Podcasts about Peter Shankman

On July 8, join me for a special Web Class where I'll show you how to eliminate ALL staff excuses using ONE structured 30-minute meeting. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-GSR-JL25To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP222 In ten years of working with contractors, we've noticed that a LOT of entrepreneurs have ADHD or other forms of neurodiversity. It's both our biggest strength, and our biggest weakness.And the data backs this up.Studies show as much as 10% of adults have an ADHD diagnosis, and there's some data suggesting that people with ADHD are statistically more likely to pursue entrepreneurship.Chances are, you have or know someone who has ADHD. In your family, in your network or on your team.That's why we wanted to talk to Peter Shankman, entrepreneur, author, and advocate for neurodiversity. He's best known for his book Faster Than Normal, where he reframes ADHD as a superpower.Today, that's exactly what we're talking about. What ADHD actually is, how to manage it, and how to work with people who move a little faster than normal.Episode Highlights:Understand what ADHD actually is, and what it is not when it comes to its symptoms and impacts on a person's ability to function.Learn why Peter Shankman, author of Faster Than Normal believes ADHD is a superpower for business owners and entrepreneurs.Get tips on how to set yourself up for success as a business owner if you have ADHD, and how to set others on your team up for success if they have ADHD.00:00 - Intro01:26 - About Peter07:56 - Why ADHD is a superpower11:04 - ADHD and dopamine14:47 - Positioning yourself to succeed in business with ADHD18:05 - Recognizing tasks you are great at, and the ones you need help with20:21 - How to avoid burnout24:32 - Tackling imposter syndrome28:17 - Use of medication31:04 - How do you work with a team member who has ADHD?33:38 - What are a few best practices a listener with ADHD should adopt?36:29 - One thing to understand about people with ADHD38:38 - Where can people connect with you?

On this episode of the SoulScape podcast, host Paul D. Lowe - International Celebrant – talks to Peter Shankman about how to use the opposite of being still, creating a space and quietening the mind, to build better businesses. KEY TAKEAWAYS I think there’s a place for zen and tranquillity but, for many people, that’s not the first place they would choose to go. I’m at my calmest when I’m at my most productive. The concept of how my brain works is the premise of “deep work”. When I’m put into a situation that allows me to focus on one specific thing, and only that one thing, I’m at my best by a factor of 100. I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late-30s, growing up in public schools in New York, I’d be told to sit down because I was disrupting the class. There was no diagnosis at that point, I’d always be told by my parents to stop procrastinating and leaving everything until the last minute. What I realise know is that leaving everything until the last minute gives me the dopamine hit that I need to get it done. The problem with labels is that they tend to mis-label, they box people into one category, and people rarely fit into one category. Simply saying you’ve been “diagnosed” – people get diagnosed with cancer. Having a neurodiverse brain means you’re faster, you can do things that other people can’t, as long as you know how to use your brain. I don’t consider that a diagnosis – you’re not diagnosed with winning the lottery! Everything I’ve done, whether it’s been a success or a failure, has been a way to learn from it. I want to work with people who learn and understand that it’s perfectly OK to screw up – it’s supposed to happen. The only downside is not learning from your screw ups, as long as you’re learning you’re fine. BEST MOMENTS ‘Studies say that when you’re interrupted, it takes upwards of 22 minutes to get back onto that flow state of work. So, if you get interrupted once an hour, you’re only productive for 20 minutes out of the hour'. ‘Some people who procrastinate do it because it benefits them; it makes their work stronger and more productive'. ‘I’m focused on helping kids understand that just because they have a different brain doesn’t mean they’re broken, it means they’re gifted. If they understand that at an early age it’ll save them a lot of trouble'. ‘You have to learn how to stop giving a fuck about what other people say'. ABOUT THE GUEST Peter Shankman is a top keynote speaker in marketing, social media, customer service, and neurodiversity in the workplace. The New York Times has called Peter “a rock star who knows everything about social media, and then some.” He is a 6x bestselling author, entrepreneur and corporate in-person and virtual keynote speaker, focusing on neurodiversity in the workplace and customer experience. With three start-up launches and exits under his belt, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about the customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the new Neurodiverse Economy. https://www.Shankman.com ABOUT THE HOST Despite a painful, traumatic childhood, Paul D. Lowe has found inner peace and now dedicates himself to honouring the journeys of others. SoulScape Ceremonies – along with this SoulScape podcast – embodies his mission to capture the essence of life, love, and legacy. More than moments of celebration, SoulScape Ceremonies is a soulful landscape that co-creates meaningful experiences where every life is honoured – every voice valued. Through his philanthropy, coaching, and myriad of books, Paul has positively impacted thousands. His SoulScape podcast shines a light on inspiring stories, encouraging listeners to embrace their own journeys and legacies. As the founder of the non-profit World Game-Changers, Paul also produced many podcast episodes under that banner. As an International Celebrant and founder of SoulScape Ceremonies, Paul and his world-class team create deeply personal ceremonies that honour your life’s milestones – celebrating each unique journey – with a focus on life, love, and legacy. Whether marking new life beginnings, committing to a loving relationship, celebrating a life well-lived, or simply embracing personal achievements, SoulScape Ceremonies offers a soulful, empathetic approach that will resonate deeply within your heart – leaving beautiful, lasting memories… Contact Methods: https://Paul-Lowe.com https://WorldGameChangers.org This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Do you, your child(ren), or another loved one have ADHD? Then you can't miss this empowering conversation with today's special guest, Peter Shankman. He's a six-time bestselling author and host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, who champions the idea of viewing ADHD not as a challenge, but as a superpower. Peter shares personal anecdotes about parenting with ADHD, highlighting strategies like early morning exercise and routine systems that help him balance life effectively. He also discusses his children's book, "The Boy with the Faster Brain," which encourages kids to embrace their unique minds. Tune in for insights and inspiration on thriving with neurodiversity!Check out the show notes for this episode HERE.Get every new episode of Secret Mom Hacks delivered to your inbox by subscribing for free HERE!Connect with Peter Shankman:Website: https://www.shankman.com/The Boy With The Faster Brain: https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Faster-Brain-Peter-Shankman/dp/B0BXNCSNWYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/petershankman/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterShankmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petershankman/Faster Then Normal podcast: https://www.fasterthannormal.com/Source of Sources: https://sourceofsources.com/Connect with Secret Mom Hacks:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretmomhacksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristamischell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretmomhacks/Listen to these episodes next:Momlife & music industry careers: How a new non-profit helps parents juggle both | Ep. 92Easy meal prep ideas: Stress-free cooking for busy moms | Ep. 98Find your tribe: Why mom groups improve mental health & resources to get connected | Ep. 83Favorite resources for listeners:Instacart for grocery delivery - use code KFARMER39312D to get $10 off your first order.Qube for managing your family spending plan - use code SECRETMOMHACKS to get two months free.

Welcome to a special episode of Startup Dad! It's the holiday time again when the list of responsibilities, performances, potlucks and gifts goes through the roof for already busy parents. To help you navigate the chaos I've asked many of my past guests to share with me their favorite books from the past year – those they'd gift to another person and those they'd tell parents to get for their kids. I've also highlighted parent's favorite meals to make with and for their kids.I'm joined by Alex Cohen, Andrew Capland, Brian Balfour, Adam Nash, Adam Grenier, Will Rocklin, Rob Schutz, Casey Handmer, Tye DeGrange, Josh Herzig-Marx, Carla Naumburg, and Michael Perry.In this episode we discuss:- Top book recommendations from 2024 for adults- Their top book recommendations for kids of all ages- A favorite recipe to make with your kidsWhere to find Adam Fishman- Newsletter: FishmanAFNewsletter.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/- X: https://twitter.com/fishmanaf- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/Timestamps:[00:41] Favorite book to gift this holiday season?[14:27] Favorite book that you'd recommend to another parent for their kids?[28:52] What recipe do you like to get your kids involved in at the holiday time?_Show ReferencesA full list of ALL references in this show can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17eDnhGaRWvCqBl0RmM746Je7Ovpt7qL-14TNzQS4DUg/edit?tab=t.0Nick Soman's Episode: https://startupdadpod.substack.com/p/building-a-company-and-family-nick-soman-decentFounding Sales, The Founder Led Sales & Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook by Pete Kazanjy: https://www.foundingsales.com/Decent: https://www.decent.com/Casey Handmer's Episode: https://startupdadpod.substack.com/p/astrophysics-saving-the-planet-and-three-kidsPoor Charlie's Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Mungerby Charles T. Munger: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poor-charlies-almanack-charles-t-munger/1142619102Eric Bahn's Episode: https://startupdadpod.substack.com/p/integration-over-balance-and-hustling-with-kidsNever Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-audiobook/dp/B01COR1GM2/Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/demon-copperhead-barbara-kingsolver/1140860121Eric Mauskopf Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOkHqWbJI1cWill Rocklin Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnPwKjSosyMA Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-george-saunders/1137150630Michael Perry's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP6JJhiFfK4Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/four-thousand-weeks-oliver-burkeman/1137427241Tye DeGrange Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVs8FnMNIQILonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lonesome-dove-larry-mcmurtry/1001920809Adam Nash's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaOCL5WSzhcWhen the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reachby Ashlee Vance: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-heavens-went-on-sale-ashlee-vance/1142161472Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX by Eric Berger: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liftoff-eric-berger/1137428010Reentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Ageby Eric Berger: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reentry-eric-berger/1144620800Brian Balfour's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQ_wAwfv5s100% Unofficial AB to Jay-Z by Jessica Chiha: https://www.amazon.com/100-Unofficial-Jay-Z-Jessica-Chiha/dp/0648073912/Andrew Capland's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p-4ir53gZcThe Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-big-leap-gay-hendricks/1102667522Rob Schutz's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g611gCs4g0AThe Ferryman by Justin Cronin: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ferryman-justin-cronin/1141941765Carla Naumburg's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcrzFhbeIVsCase Histories (Jackson Brodie Series #1) by Kate Atkinson: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/case-histories-kate-atkinson/1100163888Josh Herzig-Marx's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiaE6ZmaOIQGnomon by Nick Harkaway: https://www.amazon.com/Gnomon-Nick-Harkaway/dp/0525432930The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway: https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Away-World-Nick-Harkaway-ebook/dp/B001EL6R9W/Adam Grenier's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoOXR_3dnLUFaster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain by Peter Shankman:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/faster-than-normal-peter-shankman/1125456961Alex Cohen's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOa9mS-CIuQOutlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia: https://www.amazon.com/Outlive-Longevity-Peter-Attia-MD/dp/0593236599Lloyed Lobo's Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRuVbAHaUb0Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296Masters of Scale: Surprising Truths from the World's Most Successful Entrepreneurs by Reid Hoffman: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/masters-of-scale-reid-hoffman/1138865531Penguin Problems by Jory John: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/penguin-problems-jory-john/1123199367Red Mars (Book #1) by Kim Stanley Robinson: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-mars-kim-stanley-robinson/1100623050The Cat Kid Comic Club Collection: From the Creator of Dog Man (Cat Kid Comic Club #1-3 Boxed Set) by Dav Pilkey: https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Kid-Comic-Club-Collection/dp/1338864394/Pig the Pug (Pig the Pug Series) by Aaron Blabey: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pig-the-pug-aaron-blabey/1123894006?Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/du-iz-tak-carson-ellis/1123161884How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Full Color Edition by Dr. Seuss: https://www.amazon.com/How-Grinch-Stole-Christmas-Jacketed/dp/0593434382The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-polar-express-chris-van-allsburg/1100303321The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pout-pout-fish-deborah-diesen/1100935993Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tickle-monster-josie-bissett/1009267028The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1) by Suzanne Collins: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hunger-games-suzanne-collins/1100171585Teach Your Giraffe to Ski by Viviane Elbee: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/teach-your-giraffe-to-ski-viviane-elbee/1128007314Little Blue Truck Makes a Friend: A Friendship Book for Kids by Alice Schertle: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-blue-truck-makes-a-friend-alice-schertle/1142263535The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-book-with-no-pictures-b-j-novak/1118663264How to Stop Freaking Out: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Cool When Life Feels Chaoticby Carla Naumburg: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-stop-freaking-out-carla-naumburg/1145065982Someday a Bird Will Poop on You: A Life Lesson by Sue Salvi: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/someday-a-bird-will-poop-on-you-sue-salvi/1128829321The Spooky Wheels on the Bus: (A Holiday Wheels on the Bus Book) by J. Elizabeth Mills: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-spooky-wheels-on-the-bus-j-elizabeth-mills/1019165966From Grassroots to Greatness: 13 Rules to Build Iconic Brands with Community Led Growthby Lloyed Lobo: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-grassroots-to-greatness-lloyed-lobo/1143861087Ninja Life Hacks Mindsets 8 Book Box Set (Books 65-72: Accountable, Respectful, Flexible Thinking, Consent, Entrepreneur, Healthy, Negative, Adaptable) by Mary Nhin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637316976Improvise. Scene from the Inside Out by Mick Napier: https://www.amazon.com/Improvise-Scene-Inside-Mick-Napier/dp/156608198X---For sponsorship inquiries email: podcast@fishmana.com.For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.comProduction support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com

