Consistency Is Overrated: How ADHD Brains Find Progress in Chaos
If you’ve ever dived into the world of productivity advice, you’ll know there’s one word that gets thrown around like it’s the holy grail of success: consistency. The idea is simple—do something the same way, over and over again, and eventually, you’ll succeed. Sounds great, right? Except, for those with ADHD, the reality is a bit messier.
Consistency can feel like this shimmering, impossible goal that’s always just out of reach. Some days, we nail it. Other days, it’s like we’ve forgotten how to “adult” entirely. The inability to stick with something consistently can lead to a cascade of self-doubt: Why can’t I just do what everyone else seems to do? What’s wrong with me? This internal dialogue can wreak havoc on our mood and self-concept, making us feel like we’re failing at life.
But here’s the thing: consistency isn’t the only way to achieve your goals.
Why Consistency Is So Hard with ADHD
ADHD brains thrive on novelty and urgency, not routine. That means doing the same thing day in, day out can feel like dragging yourself through quicksand. While neurotypical individuals might rely on habits and routines to get through their day, those with ADHD often struggle to even start something unless it’s fresh, exciting, or urgent.
This isn’t about laziness or lack of willpower. It’s about how those brains are wired. When we expect ourselves to be perfectly consistent, we’re setting a standard that doesn’t align with how we work best—and that disconnect can leave us feeling stuck, frustrated, and defeated.
The Problem with the Myth of Consistency
The obsession with consistency isn’t just unrealistic for people with ADHD; it’s damaging. It creates an all-or-nothing mindset: if we can’t stick to a plan perfectly, we might as well give up altogether. This thinking undermines the progress we’re making—however messy or “inconsistent” it might look on the surface.
Consistency also tends to focus on one strategy, one habit, or one method of doing things. But ADHD is unpredictable. What works on Monday might be completely ineffective by Thursday. That’s not failure—that’s being human (an ADHD human, specifically).
So, What’s the Alternative?
Instead of chasing consistency, I believe in chasing momentum. Momentum doesn’t require you to do the same thing every day; it just asks that you keep moving forward, even if it’s in an unpredictable, zigzagging path.
Think of it this way: if your goal is to keep a ball rolling, it doesn’t matter if you push it with your hands, kick it with your feet, or nudge it with your shoulder. What matters is that the ball keeps moving.
The key is to build a toolbox of strategies that work for you. Some might work brilliantly one day and fall flat the next—and that’s okay. The point is to have enough tools to choose from so you’re never left feeling stuck.
The Beauty of Inconsistency
When we embrace inconsistency, we give ourselves the freedom to adapt to our changing needs, moods, and energy levels. Some days, you might be all about color-coded planners and time blocks. Other days, you might rely on a timer, sticky notes, or simply telling a friend what you need to do and asking them to check in.
Inconsistency isn’t the enemy. In fact, it can be one of your greatest strengths. By learning to adapt and experiment, you develop a deep understanding of what works for you—and that’s far more valuable than sticking to someone else’s idea of “consistency.”
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been beating yourself up about not being consistent, it’s time to let that go. Success doesn’t come from doing the same thing every day—it comes from showing up, however you can, and finding what works in the moment.
Yes, it’s messy. Yes, it’s imperfect. But it’s also real, and it works.
In a future post, we’ll dive deeper into momentum—what it is and how to harness it to get things done (inconsistently).
For now, know this: you don’t need to be consistent to reach your goals. You just need to keep moving forward, one small, imperfect step at a time.
You’ve got this.
Clinical Psychologist
B Psych (Hons), M Psych (Clin), MAPS
Elizabeth Talbot is a Clinical Psychologist and the Principal Psychologist at Clinical Therapy. Whilst Elizabeth enjoys her clinical work, she is also a lover of behavioural science and has a keen research interest in the psychology of decision making, moral reasoning, cognitive biases, magical thinking, and conspiratorial beliefs.
Content note: Unless otherwise labelled, all blog posts are intended as discussion pieces, and are not academic texts. Articles pertaining to research or making an academic argument will be labelled as such and include supporting evidence/references. All examples (including client names) are fictitious, to illustrate a point, and are not based on actual clients.
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