Who is Alan Brown?
Alan Brown is Entrepreneur, Marketing Executive and president of Crusher Solutions which creates ADD Crusher Videos and Tools. Like many of the people I talk to on ADHD reWired, he was diagnosed later in life, age at age 36. Some people go to college for 10 years and become doctors, however went to college for 10 years for his 4 year degree. After a decade or so of drug and alcohol addiction, he realized he needed help when he was cutting his time short visiting his dying mother in the hospital in order to go buy drugs.
Brick Wall Moment
Alan considers himself lucky that this was his “rock bottom,” as he recognizes it could have easily been a lot worse. So one day, after getting home from a drug run, which shortened his visit with his mom, he just looked at himself in the mirror and saw that this was not who he really is. At that moment he picked up the phone, called 411 and started going to AA and NA meetings. Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous.
Highlights From The Interview
Check out Alan Brown’s TedX Talk in San Diego highlighting “undiagnosed 85%”of adults who are are suffering real consequences to having ADHD, but not knowing it.
After the diagnosis:
Within 3 years of diagnosis, he went from account executive to VP Management Director of a large ad agency.
Like those of us with ADHD who are experiencing any degree of success, Alan knows in order to be successful, he has to work really hard everyday.
Strategies, Productivity Tips & Brain Hacks
Alan: “Next time you sit down to work on a hard task: Forcefully, label it, imagine blocking billboard saying “this is what I’m doing now”
Quote “Most of our stress does not have from having too much to do, it comes from not finishing what we have began.”
Drawing the distinction between Urgent and Important
It is important to asking yourself, “what do I want to be doing now.”
To focus on the right things, Alan give all his tasks 3 labels
- What I’m now
- The BS
- The stuff that’s important but what I’m not doing now
Current challenge:
The entrepreneural challenge – working on the right stuff
Alan recently started using the 1-page productivity planner by Brendon Burcshard of High Performance Academy. Spend 5-10 minutes a day going through this.
Making things happen one habit at a time.
Alan “We got to get away from the feel good stuff. We have to start making new habits. One New habit at a time.”
Alan “We tend to get fatigued easily.”
Alan “We have the tendency to beat self up when we don’t finish something, but sometimes we tend to not start because of that.”
Dealing with email:
The worst thing you can do in the morning is to open up your email.
Emails in your inbox are somebody else agenda
Go through emails by starting with the “from” list in the list
Apps & Tech
My Suggestion: Boomerang
Alan’s favorite tech Tools:
iPhone best tool
Most powerful tool is ical/outlook because of its ability to look at the day proportionately
Alan: “Easy to get app happy and need an appadectimy” (Groan)
Outsourcing short term memory
We talk about the blog post he wrote which was inspired by my presentation where I discussed the top lies people with ADHD tell ourselves and really believe.
Watch out for the ‘Shoulds’
BOOK recommendation: How to Sit by Thitch Hanh
Alan talking about mindfulness: “Mindfulness is as simple as breathing in. Because the moment you listen to your inward breath you immidelty stop time. You connect with yourself and your mind and what’s around you.”
Power of the PAUSE
Cues: Stop Feel & Go Every time he goes through an entrance or an exit.
When you enter a shopping website: Stop and ask yourself, should I be here?
For fun & excitement:
Alan rides his Motorcycle on a closed racetrack at nearly 180mph.
Is it dangerous? Yes! He has a titanium plate and 7 screws in his shoulder. But, I would agree with Alan in that if between drugs and motorcycles, motorcycles is a better way to meet his need for excitement.
Check out more from Alan Brown at ADDCrusher.com