Guest, Peter Shankman, best selling author of, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, & Success With The Secrets of The ADHD Brain 

Oscar Wilde once said, “There's only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Getting your business mentioned in the right places at the right time can take you from obscurity to virality overnight. Nowadays, businesses tend to rely on social media, but traditional PR and press coverage still play a key role in brand recognition and lead generation. In this episode, we're joined by Peter Shankman, the founder of HARO, and most recently, Source of Sources, a platform that helps journalists find the sources they need, and businesses get the publicity they seek. Peter discusses the state of modern-day PR, explains the many benefits of press coverage, and offers practical tips on how to get your business featured in popular publications. According to Peter,  “When it comes to getting PR or press for your company, your job is to make a reporter's life easier. Email them saying “This is what I do. Here's my website. Here's what I know. Here's what I can help you say,” and they will respond to you. Anything you can do to make their job easier will get you the press you're so desperately seeking.” Beyond PR, Peter also founded Mental Capital Consulting, which helps businesses attract, hire, and retain neurodiverse employees. Having grown up with ADHD, Peter knows firsthand how neurodiversity can be a business superpower if you understand how to leverage it. He talks about the value neurodiverse employees bring to companies and offers advice for neurodiverse entrepreneurs on using their unique abilities to gain an edge in business. Whether you're looking to land press coverage or discover how to turn neurodivergence into an advantage, this episode has something for every business owner! Topics Discussed in this episode: Peter's background and why he started Source of Sources (02:29) Posting bad AI-generated content on HARO? Peter will find you! (04:18) The inspiration behind Mental Capital - turning neurodiversity into a superpower (07:36) The benefits of building a neurodiverse team for your business (14:37) Peter's productivity tips for neurodiverse entrepreneurs (19:50) How to get more media coverage on a limited budget (25:42) The value of press coverage in the modern world (28:10) Press agencies - are they worth it? (35:30) How to build stronger relationships with journalists and publishers (39:02) The death of PR (42:37) Mentions:  Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Source of Sources Faster than Normal by Peter Shankman Mental Capital Consulting Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to generate press coverage and PR like a pro!

Oscar Wilde once said, “There's only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Getting your business mentioned in the right places at the right time can take you from obscurity to virality overnight. Nowadays, businesses tend to rely on social media, but traditional PR and press coverage still play a key role in brand recognition and lead generation. In this episode, we're joined by Peter Shankman, the founder of HARO, and most recently, Source of Sources, a platform that helps journalists find the sources they need, and businesses get the publicity they seek. Peter discusses the state of modern-day PR, explains the many benefits of press coverage, and offers practical tips on how to get your business featured in popular publications. According to Peter,  “When it comes to getting PR or press for your company, your job is to make a reporter's life easier. Email them saying “This is what I do. Here's my website. Here's what I know. Here's what I can help you say,” and they will respond to you. Anything you can do to make their job easier will get you the press you're so desperately seeking.” Beyond PR, Peter also founded Mental Capital Consulting, which helps businesses attract, hire, and retain neurodiverse employees. Having grown up with ADHD, Peter knows firsthand how neurodiversity can be a business superpower if you understand how to leverage it. He talks about the value neurodiverse employees bring to companies and offers advice for neurodiverse entrepreneurs on using their unique abilities to gain an edge in business. Whether you're looking to land press coverage or discover how to turn neurodivergence into an advantage, this episode has something for every business owner! Topics Discussed in this episode: Peter's background and why he started Source of Sources (02:29) Posting bad AI-generated content on HARO? Peter will find you! (04:18) The inspiration behind Mental Capital - turning neurodiversity into a superpower (07:36) The benefits of building a neurodiverse team for your business (14:37) Peter's productivity tips for neurodiverse entrepreneurs (19:50) How to get more media coverage on a limited budget (25:42) The value of press coverage in the modern world (28:10) Press agencies - are they worth it? (35:30) How to build stronger relationships with journalists and publishers (39:02) The death of PR (42:37) Mentions:  Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Source of Sources Faster than Normal by Peter Shankman Mental Capital Consulting Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to generate press coverage and PR like a pro!

Can digital PR platforms truly transform your business? Tune in to uncover how the evolution of these platforms, starting with Peter Shankman's pioneering HARO, has reshaped the landscape for design professionals seeking press coverage. You'll gain insights into Shankman's latest venture, Source of Sources (SOS), which aims to rekindle HARO's original accessibility. As we navigate this transformative PR terrain, we also address the pivotal role of AI, cautioning against over-reliance on shortcuts that promise effortless media placements without the requisite effort.Join us as we explore the nuances of leveraging platforms like Quoted, Connectively, and a nod to Harrow's evolution. Discover how Quoted's approval-based system, though intricate and costly, offers rich insights for crafting effective pitches. Learn about Connectively's AI-driven approach to matching journalists and sources, and the emphasis on creating original content to maintain credibility. With actionable steps to simplify your marketing and boost business growth, we also invite you to enhance your strategies through our Designer Discussions Academy membership. Stay with us for practical tools and insights tailored to elevate your design business.If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episode, click on the link below:​ https://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-125-The-evolution-of-digital-PRThe links mentioned in the episode​Source of SourcesQwotedConnectivelyDesigner Discussions AcademyTransform your marketing with Designer Discussions Academy. In weekly face-to-face sessions, we equip busy business owners with cutting-edge PR strategies, marketing insights, and time-saving tools to not just work in your business, but on your business. Join us to outshine competitors and elevate your business.Join us for our weekly live sessions and workshops: https://www.designerdiscussionsmarketing.studio/pages/academyDesigner Discussions is an educational interior design podcast on marketing, PR and related business topics. We also provide in-depth, actionable products in the Marketing Studio including time-saving templates and guides to help design professionals grow their businesses. Download our FREE Client Avatar Guide https://designerdiscussionsmarketing.studio/store. Designer Discussions is a partnership of three experts: Jason Lockhart, CEO of KABMS; Maria Martin, founder of DesignAppy; and Mirjam Lippuner, founder of Get Ink DIY

Send us a textWe had the pleasure of speaking with media legend, Peter Shankman. He is the original founder of Haro (help a reporter out), now SOS (source of sources), a very helpful tool that we use every day to pitch ...and teach inside our programs!Peter is not only a media legend, but he's also someone who was diagnosed with ADHD later on in life. Learning this information gave him so much clarity on the way his brain naturally functions. In this episode, Peter opens up about how ADHD wasn't always recognized as his superpower, and how embracing his neurodivergence became the key to unlocking his unique genius.We chat about:- Peter's journey to the media space- The many accomplishments he's achieved ...aka 5x Entrepreneur, 6x Bestselling Author, and Global Keynote Speaker, 24x Marathoner, 2x Ironman, 500+x Skydiver, 1x Single Dad- His advocacy for neurodivergence in the workplace- How to be a man of the people, and always put customer service/experience firstConnect with Peter:https://www.shankman.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/petershankman/https://www.instagram.com/petershankman/https://twitter.com/petershankman JOIN THE Visibility MASTERMIND now: https://www.visibilityonpurpose.com/pitchpartyStart getting media features today, free video training: https://www.visibilityonpurpose.com/getfeatured Want the world to know your brand? The same mastermind & program that has gotten our clients on Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Forbes & more? Join the PR Mastermind Community–https://www.visibilityonpurpose.com/pitchparty Connect with us on and off the pod! Website: ⁠www.visibilityonpurpose.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/visibilityonpurpose/⁠ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@visibilityonpurpose

In today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with the great Peter Shankman. Peter is a renaissance man. He is also a fellow ADHD'er. Mr. Shankman is a brilliant ADHD'er who has helped many neurodiverse professionals see their omnipotential with compassion and grace. Whether it's the CEO who needs help empowering his employees to create magical customer moments, the Fortune 100 that needs a better understanding of neurodiversity in the workplace, or the billion dollar brand wanting to better keep up with the times, Peter gets the call to come in and help make things better.    Peter is one of the most sought after speakers on the customer economy and neurodiversity in the workplace. Peter has keynoted events for corporations ranging from startups to Fortune 50s in more than twenty five countries around the world. He speaks at both digital keynotes and in-person keynote presentations.

