking, Shankman would promise himself "just one next time," but inevitably that first drink would lead to poor decisions. He explains that triggers "don't respect you, they're out to get you" and shares anti-trigger strategies: writing down exactly how you feel after giving in (he keeps his hungover feelings documented on his nightstand), and finding healthier ways to continue natural "highs" (like exercising before speeches to maintain dopamine levels).
Recognizing that deadlines are essential tools for ADHD management is another key insight. JP, diagnosed with ADHD, initially loved his software company job that allowed flexible scheduling without strict deadlines. Within a month, his productivity collapsed. Without deadlines, he'd start projects but abandon them when new ones appeared. ADHD brains thrive on completion-they need to start something, finish it, and file it away.
Kapitel 7
Productivity Tools for the Faster-Than-Normal Mind
Shankman opens with a story illustrating his extreme productivity methods-buying a $5,000 round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo with no purpose other than to write his book "Zombie Loyalists" during the flights. In 31 hours and two 13+ hour flights, he completed all ten chapters. While this approach might seem insane to neurotypical people, having a "faster than normal brain" requires unconventional solutions.
For those with ADHD, clutter is the enemy of productivity. Warning signs your mess is controlling you include: replacing items you can't find, regularly searching for essentials, complaints about your stuff invading others' space, items in wrong rooms, having to step over things, and feeling distracted by your own mess. Shankman's solutions include hiring help if possible, swapping cleaning duties with friends, creating a chore board, or blocking specific time for cleaning.
Working backward from deadlines is another crucial strategy. Shankman explains how he excels at impromptu speaking-able to walk on stage without notes and captivate audiences for 90 minutes, a common ADHD strength. However, physical preparation remains crucial. For a Tuesday speech, by the previous Thursday he'll have researched the audience, planned his sleep, arranged flights, and prepared his clothes. His "night-before plan" is a "game changer"-laying out clothes, packing his bag, and eliminating morning decisions.
Compartmentalization is essential for ADHD productivity. For ADHD minds, multitasking is counterproductive because switching between tasks delays reaching the "deep work" phase. Shankman advocates strict compartmentalization: dedicated time blocks for specific activities (calls 10AM-12PM, meetings 3-6PM Tuesdays/Thursdays). This approach eliminates worry about pending tasks because everything has its scheduled time.
Technology can be a powerful ally when properly harnessed. Shankman organizes his phone apps on a single screen using folders to eliminate distracting scrolling. He uses apps like Wunderlist to track everything that pops into his head, the Productive app to build streaks of positive habits, and password managers like 1Password to manage digital security without taxing his memory. His smart home setup eliminates worries like "Did I shut off the lights?" or "Did I leave the AC on for the cat?" With one app, he can check everything remotely.
Perhaps most importantly, Shankman emphasizes the need to maximize different types of downtime. Long-burst downtimes (like plane flights) are perfect for deep work, while short-burst downtimes (subway rides, waiting rooms) can be used for quick productive tasks rather than mindless scrolling. Even quick physical activities between meetings can refresh the brain with dopamine and endorphins.
Kapitel 8
Navigating Relationships with a Faster-Than-Normal Brain
ADHD doesn't just affect the individual-it impacts everyone in their orbit, especially loved ones. Dr. Jennifer Hartstein offers guidance for parents with newly diagnosed ADHD children: don't panic-this isn't the end of the world; understand your child's specific ADHD presentation; seek comprehensive support beyond medication; involve your child in understanding their diagnosis; and focus on their strengths and positive qualities.
For partners of people with ADHD, Shankman offers practical strategies: understanding that ADHD drives the person crazy too; recognizing they already feel terrible about mistakes without added guilt; knowing that excitement can cause extreme emotional scenarios to play out rapidly in their minds; and respecting "the zone"-interrupting an ADHD person in deep focus can derail their productivity entirely. He also suggests allowing them to share ideas without immediate criticism; accepting their seemingly strange behaviors that actually help manage their ADHD; embracing their natural curiosity; helping eliminate overwhelming choices by offering limited options; demonstrating you've truly heard them during discussions; and remembering that their mistakes aren't malicious.
People with ADHD hate when their "gift" backfires and affects loved ones. Shankman offers three strategies to minimize these negative impacts: First, pause before entering a space with loved ones-take deep breaths and mentally transition from hyperfocus mode to being present. Second, train yourself to ask three genuine questions about the other person before launching into your own thoughts. Third, practice listening and relinquishing control, even when your instinct is to take over and "help."
He illustrates this with the story of "JJ"-Jonathan and Josephine-where Jo's ADHD-driven tendency to take control when cooking together left Jonathan feeling shut out rather than helped. People with faster brains crave control for grounding, but sometimes the best help is teaching rather than doing.
Rachel Cotton, a Harvard Ph.D. candidate in immunology, exemplifies turning ADHD into a scientific superpower. Despite self-doubt and classic ADHD challenges (locking keys in her car, almost setting her house on fire by forgetting the toaster), Rachel excelled academically and found her passion in immunology research. Her faster brain made her uniquely suited to scientific exploration, where creating new knowledge replaced the boring memorize-regurgitate cycle of traditional education.
Kapitel 9
Embracing Your Different, Faster Brain
Like the protagonist in "The Greatest American Hero" who had superpowers but lost the instruction manual, those with ADHD must learn through trial and error how to harness their gifts. Though ADHD brains run at "120 miles an hour, thirty-seven hours a day" and create additional drama, once solutions are found, the "massive straight stretch of highway" appears where faster-than-normal brains can truly shine.
Understanding yourself becomes your greatest asset when managing ADHD. Shankman claims he understands himself better than any of his friends understand themselves-knowing what triggers him, what improves his mood, and what can destroy him. This self-knowledge allows him to control emotional responses rather than react impulsively. Like a scene from "Limitless" (a favorite movie among the faster-than-normal crowd), he's learned to project into the future during conflicts, focusing on potential resolutions rather than present arguments.
Growing up undiagnosed with ADHD was both a gift and a curse. Without medication, Shankman had to learn coping strategies on his own. He emphasizes to parents that children with ADHD aren't broken-they simply see the world differently, which is a tremendous advantage. "Different is good," he insists, quoting both Wall Street and Apple's "Think Different" campaign. He shares practical tips from parents, like creating "action sheets" for homework and teaching children to "think ten seconds into the future" before acting.
Shankman shares the story of the Fisher King to illustrate how those with ADHD see things differently. Like the fool who simply gave water to the thirsty king when all the king's wisest men couldn't find the Holy Grail, people with ADHD process things differently, often with better results. They understand what it feels like to be different and work to find happiness everywhere.
The ADHD brain processes information differently but effectively, allowing those with the condition to quickly determine what matters and what doesn't-a gift that comes with the responsibility of having a faster brain. Being "faster than normal" is not a flaw but a gift, an invitation to embrace your unique abilities and stand proudly in your difference.
What if your greatest perceived weakness is actually your greatest strength? What if the very traits that got you in trouble as a child could become the foundation of extraordinary success as an adult? What if your brain isn't broken-it's just faster than normal?