RV LIFE presents this commercial free Ask Us Anything episode of the RVE Podcast recorded Live during The RV Entrepreneur Workshop during the 2024 Hershey RV Show, with Kimberly, Rose and Jim answering questions from attendees about everything from the never-ending life/work balance game, SEO for Youtube channels, how to start a podcast, social media vs. word of mouth marketing, and so much more. Many thanks to all the attendees and everyone who helped make The RVE Workshop and RV LIFE After Party @Hershey 2024 a success including our partners; Jayco, KoolRV, Open Road Resorts, Lithionics Battery, Airskirts, RVTV, Open Roads fuel card, Clear Two Oh, Workamper News, and more. Meet Your Hosts: Jim Nelson @LiveWorkDream - https://liveworkdream.com/ Rose Willard @ResetYourJourney - https://resetyourjourney.com/ Kimberly Crossland @KimberlyCrossland - https://kimberlycrossland.com/ RESOURCES MENTIONED The RVE Talent Pool - https://therventrepreneur.com/talent/ Video AI - https://vidyo.ai/ Zombie Loyalists, Peter Shankman - https://amzn.to/3B7kqSX Workampers Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/weloveworkamping/ Derscript Podcast Editing - https://www.descript.com/ Pad Flynn: How to Start A Podcast - https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/guides/how-to-start-a-podcast-tutorial-pat-flynn/ Skool Community Platform - https://www.skool.com/ Semrush - https://www.semrush.com/ Related RVE Podcast Episodes #325 - 10 Ways I Make Money While I RV with Kathy Belge https://therventrepreneur.com/rve325/ #351 - Running a Land Investment Business From the Road with Jill DeWitt https://therventrepreneur.com/rve351/ #316 - From High Stress Corporate Job to RV Entrepreneur with Suzy Wraines https://therventrepreneur.com/rve316/ Related RVE News Articles Prevent Analysis Paralysis: Stop Researching And Start Applying https://therventrepreneur.com/analysis-paralysis/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE RV ENTREPRENEUR https://therventrepreneur.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the RVE community on Facebook! ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurcommunity⁠ Connect with RVE on all your favorite socials ⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/connect⁠⁠ Got questions or comments for our hosts? Leave us a voice message! ⁠⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/voicemail⁠⁠ (NOTE: Audio submitted may be published on the podcast unless specifically requested otherwise.) Got a great story or tips to share with RVE Listeners? Complete our Guest Intake Form: https://therventrepreneur.com/guestform

In this lively episode, Shawna and LaLa dive into their jam-packed weekends. Shawna recounts her mom's 50th high school reunion and her town's 175th anniversary celebration, all happening at once! Meanwhile, LaLa shares her experience traveling to Florida solo with Giulina for a follow-up appointment for her jaw surgery.  While in Florida, LaLa bought her Nanit Camera with her and it was a godsend. The girls also sit down with Peter Shankman, founder of Source of Sources, to discuss how he manages a successful business in the PR industry while navigating life with ADD and Autism. Plus, LaLa has a hilarious run-in with a guy she used to know who's struggling to understand why his attempts at picking up women keep falling —hint: he's missing some serious signs! Don't miss this fun, insightful episode packed with personal stories, laughs, and inspiration.For 20% off your Nanit purchase use code: SHAWNAANDLALA20#shawnaandlala #petershankman #sourceofsources #livingwithADD #livingwithautism #nanit

Peter Shankman is a serial entrepreneur, author, speaker, podcaster, and thought leader in marketing and public relations. Ever wanted to be quoted in a major news outlet as an authority or an expert in your space? Now, you can get valuable PR placements for free. In this conversation, we talked about Peter's free new online service, Source of Sources. Launched earlier this summer, SOS is already making waves in the world of public relations with over 22,000 subscribers. Much like its better-known earlier incarnation, HARO – which stands for Help a Reporter Out – Source of Sources is an email listserv designed to make it easier for journalists to find the sources they need, and for sources, such as brands, business owners, and thought leaders to get the publicity they seek. Up to three times a day, subscribers get an email with queries by journalists from various media outlets.  If a journalist asks about a topic you know a lot about, simply reply directly with helpful information or feedback for a chance to be featured or quoted in the story. The only rule? Only reply to a journalist's query, or SOS, if you have something productive and relevant to add. If you respond with something unhelpful, you will be permanently removed from the list! No exceptions; no appeals. This is serious business. He's not messing around here! Peter Shankman is perhaps best known as the founder of HARO (Help a Reporter Out), an online service that worked the same ways as Source of Sources. Groundbreaking at the time and user-friendly, HARO bridged the gap between journalists and public brands seeking media coverage by allowing journalists to connect with industry experts and the public for feedback on issues related to their reporting. In 2010, HARO was sold to Vocus, which was subsequently acquired by Cision in 2014. Earlier this year,  Cision folded the classic HARO into Connectively, a web-based tool. Shortly after, our guest, Peter Shankman revived HARO as Source of Sources, an incredible resource he provides to subscribers free of charge.  A lifelong Manhattanite, marketing expert, and futurist, the New York Times called Peter Shankman “a rock star who knows everything about social media and then some.” He is a 5X best-selling author, and the author of Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain. He also has a fantastic podcast about ADHD called The Faster than Normal podcast where he interviews psychologists and successful people from all fields who have ADHD. I highly recommend the book and the podcast is one of my favorites!  In this episode, Peter Shankman and I spoke about Source of Sources, the current state of PR and news media in general, and how to become savvier consumers of information. We also discussed Mental Capital Consulting, a consultancy he co-founded with a psychologist in 2023 that helps companies attract, hire, and retain neurodiverse employees while helping companies to become neuro-inclusive. And, to top it all off we resolved a mysterious bone of contention about cold pizza.  Peter assured us his new service, Source of Sources is free, but he says if you really feel like sending him a donation, you should send it to a charity such as Best Friends Animal Society or The NYC Mayor's Alliance for Animals.  Watch on YouTube:  Follow Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petershankman/  Learn more about Source of Sources: https://sourceofsources.com/ Mental Capital Consulting: https://mentalcapitalconsulting.com/ Coaching and Mastermind: https://www.shankminds.com/  Instagram: @petershankman https://www.instagram.com/petershankman/ Over 79K followers Faster than Normal Podcast: https://www.fasterthannormal.com/  Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shankman

Did you know that people with ADHD make for great entrepreneurs?  Today, Brad Weimert sits down with Peter Shankman, a pioneering entrepreneur best known for founding HARO (Help a Reporter Out), to discuss how embracing neurodiversity in the workforce can unlock untapped potential in any business.  Peter opens up about his experience living with ADHD, how it became his entrepreneurial superpower, and why he believes neurodiversity is crucial in today's workforce. Brad and Peter also share some actionable insights on starting a business from scratch with minimal resources, the importance of simplicity, and how to leverage unique cognitive traits for success.  Tune in!    Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 01:38 Peter's first business ventures 05:48 Letting other people talk  09:24 Launching his first agency  16:24 HARO explained  20:36 Peter's ventures after HARO 23:37 What is neurodiversity?  26:48 The parallels between ADHD and entrepreneurship  29:12 How to decide what to focus on  30:25 Why there are more ADHD diagnoses  38:05 Navigating ADHD 43:10 Having a neurodiverse workforce  47:33 Quickfire 49:21 Outro   Additional Resources: ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1   Let's Connect:

We are taking a couple of weeks off for summer vacation, and that means that we are going to be revisiting some of the most impactful guests that we have had in the past years. Today, we're going to talk about lifestyle and prevention for people who have different disease states, as well as some free tools that are helpful in preventing nearly every disease under the sun.That's because we're going to be talking with Vincent Esposito about how sunlight transforms our overall well being. We're going to talk with Dr. Norm Rosenthal about seasonal affective disorder. Dr. Gretchen Hawley about how people with multiple sclerosis can live better lives. We're Navaz Habib about how our vagus nerve impacts our every disease state that we know of, and then we're going to talk with Peter Shankman about how we can nurture the unique gifts in children who have a ADHD.Referenced in the episode:Episode 248 | The Fundamentally Different Exercise Lifestyle While Living With Multiple Sclerosis with Dr. Gretchen HawleyEpisode 258 | Brighter Days, Better Health: How Light Shapes Your Overall Well-being with Vincent EspositoEpisode 257 | From Sadness to Sunshine: A Journey Through Seasonal Affective Disorder with Dr. Norman RosenthalEpisode 266 | From Surviving to Thriving: Nurturing Your Vagus Nerve with Dr. Navaz HabibEpisode 253 | Beyond Labels: Nurturing the Unique Gifts of ADHD Children with Peter Shankman__________________________________________________________We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you would like to be a supporter of the show, head to www.lindseyelmore.com/supporter Your contribution helps us to bring the best guests into our interview chair. Thank you for listening. Come check us out at www.spreaker.com/show/the-lindsey-elmore-showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lindsey-elmore-show--5952903/support.

Dr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight speaks with Peter Shankman, entrepreneur, founder of HARO, bestselling author, podcaster and global keynote speaker on customer experience and workplace neurodiversity and ADHD, talks about the gift of neurodiversity to people and in businesses, the neurodivergent way of thinking, how neurodiverse employees can be productive for companies, and strategies for neuroinclusivity in the workplace. Peter talked about his own experiences as a kid with undiagnosed ADHD until officially finding out about it in his 30's. He realized that his faster than normal brain is one of the main reasons for his success which, through his books and podcast, led him to inspire people and parents that neurodiverse kids and adults are gifted, not broken. Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, Developmental Optometrist, co-owner of Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center, P.C., award-winning author and international speaker, holds powerful and inspiring conversations with her guests in the areas of health, wellness, education, sports and psychology. They share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. Vision Beyond Sight Podcast will help you see with clarity, gain courage and confidence. Welcome to Vision Beyond Sight! Also available on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Audible and Stitcher.

In this Retain: The Customer Retention Podcast episode, Lauren DeSouza talks with Peter Shankman, a six-time bestselling author, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and host of the Faster than Normal podcast. Together, they discuss how companies can retain neurodiverse employees while also creating neuro inclusive workplaces and how to include and retain neurodiverse customers.

Discover the seismic shift in the PR universe with the transformation of HARO into Connectively, and the ripple effects it's created across the industry. Our PR whisperer, Miriam, takes you through the dramatic evolution of this vital service, from its 2008 inception by PR guru Peter Shankman to its controversial revamp by Cision. Get ready to grasp the full implications it holds for your business and PR strategy.As we unravel the layers of HARO's metamorphosis, we'll also consider Shankman's bold response: the launch of Help Every Reporter Out (HERO). You'll get a front-row seat to the community's reaction, strategies to adapt, and whether HERO might just save the day for PR professionals seeking media connections. Join Miriam, Maria, and Jason for an insightful tour through the latest PR landscape—it's an episode packed with industry intel you won't want to miss!If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episode, click on the link below:https://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-114-HARO-is-Dead-Best-Ways-to-Get-Quick-Press-Right-NowReference Links from the Episode:https://helpeveryreporter.com/https://www.connectively.us/Sign-up for Designer Discussions Interior Design Media Opportunities service: https://www.designerdiscussionsmarketing.studio/subscribeOther Episodes Discussed in this episode:https://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-94-top-10-pr-questionshttps://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-92-the-quickest-and-easiest-way-to-get-presshttps://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-69-how-to-get-found-by-the-mediahttps://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-10-how-to-get-press-as-an-Transform your marketing with Designer Discussions Academy. In weekly face-to-face sessions, we equip busy business owners with cutting-edge PR strategies, marketing insights, and time-saving tools to not just work in your business, but on your business. Join us to outshine competitors and elevate your business.Join us for our weekly live sessions and workshops: https://www.designerdiscussionsmarketing.studio/pages/academyDesigner Discussions is an educational interior design podcast on marketing, PR and related business topics. We also provide in-depth, actionable products in the Marketing Studio including time-saving templates and guides to help design professionals grow their businesses. Download our FREE Client Avatar Guide https://designerdiscussionsmarketing.studio/store. Designer Discussions is a partnership of three experts: Jason Lockhart, CEO of KABMS; Maria Martin, founder of DesignAppy; and Mirjam Lippuner, founder of Get Ink DIY

That Solo Life: Episode 247 Everything Old is New Again In this Episode Karen Swim, APR, of Solo PR, and Michelle Kane, of Voice Matters delve into the importance of getting back to basics in our PR and marketing businesses. Today's  conversation is sparked by an email from Peter Shankman, the founder of the original "Help a Reporter Out" platform, which was eventually sold to a large corporation. Shankman has now launched a new platform called "Help Every Reporter Out," and in his announcement he shared his “back to basics” inspiration and how it led him to return to something he was no longer doing.   As PR professionals, we often find ourselves constantly reinventing our workflows, tools, and client work in an effort to keep up with the ever-evolving industry. But new is not always better. Sometimes returning the old things can improve not only how we do our jobs but how we feel about them.    We delve into the topic of technology, staying true to our natural skill sets and passions in our careers, and how the basics include having a supportive community of fellow professionals.    Episode Highlights: [00:00:18] - Old but new. The value of getting back to basics and the importance of realigning and retooling. [00:02:09] - Be a hero.  How Peter Shankman, Help Every Reporter Out inspired us to be a hero to ourselves by focusing on our areas of expertise. [00:05:04] - Reevaluating Tools and Subscriptions. All the shiny new tools hold so much promise and you can accumulate a pile of clutter.  [00:09:35] - Recognizing Natural Skillsets. It is important to recognize and focus on your natural skillsets and passions in order to maintain satisfaction and success in a career. [00:10:29] - Scaling Back for Success. Karen and Michelle discuss the idea of scaling back team members or business models to maintain a manageable workload and find fulfillment in solo work. Resources: Help Every Reporter Out (HERO) - free sign-up for PR Pros and Journalists Back to basics in your business model -From Solo PR to Agency and Back Again Enjoyed the episode?  Please leave a review here - even a sentence helps. Share and tag us (@SoloPR, @SoloPRPro) on social media so that we can thank you personally! Your support helps us keep bringing you insightful content every week. Thank you for tuning in! Looking for more insights and support for your solo PR biz?  Head over to Solo PR Pro and become part of our community. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter for the latest tips and trends.

Peter Shankman is an absolute legend, with a faster than normal brain. I recently got my hands (or rather, ears) on his audiobook and instantly fell in love with his insights. I listened attentively - 'squirrel' (thanks for that, Peter) - and even replayed it several times to soak up his strategies for managing these 'faster than normal' brains associated with ADHD. This conversation isn't just for the neurodiverse; it's for anyone looking to optimise their potential in today's fast-paced world.   PETER SHANKMAN Website: shankman.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches/ Website: rollwiththepunches.com.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tiffaneecook/ Facebook: facebook.com/rollwiththepunchespodcast/ Instagram: instagram.com/rollwiththepunches_podcast/ Instagram: instagram.com/tiffaneeandco    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode we talk to Peter Shankman.  Peter is an entrepreneur, a keynote speaker, the best-selling author of six books, founder of the neurodiversity consultancy firm Mental Capital, and he's a dad.  Peter talks to us about parenting, the power of getting out of your own element to get work done, and his recent children's book, “The Boy with the Faster Brain”, and why ADHDers have to learn how to use the faster brain that they have, rather than the neurotypical brain that they don't have.  Also, his dog might have the best timing in the whole world.  But you'll have to listen to find out why.   Register for the ADHD Essentials Parenting Groups Here   Guest Links: Learn more about Peter and his work here:  https://www.shankman.com/ Buy “The Boy with the Faster Brain” here.     ADHD Essentials Links:   Learn about & Register for the The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups  Join The ADHD Essentials Facebook Community Check out the ADHD Essentials Website Contact Brendan at brendan@ADHDessentials.com   Men's ADHD Support Group Links: Learn more about the Men's ADHD Support Group Join the Men's ADHD Support Group's Facebook Community 

Leaders, by their very nature, tend to see things differently than other people. One of the terms we're hearing more about, particularly in the workplace, is neurodiversity.And Peter Shankman is helping companies understand what that means and how they can benefit from it, through his speaking, his books Faster Than Normal and The Boy with the Faster Brain , and his podcast Faster Than Normal.He joins Timeless Leadership to share some of his observations about living with ADHD and how there's hope for everyone — particularly children — to live productively and unselfconsciously with this superpower. Links* Peter Shankman (website)* Faster Than Normal (Amazon)* Faster Than Normal podcast* The Boy with the Faster Brain (Amazon)* Yakety Sax* Get in touch: timeless@scottmonty.com MusicPeter's intro: Circus Minute by Orion WilliamsTheme music: Americana - Aspiring by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source:  http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200092Artist: http://incompetech.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.timelesstimely.com/subscribe

Welcome Peter Shankman, the visionary founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and ShankMinds, a thriving entrepreneurial community. A globally recognized keynote speaker and author with six bestsellers, Peter is known for his innovative thought leadership. His athletic prowess is equally impressive, including 24 marathons and two Ironman finishes, alongside over 500 skydives. Join us as we explore Peter's entrepreneurial journey, athletic endeavors, and his unique approach to embracing life's risks and challenges.SHOW NOTES Selling $100K in Titanic Tee ShirtsOvercoming Imposter SyndromeEntrepreneurship - Highs & LowsLiving with ADHD Jumping the Pyramids IN THE MEDIA Website | Shankman.comPodcast | Faster Than NormalPublished Books | Amazon.comMastermind Group | Shankminds.comSocial Media |  ThreadsSocial Media | InstagramJOIN OUR COMMUNITYLove the show? Help support it by becoming a member of the 20 Minute Call Community! Supporting the show gives access to a private group page where you can:- suggest who you'd like to hear on the podcast- learn what interviews will be upcoming- submit questions for future guests-receive show swagJoin our community and support the pod!Link: patreon.com/The20MinuteCallPodcastADVERTISEAre you interested in partnering with the 20 Minute Call as an advertiser? Let's work together! E-mail us at podcast@beyondmarketing.xyz

Here's what to expect on the podcast:Why is profit pricing important?What steps can businesses take to develop pricing strategies that reflect their unique strengths and customer value?How does having the right mindset about raising prices help a business succeed in the market?How can businesses adapt their marketing approaches to keep pace with the frequent changes in social media platforms?And much more! About Jane:Jane Goodrich is an accomplished newborn and family photographer, a seasoned expert in the photography business, a professional mentor, and the visionary Founder of Picsello. Since 2017, Jane has mentored professional photographers about the business side of photography and has taught classes and seminars for organizations such as PPA, Ana Brandt's Baby University, The Baby Summit, and Milkyway's Business Retreat. She has also made significant contributions by sharing her invaluable insights on the business aspects of photography through platforms like PetaPixel.Jane's latest business venture is dedicated to empowering fellow photographers to attain their utmost levels of success. Picsello is purpose-built software designed to provide the tools and support for photographers in the management, marketing, and monetization of their businesses. Drawing from decades of industry experience and years of meticulous research, Jane collaborated with other prominent photography experts and led a top-tier tech team to craft an unparalleled platform that is changing the photography business for many. Connect with Jane Goodrich!Website: https://www.picsello.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/picsello/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teampicsello/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/picselloThe book mentioned, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain by Peter Shankman, is on Amazon! https://amzn.to/3NGog98 Connect with Kamie Lehmann!Website: https://www.kamielehmann.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamie.lehmann.1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shesinvinciblepodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamie-lehmann-04683473National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/Get your Podcast on IMDB: https://imdb.failureguy.com/submitpodcastkamieLearn more about how to minimize the emotional side effects of cancer: https://adventurefound.org/

Peter Shankman talks about his new book, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain, and his story of learning how to manage his ADHD and tap into the gifts that come along with the diagnosis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ADHD can be a super power for your business. Bestselling author and entrepreneur Peter Shankman joins the show to explains how he turned ADHD into his greatest strength. Welcome to Pillars of Wealth Creation, where we talk about building financial freedom with a special focus in business and Real Estate. Follow along as Todd Dexheimer interviews top entrepreneurs, investors, advisers and coaches. Interested in coaching? Schedule a call with Todd at www.coachwithdex.com Connect with Pillars Of Wealth Creation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PillarsofWealthCreation/ Subscribe to our email list at www.pillarsofwealthcreation.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/PillarsOfWealthCreation

The New York Times has called Peter Shankman "a rockstar who knows everything about social media and then some." He is a 6x best selling author, entrepreneur and corporate keynote speaker, focusing on Neurodiversity in the workplace, customer service, and the new and emerging customer and neurotypical economies. With three startup launches and exits under his belt, (most notably Help a Reporter Out) Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, and the Neurodiversity. Additionally, Peter is the Futurist in Residence at Price Benowitz and BluShark Digital. Peter's sixth book, (and his first children's book,) came out in mid-March of this year. “The Boy With the Faster Brain” is a heartwarming story about a young boy named Peter, who discovers that his ADHD brain, which was always getting him into trouble in school, is actually a super-powerful tool that he can use to achieve anything he wants - as long as he learns how to use it the right way. (And yes, it's obviously very much autobiographical.) It's the children's version of Peter's previous bestseller on ADHD, “Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge your Focus, Productivity and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain” (Random House, 2017.) Topics covered in this episode:Neurodiversity and ParentingADHD and Embracing DifferencesBuilding Resilience in ChildrenThe Role of Technology in ParentingCultivating Connection and UnderstandingParenting and PerfectionAddressing Mental Health StigmaEmpowering Children with ADHDEmbracing Diversity in a Changing WorldThe Importance of Self-Love and CareTo learn more about Peter Shankman and his work, head over to www.shankman.com__________________________________________________________Kids Calm is officially here and it is time to stop fighting sleep and build better relaxation and wind down routines. You can get a two pack of Kids Calm or you can check out the Laid-Back Kids Pack, which contains Kids Calm as well. Head to http://www.lindseyelmore.com/amare to save $10 on your first order!____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We hope you enjoyed this episode. Come check us out at www.lindseyelmore.com/podcast.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5952903/advertisement

Many parents have children diagnosed with ADHD and navigating that aspect of parenting can be confusing. In this episode we chat with Peter Shankman – a renowned author, entrepreneur, and ADHD advocate who has not only thrived with ADHD himself but has also become a leading voice in helping parents, educators, and caregivers navigate the challenges and opportunities of raising kids with ADHD. He has just released his latest book for kids with ADHD, The Boy with the Faster Brain, which helps kids understand their ADHD is a gift and that they are brilliant, not broken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Shankman is many things, among them a five-time best selling author, entrepreneur and corporate in-person and virtual keynote speaker who focuses on customer service. But in this episode I got him speaking about something so many of you ask me about: HARO, or Help a Reporter Out...the website he started (and sold to Cision many years ago) that helps so many authors get featured in mainstream media.In this conversation, which happened in rapid fire while he was in the throws of salmonella, Peter shared with me how he started HARO accidentally, the best way to get a journalist's attention and why someone stealing a Yoo Hoo truck ended up being the best PR Yoo Hoo could get, among many other topics.WANT MORE INFO ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER THINGS? GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM

Happy ADHD Awareness Month!This week I'm talking with fellow ADHD podcaster Peter Shankman. Peter is the host of the Podcast Faster Than Normal where he talks with people around the world who have learned how to unlock the gifts ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage. He is also the author of Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain and also just recently came out with a new children's book, The Boy with the Faster Brain.In our conversation today Peter shares the story of his own journey, from feeling "broken" to recognizing how he can harness his ADHD. We also discuss practical strategies for working with our ADHD, owning our decisions, and the importance of things like morning routines and exercise.Be sure to check out Peter's podcast Faster Than NormalAnd his books:Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD BrainThe Boy with the Faster BrainSupport me on PatreonFeel free to ask me a question on my Contact PageFind the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/154This Episode's Top TipsRecognize and value the unique strengths that come with having an ADHD brain. Rather than seeing ADHD as a limitation, we view it as a unique attribute that can drive success if properly harnessed.To overcome feeling overwhelm, we can break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. We can often find ourselves in paralysis when we don't know where to start and by breaking tasks down we can often find our way.We can leverage technology as an aid with tools like ChatGPT to assist with starting projects or tasks. Technology can be a beneficial companion in providing structure and easing the initiation of tasks.

Peter Shankman is a top keynote speaker in marketing, brand building, social media and customer service. The New York Times has called Peter Shankman “a rock star who knows everything about social media and then some.” He is a 5x best selling author, entrepreneur and corporate in-person and virtual keynote speaker, focusing on customer service and the new and emerging customer and neuroatypical economy. He is also the founder of HARO, The ShankMinds Breakthrough Network and Faster than Normal Podcast. Check his website: https://www.shankman.com/ For more info on guests and future episodes visit KateHancock.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ibhshow/support

Take a closer look at Peter Shankman's unique and remarkable journey as a neurodivergent parent and how to accept it as a superpower rather than a challenge in this episode. Stay tuned to learn from his advice on reaching new heights with the gift of neurodiversity and leaving a lasting impact on your family!     Key takeaways to listen for How to embrace ADHD and use it as a superpower What it's like raising a child as a neurodivergent parent Tips for parents and educators on nurturing neurodivergent kids Why are more people being diagnosed with neurodiversity? First and most vital step for parents with neurodivergent kids     Resources  Faster than Normal by Peter Shankman | Kindle and Paperback The Boy with the Faster Brain by Peter Shankman | Kindle and Paperback     About Peter Shankman  Peter Shankman is a renowned keynote speaker specializing in social media, neurodiversity within workplaces, marketing, and customer service. He is a remarkable example of utilizing the positive aspects of ADHD to one's advantage. He was diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-20s, and by that time, he had already established and sold two companies. Following selling his third company, "Help a Reporter Out," Peter embarked on a journey to understand his "faster brain" and its capabilities. This exploration led to the "Faster Than Normal" podcast and an accompanying best-selling book. Since then, Peter has authored numerous best-sellers, and "Faster than Normal" has become the leading podcast on ADHD online.   Peter joined BluShark Digital and Price Benowitz LLP as a futurist who systematically explored predictions and possibilities about a company's future and its industry in 2022. Peter helps the agency and firm innovate to serve their clients better as both companies grow. Connect with Peter Website: Faster Than Normal | Peter Shankman Podcast: The Faster Than Normal Podcast | Apple Podcasts and Spotify Threads: @petershankman Instagram: @petershankman Facebook: Peter Shankman Email: peter@shankman.com     Connect with Us To learn more about us, visit our website at www.18summers.com or email us at info@18summers.com. To get a copy of our book “The Family Board Meeting”, click here.   Subscribe to 18 Summers Podcast and leave a rating and written review!     Social Media Channels Facebook Group: 18 Summers LinkedIn: Jimmy Sheils Instagram: @18summerstribe

We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing  that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code  PETER  for 10% off of this 15” device up to $30.  Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:    I'm a neurodiverse author, researcher, and advocate. For much of my life, I felt different from my peers, as if I was behind a glass wall, unable to connect with them. I had my way of thinking and doing things, which often made me feel isolated and unworthy, resulting in the need to prove myself by taking on too many challenges at once, such as working full-time (Animal welfare officer in preclinical research) and doing a full-time PhD (in the behavioral response of crustaceans to anthropogenic noise), Planning a wedding and organizing a mortgage while discussing house plans with an architect (Not counting everyday chores and exercising). I did slow down when I got pregnant by moving to a part-time position. Eventually, after too many meltdowns and close to burnout, I decided to step back from my PhD and job to find answers. In March this year, at the age of 33, after living with a brain that found it impossible to concentrate, with constant migraines, anxiety and fatigue. I received a Formal ADHD diagnosis and informal Autism. It was like a light bulb turned on in my head, and I felt a new sense of acceptance and empowerment. I started to embrace my neurodiversity and celebrate my strengths and talents. I've been on a creative spree. I've written and published two children's books on Amazon, and I've also written a book that you could call part memoir, part encyclopedia and part research on ADHD and Autism. It's called "AuDHD and Me: Growing Up Distracted". In it, I share my experiences and the stories of other neurodiverse individuals who have overcome challenges and achieved amazing things. My goal is to raise awareness and understanding of neurodiversity, especially in Ireland, where I live. I want to help others in a similar situation or who wish to learn more about their unique brains. Enjoy! [You are now safely here] 00:04 - Skylight calendar a practical, joyful organizational tool for families.  Use the code “PETER” for a nice discount! 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!! 02:01 - Welcome Author Laura Adams!  [She loves Skylight Calendar as well] 03:08 - On the increase in ADHD diagnoses in Ireland and the lack of government support/funding for neurodiverse individuals, particularly in education. 04:17 - Tell us about your life before & after your ADHD diagnosis and how it shifted your perspective! 05:00 - Laura's book AuDHD can be found here!  [See below for Non-US links**]  06:00 - On understanding ADHD and how it applied to her own experiences. 06:57 - Peter Shankman highlights the common misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding ADHD and the relief that comes with getting a diagnosis. 07:30 - Laura Adams discusses the transformative effect of receiving a diagnosis and how it has empowered her to step out of her comfort zone and share her experiences. 10:07 - On becoming a Marine Biologist & researching stress & audio in crustaceans. 13:31 - On how improving focus via medication may enhance thesis writing 16:05 - How can people find you Laura? Web: Buy her book here!  Socials:  LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/laura-adams-297716b6  16:29 - On the struggle to overcome Imposter Syndrome 17:00 - Thanks so much for joining ”Faster Than Normal” just about every week!! We appreciate you and your words and work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon! OH! And… If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman You may find Laura's new book anywhere, or specifically, here below: Germany: https://buff.ly/44msxnw ( best option to order with shipment to Ireland) UK: https://buff.ly/3YG9ovN (due to Amazon settings, some may not be able to order from the UK site - Laura has explored many options to have this issue resolved, however sometimes you can't jump over the fence with the technology) USA: https://buff.ly/3spxU88   TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. pretty-much.   You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman Laura Adams, a neurodiverse author, researcher, and advocate, shares her experience of receiving a formal ADHD diagnosis at the age of 33. She discusses the growing awareness and diagnosis of ADHD in Ireland, particularly among women. Laura talks about how her diagnosis brought a sense of acceptance and empowerment, and how it prompted her to embrace her neurodiversity. She explains how her symptoms were often misunderstood or dismissed, and how discovering the different presentation of ADHD in women opened her eyes to her own experiences. Getting diagnosed was a life-changing moment for Laura, giving her the confidence to speak out, write a book, and share her story. Hey, everyone. Peter Shankman, and welcome to another episode of Faster than Normal. I want to give a shout out over the past several weeks, as I've been doing to a wonderful, wonderful Advertiser Skylight Calendar. I know I talk about them every week, but obviously what I'm saying is resonating because they're telling me that people are purchasing through Faster Than Normal, which I think is awesome. Skylight calendar is a little little thing that hangs on my wall in my kitchen. And every morning before breakfast, my daughter and I look at the calendar and we see what chores she has. She sees what meetings I have. We see who's picking her up from school. We see if she has anything after school. Every time she completes a chore, she clicks on a little dot on the screen and it disappears. And it makes her really happy and it makes me really happy. And today, being her first day of school, we are back to using it every single day. And she absolutely loves it. She gets to put her homework in it. We get to upload photos to it. It is just a phenomenal device. Skylight Calendar. Use the code Peter at Skylight Calendar. Skylightcal.com. Use the code Peter and you'll get a really nice discount. It has saved us. We don't argue anymore about who has to do what, and that is pretty awesome. So I am very grateful to Skylight Calendar. They also make an awesome frame as well for just pictures. nCheck that out too. Welcome to Faster than Normal. We've been off for a couple of weeks, so it is awesome to be back. I want to introduce Laura Adams. We're going all the way to Ireland today, and that's about the extent of my Irish accent, but we're going to Ireland. We're talking to Laura Adams, who is a neurodiverse, author, researcher, and advocate. She got diagnosed at the age of 33 after, mind you, she managed to work full time, do a full time PhD, plan a wedding, organize a mortgage, not counting everyday tours and exercising. Oh, and she also got pregnant. But in March of this year, at the age of 33, living with a brain that found it impossible to concentrate with constant migraines, anxiety, and fatigue, she received a formal ADHD diagnosis and informal autism. So we're starting to see a connection there as well. Light bulb turned on in her head. She felt a new sense of acceptance and empowerment. And she's starting to embrace her neurodiversity. She read fast, add normal. She has listened to the podcast and she's like, I got to be on. She's published two children's books on Amazon, which is better than I've done. I've only published one. She's written a book you call part memoir, part encyclopedia, and part research called AuDHD and Me: Growing Up Distracted. So let us talk to Laura. Welcome to Faster than Normal. Laura  [00:03:08]: Hi. Hello. So cool! Going to go full nerd now. Peter Shankman [00:03:14]: It's great to have you here. I love that you're on the podcast. I love that you listen to the podcast. So Ireland has Ireland not embraced or is not talking about ADHD or neurodiversity? Is it not a big thing there yet? What's the story? Laura  [00:03:28]: Well, the last few years, probably just last two years in particular, it's shot up. Like, there's actually so many diagnosis coming in to Ireland, mostly from women, and I didn't have no idea of this until I got diagnosed myself, but there's so many women getting diagnosed in Ireland now. But we're kind of in the government will put legislations out and they're like, good job. We put legislation out, patting the back. And then they don't enforce it because there's no funding or there's not enough training. And it's just great. We did something and then nothing's done about it. So I'm kind of wanting to drive home, especially in education, it's like, kids do need help and if you're just kind of going, we did a great job, and then they're just leaving it, nothing's going to go well. Nothing's going of course, that's where I'm at. Peter Shankman [00:04:17]: So when you got diagnosed, talk for a second about what that was like. Talk for a second about how you felt before what happened when you got diagnosed and how you felt immediately after. Laura  [00:04:33]: I think this dream was gone a year, really, before I just was sitting down doing my PhD thesis and I just couldn't read. It was like all the I was agreed in a sentence, but I just couldn't connect the sentence together. I felt like I was just scrolling. Everything was a blur and I just couldn't concentrate on all I thought, that's it, I can't live like this anymore. It's been going on for too long. So I just went, right, I need answers. So I started with autism diagnosis because all my life had been told I was a little bit autistic. So I was like, OK, I'll start there. That's a good place. I contacted adult autism Ireland. The website and the sent me a whole load of questionnaires and there's so much of it. But one of the in particular was called the as or S, I think five ADHD characteristics. They know themselves that autism and ADHD kind of go a lot of the time, hand in hand. Like there are a lot more people who have ADHD with autism, with ADHD, or vice versa. I can't remember the actual statistics, but I scored incredibly high, like, way high than I would have thought on ADHD characteristics, especially in a sensory type. And I went down this rabbit hole of Ted Talks, and mostly women, and they used for so long. I've looked up some of the symptoms I had, and I couldn't find anything. But these women were saying exactly it had the words for it. Peter Shankman [00:06:00]: Yeah, because for the first time in your life, for the first time in your life, you were looking at ADHD from a different perspective. The concept of ADHD in boys and in men presents entirely differently than ADHD in girls and in women. Laura  [00:06:11]: Yeah, because I've heard about it twice. Maybe in my life, ADHD would be mentioned twice. And usually people are going, oh, it's not real. And I kind of going, of course. I went okay. I don't know. I have to look into something before I make a judgment. But it went right over my head. I was like, oh, another thing I won't be interested in. So I didn't even think about it until it actually was right in my face. But it's funny how that is the mindset of so many people, they're just not paying attention, or they're not trying hard enough, or they're just daydreamers. You've probably heard them, all the excuses people tend to make for people who are like, we are trying really hard. Thank you very much. There's a reason why I have this migraine bu that's the mindset that it was kind of what I was told about ADHD was brought up. Peter Shankman [00:06:57]: Getting diagnosed and getting a name towards what you've been feeling is an amazing it's an amazing relief. And it's funny because and I think you tell me your feelings on this. You break your leg, right? You see a bone sticking out of the middle of your leg. You're like, well, shit, I broke my leg. You don't need to get diagnosed when you see a bone sticking out of the middle of your leg, right? But you have these internal problems. It's the premise of, oh, you don't look sick. Nothing must be wrong with you, right? And when you finally are able to put those two and two together, it's life changing, actually. Laura  [00:07:30]: Complete. And I say the switch was almost because I'm very low confidence. This would be something I'd never do. Talking to someone on a podcast, it's just an impossibility. I thought, no way I'd write a book. No way I'd put up an Instagram page. No way I'd do any of that. And then as soon as I got the diagnosis, these little gears were starting to turn my head, and I was like, removing what I thought I could do to, oh, I can do this. This is very possible. And next thing, I'm just I wrote a book in a few months is the editing that was the longest. And I had, like, greeted children's books and I was in contact with people and I was like, what is this? Is a completely different person. I thought I never was, but it's just the fact I took away the oh, I must clearly be stupid or I must clearly be incapable of doing this because I was told I was incapable or if I can't do this, I'm being told I just have to work harder. Clearly something I'm not just not able to do it. That's the kind of labels I created for myself. This label of ADHD is so much better than this label of you're stupid, you're slow. You have so much potential if you just worked harder.   Peter Shankman [00:08:44]: No, it's true. It's definitely a wake up call. A lot of people listening as well as myself grew up with the you just need to apply yourself. And looking back on it, we were trained to not I never talked back to my teachers. I always, yes, ma'am, no, ma'am, and not I look back to bitch. I was applying myself. That's the problem. It's this sort of massive wake up call than if I could go back and tell my 6th grade teacher, mr. Hecker, hey, dude. I was applying my ass off and it wasn't sinking in. And that was the most I think it's one thing when you fail or when you don't do well and you know it's because you weren't trying. It's another thing when you try your butt off and it still doesn't click. Go ahead.   Laura  [00:09:26]: Because I would do really well in certain subjects. Like I had have a publication with pain in crustaceans, but then I was like, I can't do this. Other things like, how did I manage that? Bu can't manage this. So clearly I'm just lucky or I fooled people. And that's the thing. You just can't go, maybe I lied to them and that's how or maybe it was luck. Peter Shankman [00:09:48]: And then you just comes from you don't believe anything you've done. Everything you've done is luck. Everything I've done is luck. And you're sure you wake up every day with the fear that stays the day. You're going to get found out. Laura  [00:09:57]: Yeah, that's exactly it. Really fast. Peter Shankman [00:10:00]: I was going to ask this. What the hell is the behavioral response of crustaceans to anthropologenic noise? Which was who does a PhD in that? What is that?! Laura  [00:10:07]:  When I was younger, like three or four, I wanted to be a marine biologist. And I was like I couldn't spell the word, but I knew I wanted to be it. And I was like, I want to play. Like, I want to work with dolphins and seals. But when I went into my Masters, I like, OOH, crustaceans and crabs are interesting. I never would have thought of that in my life. It was like, there's something they're so they don't have any facial expressions. You have no idea what these things are thinking or can they think? Or are they actually do anything other than move side to side and eat stuff? So noticing that changes in their behaviors or their physiology is actually their signs of stress. So my initial publication was looking at the pain response. Is it just the fact that they're moving around more when you electrocute them? It's like the electrical electric shock or is it the stress? And my research shows that there is definitely more of a stress response in their I was looking at hemolyphistic their blood, so I was looking at lactate level in their blood. And it was much higher in individuals who are shocked than individuals who are not shocked, even if they were both moving around. So I was like, oh, there's something going on there. But I don't like shocking animals. Like, I felt guilty every single time I did it. And I turned to alcohol nearly every experimental days. I went, I can't do this, that's not healthy. So I turned to noise stress instead. And I just looked at how anthropogenic noise with human boat noise really is irritating or can cause an anxiety like response to in these shore crabs, which you see around the beaches everywhere and how they respond to it. I just wanted to see how long term noise affects their anxiety like response or their aggression levels. And if it is, aggression in crabs is incredibly important. I was like, oh, I feel like they stop me at any time. I'll keep going. It'll be like a firearm not.   Peter Shankman [00:12:03]: I loved it. That makes a lot of sense, though, because I know there were studies in the US. About how military boats affect was like   Laura  [00:12:14]: That was a big especially sonar causing a lot of strandings. I would like to make sure that I actually remember the easiest words like strandings and I can remember anthropogenic. How can I forget the easiest words sometimes? But it's amazing how these especially in shy and rare whales would you like to be somewhere? I think there's only like 50 something left of these whales in New Zealand. And if they're scared by noise, they'll move away from the area they're safe and right into the path of predators. And there's like there's only 50 something of these whales left and it could be eaten because I guess ship scared them. And it's just like a lot of this is but then we never think about the shorecrafts as well. Who pretty much are the food for everything else, or the paws, not even irrigation. Cold be the word. They kind of churn pretty much the soil and provide food for a not of other food items for animals. So I was like, I like to look at the base not just like whales, but not so much anymore messes. Peter Shankman [00:13:16]: With the entire ecosystem. No, I get that. Laura  [00:13:18]: Yeah. Like a wonderful thing. Peter Shankman [00:13:21]: So what is the biggest difference now that you've been diagnosed. And now that you're working under the auspices of what I have as a gift as opposed to what you have. Laura  [00:13:31]: My thesis writing is so much easier than I was before. And also I'm less hard on myself. And these are just I have these little tweaks. Not really tweaks, but I'll go to the gym more. I did take the lowest dose of medication you can get kind of just to turn me into concentration mode every now and again. Because with it, it's just a little bit better than coffee. But I don't use it that much. I use it when I'm working, but not as much. But without knowing this, I would literally type out a sentence, get distracted, talk about a completely different topic entirely in my thesis, without putting any full stop or finishing the sentence before I'd have information that should be at the end of the thesis, at the beginning of the thesis. And everything would be all over the place, but nothing will be in a linear story. Everything would just be all over the place and that would be like, I can't believe the difference. I can actually notice these things now. I go, oh, that's not supposed to be there. I'm going to move that. This actually reads like a proper story. The characters are actually there. There's some type of linear storytelling going on rather than whatever I did before. Bu. It's just confusing for everyone.   Peter Shankman [00:14:52]: Last question only because we're running short of time and I want to have you back. Yes, of course. What would you tell someone who was in your place five years ago?   Laura  [00:15:01]: It's really don't be so hard on yourself. I think that is actually the thing than was crippling me because even the smallest thing that I did wrong, I would beat myself up for years. I would say I was the worst person in the world. I'd have to work harder to try to prove it when really what I was doing was perfectly fine. It's just I can't get over how hard on yourself that you can be. Even my doctor started crying was pretty much interior saying, you're being so hard on yourself, that would be the biggest thing because if I didn't have that, the weight off your shoulders is incomparable. I'm like, I'm not as tired of myself. I'm actually stepping away when I need to rather than pushing forward when it's impossible. And the migraines have reduced. I used to have them every single week and they'd last for three days weekly. So that is the biggest change. I probably had, like one little mild headache today because I was nervous about talking to people like I was on this, but then I was like, that disappeared very fast. I was probably more excited than but it's amazing, that difference. Peter Shankman [00:16:06]: I love that. Laura  [00:16:06]: And the meltdowns. Very cool. Peter Shankman [00:16:12]: Laura, thank you so much for taking the time all the way from Ireland to talk to us today on Fast Than Normal. Love to have you back. Love the work you're doing out there to make a difference. We'll definitely bring you back on. Thank you so much. Laura  [00:16:23]: Thank you so much. I'll be probably the only episode I won't listen to because of my voice, but other than than sounds great. Peter Shankman [00:16:29]: Get the imposter syndrome out of your head listening to Faster Than Normal. We love having you. Let us know who you want to hear on the podcast. We will get them on. Thank you so much for listening. We will see you next week. Again, thanks to Skylight Calendar for sponsoring and we'll talk to you guys soon. Be well.  Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. All now on https://www.threads.net/@petershankman  If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing  that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code  PETER  for 10% off of this 15” device up to $30.    Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Sophie is a neurodivergent mother of three, late diagnosed with autism / adhd / dyspraxia 18 months ago, as was her now 9 year old son. She lives in Dubai, and until 18 months ago had spent 20 years in the corporate world of strategy consulting and professional services. She's moved from client facing strategy work internally to set up her firms strategy and projects team, before being asked to step into the technology leader and then the human resource leader roles . She's since set up her own company The Growth Pod, which helps passion and purpose led entrepreneurs harness their creativity and their uniqueness to create successful growth strategies or their business.  Today we learn how this neurodivergent Mother's is thriving as she advocates for more balanced neurodiversity in the corporate world. Enjoy!! :)  [You are now safely here] 00:04 - Skylight calendar makes chores and scheduling easy. Use the code “PETER” for a nice discount! 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!! 01:47 - Introducing and Welcome Sophie Thomas! 04:34 - “If you look at my professional success, it hasn't been a hindrance to me! I did well because of it.” 05:13 - On talking with her son about being neurodivergent  06:17 - Grief and self-discovery led to transformation. 07:00 - On the Importance of supporting neurodiverse students 09:36 - On making accommodations in the classroom 11:40 - Inclusion challenges and gender challenges in the Middle East workplace. 12:05 - On lacking Mental health and neurodiversity support/discussion of sexuality due to illegality. The region is far behind the world in celebrating neurodiversity, leaving them absent of utilizing super-powered skill sets from our global community. 15:30 - On breaking the Rain Man stereotype 16:05 - How can people find you? Web:  https://sophiethomascoaching.com Socials:  @ Growth_Pod on INSTA  17:00 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal” just about every week!! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon! OH! And… If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. mostly but somewhat.  You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman   TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. pretty-much.   You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the man who booked a round trip flight to Tokyo just to write a best selling book, Peter Shankman. Peter Shankman [00:00:04]: Hey, everyone. I want to give a shout out this week to Skylight Frame. You can check them out@skylightframe.com. As always, they've been a great sponsor for the past couple months. They're still here. A lot of you have gone out and bought the Skylight Frame, and it is pretty awesome. It's a full calendar that sits on your wall, connects to Google or whatever calendar service you use, Apple calendar, whatever. And then it tells your kids what they have to do. You enter in all their chores. They can look at the screen every morning. They click on what the have to do and they do it. And it has stopped the arguments in our house from Jessa, have you changed the dog's baby pads to have you cleaned your room? She simply knows. She goes looks chores, cleans them off, does her chores, and then clicks them on the touch screen. When the touch screen is not in use, it shows beautiful photos that you can upload right to its server. So I love it. Huge fan. You can get up to $30 off with the code, Peter, if you order today@skylightframe.com. Okay. Thank you, Skylight. Peter Shankman [00:01:47]: Peter Shankman. Welcome to another episode of Fast Than Normal. Do you know what I found out? I found out last week in pure, typical ADHD fashion. Apparently we've come across 300 episodes. Apparently last week's episode or a couple of weeks ago was our 300th. And I had no idea. I wanted to get a cake and eat the cake during a podcast. And someone sent me an email, hey, congratulations on hitting 300 episodes. And I went, oh, yeah. Okay, cool. Thanks. So that's the beauty. One of the beauties of ADHD. Totally blew that one. But hey, we made it through 300 episodes, which is pretty cool. I think less than one parent of all podcasts ever make it to 300 episodes, so feeling pretty good about that. Anyway, I want to talk today to a woman named Sophie Thomas. Sophie Thomas is a neurodivergent mother of three. She's late diagnosed with autism, ADHD dyspraxia. So apparently she did nothing for the first, like, X number of years of her life and than when her nine year old son got diagnosed. She's like, oh, look at all these things I have. She lives in dubai, which is pretty cool because you know me and how much I love Dubai and until 18 months ago had spent 20 years in the corporate world of strategy consulting and professional services. She recently moved from client facing strategy work to set up her firm's Strategy and Project Team before being asked to step in as technology leader and then do a human resource role. Realizing that she loved human resources, she set up her own company called The Growth Pod, and that helps passion and purpose led entrepreneurs harness their creativity and their uniqueness to create successful growth strategies for their businesses. Many of her clients are also neurodiverse and part of her new mission in life is to advocate for neurodiversity in the corporate world. Welcome, Sophie. Sophie  [00:03:25]: Thank you. And congratulations on 300 episodes as a nascent podcaster. I know that's a massive feat. Peter Shankman [00:03:33]: I was kind of shocked by it and like I said, didn't even realize it, which is so typical. When The Boy with the Faster Brain came out a month and a half ago, I didn't realize the launch date and I started getting all these emails saying, hey, congratulations on your new book. I'm like, I didn't know it was out yet, but cool. Thanks. Yeah, that's just so typical. So you got diagnosed with autism, ADHD and dyspraxia. So tell us what Than was like. Was that a whole life changer for you? Sophie  [00:03:58]: Absolutely. I've always known I was different and having the diagnosis just completely changed my narrative and it changed our family as well because we were going through the process. For my son, I read a book on Asperger's, though I know we're not meant to use the term and identified him in that book. And sort of going through that book, I also identified myself. And my husband is super supportive of us, but he wasn't quite sure what we would do with an autism diagnosis for my son or a neurodivergent diagnosis. And seeing an understanding that I was neurodivergent just made it so much easier for all of us to accept his diagnosis and celebrate it. Because if you look at my professional success, it hasn't been a hindrance to me. In fact, when I reflect on it and since leaving the corporate world, when I look back at my experiences and I've changed the narrative, I don't now put of myself as a survivor and have done well despite my neurons divergence. I did well because of it. Sophie  [00:05:06]: It's because of loads of the traits that I have that I've been able to be the success that I was. And I'm really excited now that we can have that conversation with my son at a very young age, celebrate his neurodiversity and talk about his superpowers and his strengths and how he can take those into what I know will be a very different world in sort of 1520 years time when he's in looking for jobs and creating careers. But I think it's going to be really empowering for him to have had somebody close to him as a role model and a family that champions and supports him. Peter Shankman [00:05:44]: Tell me about so one of the things that I talk a lot to companies about this, and I explained that my ADHD is definitely my success is because of not in spite of my ADHD, but one of the things we don't talk a lot about is what it was like growing up. So ADHD doesn't just happen the second you get diagnosed. You get diagnosed because you know something's different. So when you were growing up, I'm assuming I don't know where you grew up, but assuming where you grew up, it couldn't have been as easy because you weren't allowed to be as different as you are allowed to be today. Sophie  [00:06:17]: No, there was a huge amount of grief, I think that came with my diagnosis. As part of that diagnosis, I had to go through all of my old school reports which my parents had lovingly kept for me. And it's amazing when you read all of those back to back in about 6 hours, as I did Hyper Focus and looking at the narrative of that kid. I just felt so sad for her that nobody sat there. And put together the picture of somebody than I always thought I was stupid or not very intelligent. But I was okay because I could work really hard. And I see in those reports the pockets of we think Sophie is a bright child, but she's lazy and she's too introverted. We just don't seem to be able to get through to her. And everything I read into that now is we don't have the time or we don't have the skills. We don't have the understanding of how to teach her differently or how to teach her in a way where she can excel. I had to sit down at every major point of examinations and in the UK we have two or three big sets of them in our life. And I had to reteach myself every curriculum in three months before my exams just to get through. I was predicted to fail. I was told I wasn't going to go to a decent university. And against all of the odds, I sat down, I knuckled down and I came out with a's across the board. And now I have a different narrative, which is that I am really bright, my neurodiversity, I'm twice exceptional. I can say from a position of fact that my intelligence is higher than 98 percentile of the population. That in itself has changed me completely. And I try not to think about actually what would have been different if somebody had supported me. Because I find that not necessarily it can be a spiral and a rabbit hole to go through, no question. What I think not is about, okay, how can I take that and how can I help my son? How can I advocate for my son? How can I make it different from him? How can I help him to recognize and own his intelligence, to harness that power, to find ways that he can learn and get the accommodations he needs in school and then think about how he's best going to use those powers in a career that's going to be meaningful to him? Peter Shankman [00:08:38]: And your son is with you in it like, what's it like in the Dubai school system in America? It's just sort of coming up and we're starting to make good strides, but it's taken forever in a day. Sophie  [00:08:53]: It's nascent here. I mean, it's a very different society. It's very multicultural. So a lot of the things that I would have imagined we would struggle with in terms of inclusion in Europe or the US. We don't have here because it is so diverse. You have everybody from every nationality, different languages, everybody is in different places. So schools seem to be more naturally inclusive, but they're private education. They want to maximize revenue. So it is harder for kids that have additional needs to get into the good schools. It's expensive for parents to support them if they do have additional needs and need learning support, assistance. And we're really lucky that our son thrives in school. And his school is probably one of the most inclusive. The small accommodations they put into the classroom for him, they've been putting in there for all kids because they recognize that all kids move to a different beat of their own drum. I'm nervous about secondary because the education sector is developing so rapidly. The primary is more developed. It's come on along in the last six, seven years since we started sending him to school. Secondary is catching up. Bu I'm nervous about that because I think at that point you're a bit like a shark in infested waters. And the inclusivity that we found in the early years, I'm not sure we're going to find it in secondary. Peter Shankman [00:10:11]: Interesting. Okay, so what are you preparing to do? How are you getting ready for that? Sophie  [00:10:17]: Well, we're having conversations with him about he's got to own his decision of which school. It would be very easy for us as parents to go on the traditional measures of a good school. We could look at grades, we could look at the number of university students. But at the end of the day, he's got to find somewhere where he feels like his rhythm is going to be recognized and supported. So we're going to try and go around a load of schools. I'm part of the local communities around Neurodiversity, so I listen to which of most inclusive things. But one thing I'm seeing a trend of in Dubai is schools that are coming up than are way more creative and innovative and nontraditional. And I feel like one of those schools where it is much more focus on digitization tech that that will be a better environment for him, rather than something that looks more like a traditional education system that I might recognize and sort of stereotypical me. Would Cold feel like that was a good school for him? Peter Shankman [00:11:17]: Makes sense. Tell me about what it's like there in the workplace, having been out there for years, having now understanding your neurodiversity, what is the conversation like when you would talk to, say, when you were still at your old position? Would you tell people about it? Would you talk to it? How did they react to. Sophie  [00:11:40]: Think, you know, I've been in the Middle East for 14 years, and, you know, I would have said my primary difference for the majority of that was that I was female. Secondly, that I was English Add. There aren't many senior English female women in the workplace. And in my later role in HR, I was involved in diversity inclusion. And when I look at the conversations you have around ind here compared to those you have in Europe or the US. It's much, much narrower. So the focus is on gender still, which is a conversation that we still have elsewhere, but less so it's on nationality. So it is a much more inclusion of the national workforce here and bringing in the Emirates, the Saudis, the Qataris into Middle Eastern firms. There really isn't a conversation about hidden disabilities, about neurodiversity, and there's absolutely zero conversation around sexuality and the LGBTQI because of the context here in illegality, which is really challenging. So it's a much, much narrower conversation. When I was in my role, we were coming out of COVID and huge concerns around mental health and support for individuals. And I found, without knowing about my neurodiversity, that the individuals who were struggling the most with inclusion were individuals on the neurodiverse spectrum. And we had so many challenges with people with mental health awareness, with breakdowns, burnouts, suicidality, and we were not where we needed to be in the region in terms of inclusiveness around conversations around mental health and support that we could put in there. And so even on, like, when it's really obvious, when people are really struggling, we're not great. And when we're talking about proactive measures of inclusivity in the workplace and celebrating neurodiversity traits and thinking about how we incorporate those, embrace them, and actively seek them out in the future, we're just miles away. And what I loved when I met you in Dubai was you had just finished off your step conference speech around customer experience, which I loved. But it was your shout out about the future of work and actively seeking. Out neurodivergent skill sets to be part of the environment and the corporate add entrepreneurial environment. That really resonated with me because we are so behind in this region in having those conversations or even recognizing that it's something to be celebrated. I told very few colleagues about my diagnosis. I left about six months after my diagnosis, not directly because of my diagnosis, but it was interlinked. But when I talked about my son's diagnosis, I had people commiserating with me and saying things, well, at least like, you've got two normal children. Yeah. Add oh, have you looked at his diet? And maybe just things that I would have expected in the UK 25 years ago. Peter Shankman [00:14:54]: Right. Sophie  [00:14:54]: So there's a really in the general population, not a great understanding. I think there's still very much a kind of a Rain Man or bonkers children bouncing off the walls kind of impression of neurodiversity. And I still get friends coming up to me when I tell them, and I'm now very open about my diagnosis, and they're like, well, you don't seem very autistic or you don't seem very neurodiverse. And it blows my mind that we still have those entrenched views and see it as a much more disabling sort of set of characteristics or neurotype than it really is. Peter Shankman [00:15:37]: And again, I think that's something we'll definitely talk about offline, because, like I said, I was speaking one of the companies I was talking to last week. I was on satellite, and someone emailed me later from your region. And, you know, it's great to finally hear this and my company's taken seriously because no one here believes it. So I think we got a lot of work to do. That being said, Sophie Thomas, I'm so glad you joined us today. Thank you so much for taking the time. How can people find you so you. Sophie  [00:16:02]: Can find me@sophiethomascoaching.com where I have all of my interests? Add particularly around neurodivergent supports for workplaces. And you can find me at the Growth Pod or Growth_pod on Instagram Growth_pod, not for my work on business coaching. Peter Shankman [00:16:19]: Sophie, thank you so much. As soon as we go live, we'll let you know. As always, thank you all for listening. We will have another episode next week. I can't believe we're over 300 episodes, as you know. Sophie  [00:16:28]: Congratulations. Peter Shankman [00:16:29]: Thank you. As I didn't know. But either way, great to have you guys. We'll see you next week. Sophie, thank you again, everyone. Neurodiversity is a gift, not a curse. We're going to keep telling that story forever. Talk to you soon. Bye. VO: [00:16:43]: Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. All now on https://www.threads.net/@petershankman If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing  that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code  PETER  for 10% off of this 15” device up to $30.  Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Brett Greene is the Founder of the New Tech Northwest community of 60,000+ technologists and is a transformational ADHD and Executive Coach helping high-achieving tech entrepreneurs and business leaders reach unprecedented success. His life's journey with ADHD has included holding an MA in Counseling Psychology, producing hundreds of event experiences, working with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artists, being a life long meditator, a professional DJ, an Advisory Board Member for SXSW Pitch, a Top 35 Social Media Power Influencer in Forbes, and speaking at the White House. Many of his clients have had successful exits including an acquisition to a Fortune 50 company. Offering individual coaching, group coaching, as well as professional training, Brett specializes in effectively mastering neurodivergence and communication in the workplace to foster inclusive environments that unlock the potential of all individuals.  Enjoy!  [You are now safely here] 00:04 - Skylight Calendar makes chores & scheduling easy! Use code “PETER” for a nice discount! 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening, and for subscribing!! 01:57 - Introducing and Welcome Brett Greene!  03:05 - A diagnosis journey, experiences w/ medication, productivity turbo, via The Musix Biz? 05:25 - ADHD, various experiences including meeting the Dalai Lama, speaking at the White House 06:40 - ADHD and it's power of community building 09:17 - Anxiety, rejection sensitive dysphoria, and being neurodivergent in the workplace. #DEI 11:33 - Neurodivergent Professionals and the Struggle with Neurotypical Systems 13:50 - The never-ending quest for success 14:27 - Neurodivergent individuals and the need for education in society. 14:45 - Understanding neurodivergent more as an operating system that's different, like Apple versus Android 14:26 - How can people find you? Socials:  LinkedIn @ BrettGreene  Web:  newtechnorthwest.com add epsiloncoaching.com.  15:05 - Gratitude and Recognition 16:57 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon!   If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman   TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. mostly but somewhat.    You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman   TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. pretty-much.   You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast to simply better their lives. And now here's the host of the Faster than Normal podcast, the man whose preschool teacher said he would either be president or in jail by age 40, Peter Shankman.  [01:36]: Peter Shankman:  All right, who are we talking today? We're talking to Brett Greene. Brett is the founder of new Tech Northwest. It's a community of 60,000 technologists, and he's a transformational ADHD and executive coach. He helps high achieving tech entrepreneurs and business leaders reach tons of success. His journey with ADHD has included holding an Ma in counseling psychology, producing hundreds of experiences, working with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists, and being a lifelong meditator professional DJ because you need to be professional DJ if you're going to work with a DHG. An advisory board member for SX Swiss Out West pitch a top 35 social media power influencer in Forbes, and he spoke at the White House. His clients have had tons of successful exits. He offers coaching, group coaching, professional training. He does a lot. And best part, he has some stories he wants to tell. Brett, welcome. Brett [00:02:19]: Thank you, Peter. It's great. Now, I think I first met you in 2006 at Blog World. Peter Shankman [00:02:26]: Yeah, it's been a while. We've known each other for quite some time. It's great to have you here. It's great to finally have you on the podcast. Give us 30 seconds about you. And I know that you have a bunch of stories you want to share with us. Brett [00:02:37]: Sure. Add first, real quick shout out to Skylight. My brother and I got that for our parents a few years ago and great gift for parents and other people who love to see the family photos and get excited when you load them in there. Peter Shankman [00:02:54]: That was their original product. The Skylight frame was the original product. The calendar www.skylightcal.com came next, which does mostly the same thing. Peter Shankman [00:03:00]: You still show the photos, but it also has a calendar on it. And I love that one for my daughter. Brett [00:03:03]: Cool  Peter Shankman [00:03:04]: Awesome. Brett [00:03:05]: Yeah. ADHD so I'll try to make it short. I guess the thing I would share about my story is I didn't get diagnosed until a few years ago, but about 20 years ago had a nephew on Ritalin and his mom's a psychologist and she said, hey, you might want to try this. And I did. And I didn't want to be on meds my whole life, so I didn't do much about it. But when I took it, I took it on a Sunday and in 4 hours got more done than I got done in a week. And I was like, oh my gosh. People's brains like, do this. And I know you've heard this story of your time. I've known for a long time. But then there was a point where I needed to get diagnosed, which a lot of folks part of it was to stay married and to figure out everything else than wasn't working. ADHD diagnosis and understanding that really helped to understand where things were so that we had a new place to create agreements together and build relationship, which is what I've now been working with people with for their careers as well as their personal lives. My life was all over the place and not planned and just a lot of luck and weird things. I became a DJ at college radio station 17. Then I was a music director and the program director started. I was a club DJ and had a mobile DJ company in college, all of that. One thing ADHD wise, that's weird about that is in high school I got asked by someone I'd known for a while, like, hey, do you want to be a cheerleader? And this other guy in the class the asked too. And I was like, oh, I don't know. But the teacher doing it had been one of my favorite teachers. I'm like, okay, these guys from the college are showing a team now since we get it. So I was a DJ at the punk rock radio station while I was a cheerleader at the high school, and then I was the vice president of a fraternity while I was the program director of the punk rock radio station, which made no sense to other people. But I just did what felt good and what seemed interesting and than just led me into a career in the music industry that I didn't plan. And that was great. So I was in the music industry. Peter Shankman [00:05:18]: That's classic ADHD. I mean you realize that's classic ADHD I'm going to do what feels good and all of a sudden have a career. Brett [00:05:25]: Yeah. And felt weird and it didn't make sense. And the whole time I had anxiety during the career because in hindsight, with the diagnosis, I can realize, oh, this is another reason why I gave up a natural position for a regional. And I moved from La. To Boulder, Colorado, because I could have bosses in La. And New York, and I was on planes all the time, which now I know. ADHD we love to be in motion. And you, with your books and other people know we think better. We get centered when we're in motion. And I wasn't having to go into an office every day and feel awkward and weird and trying to navigate the politics and the things that I couldn't scan because our brains are more empathetic and we're not really into those things. I'm ADHD I'm dumping all over the place with this. So career in the music industry when I left that realized it wasn't the ladder that I wanted to be on started a digital marketing company in the early 2000s was Blogging when that first came out. That's how I ended up meeting you at Blog World. Just got into social media early which was the main reason why I built community. In hindsight I realized I'm a community builder and I did it with music, I did it online. Then when I moved to Seattle ten years ago, I ended up doing it with the tech community and I realized that I'm a connector. I like to help people. It's one thing that made me resonate with you when I first met you and other weird thing when I was in Boulder, I left school for the record industry went back and finished my degree while I was doing 14 state territory and realized I could keep going. So I went continued with my master's degree. It wasn't actually at Cu, it was at Europa University which was founded by a Tibetan Buddhist. Just happened to be there. Somebody asked me to be on student council. And the one six month term I did happened to be when they had, after 15 years, gotten the Dalai Lama to come to Denver and the did a big thing at the Pepsi Center, but he came to the school. So I actually had a private audience with the Dalai Lama. Again, all this is like luck. And following ADHD and even speaking at the White House, I sat in the audience of New Tech Boulder for six years with 400 people a month. And when I moved to Seattle, I couldn't believe nobody had done it. The formula started after 911 in New York with the founders of Meetup.com had created New York Tech Meetup, which is still going strong and people new York, right? So people are there and then they go other places. So somebody had left in Boulder and I had already been in San Francisco for twelve years. I couldn't believe nobody had done this in Seattle. So I'm like, oh, I don't want to just have a job or do something, I want to connect with community. So I started it and it was just great timing. And two years later happened to be when the founder Meetup.com did the first and so far only tech Meetup at the White House because he had known the first female CTO at Google and she was the first CTO of US government under Obama. And they reached out and they asked like 50 Meetup organizers to come speak. And again, not totally, I literally almost fell on my floor when I opened the email. How did this happen? This is just doing what I loved and good things coming so a little longer than I wanted to go. But I realized that a lot of stuff. And ADHD. Peter Shankman [00:09:04]: It's okay though, I like that, I like that. Tell us about a lot of good stuff, right? You took these risks, they paid off. You're doing what you love to do. But it's not all sunshine and roses. It never is. No, talk about some of the negatives. Brett [00:09:17]: The negative was not knowing I had ADHD and having anxiety all the time and always feeling wrong. In hindsight, I can see most of us go through what seems like and possibly is like daily emotional poking from the outside, which gives us great radar. But also in my case I realized I also learned after I found out ADHD, and I know you've heard this a lot of times, then I discovered rejection, sense of Dysphoria, and for me I was like, oh my gosh, that's the deal. Like as much as I thought ADHD changed my entire understanding of myself and put me on a healing path around it. RSD just deepened my empathy for everybody else going through it. Add I was like, oh my gosh, I'm glad I'm not alone. But I feel for all the other people that with rejecting sensitive Dysphoria, being so outer oriented, which I think the positive of that is, makes me a great community organizer. The weird thing is, pre COVID, I was producing 52 events a year, getting on stage three or four times a month in front of hundreds of people. And I did it because I loved the connection with the people. Add, I was scared shitless every time. And still now I've been doing this ten years, and I get the fulfillment, because people come up and say, oh, I met a great business partner, I got a job, I met this wonderful person, I got this great idea from the presenters. And so I get the fulfillment from the community telling me that what I'm doing is valuable for them, and the saying, thank you so much for doing this, that this exists for us to find each other. But I get on stage and freak out every time. And when I had jobs, in hindsight I realized it wasn't just that I was a horrible employee, it was because this is actually something I talked to some of my clients about because especially in tech they go through this a lot. I'm not going to throw a blanket statement, but I'll say in general it seems that most companies are based on neurotypical systems. They're hierarchical and they're generally based on how do you get more money? How do you get more power? How do you get a better title? Most of the neurodivergent folks than I've met and work with, we are wired because of those things I was talking about in early life I think to be pretty empathetic. We have huge bullshit detectors and we don't work well in those systems. And so we want to go to work, do a great job. Our brains see all these problems people don't see, make all these great connections, create solutions that gives us dopamine it's awesome. Want to do that great job, be acknowledged for it, move up the ladder at work from doing a great job, go home and have a nice life. Then we don't understand why the guy who does half the work but has radar to find the right people to get his power and money higher is great at sniffing those people out, giving those people what they need. They sniff out the folks who do really hard work, usually a lot of neurodiversity folks who aren't necessarily or not self promoters generally and out our great work and they get to be the face of the work. They can go up the ladder and go, hey, see what our team is doing even though they're not doing the work. And you watch those people move up the ladder. And I don't say it seems like most situations are than way. I've talked to over 200 tech professionals that are neurodivergent in the last two years and I'd say almost all of them have experience of this, of like, why can't I just go do my great job, have a good career, have a good life? Because we're not wired to play those games and we hate the politics and we hate the nonsense. Peter Shankman [00:13:04]: Yeah, 100%. It's very accurate. That's very accurate. I think that one of the interesting things is that when that happens, instead of fighting it, we internalize it and that doesn't help us at all. It makes it even worse. Brett [00:13:20]: Yeah. And that's actually another thing with coaching that I work with people around is in coaching they talk about that little voice as the saboteur or the wounded child and your more positive self, the leader within the wise adult is really connected to your successes, your wins, and truly who the light you really are. But for ADHD I call it the YAB but full, because it seems like we could work 40 years on cancer and we could cure cancer, but as soon as we get at the top of that mountain, we're never looking back. And we don't acknowledge all the work that went into that and everything we did, because we're in the moment, we're getting the dopamine while we're hyper focused building it. We get to the top of the mountain, we cured cancer, and for 30 seconds it's awesome. And then we look around at the horizon and see all the other mountains and that little yeah, but Fro goes, yeah, but multiple sclerosis, what are you doing with that? And we're like, oh yeah, I'm a piece of crap, I need to go work on that. Peter Shankman [00:14:21]: No, it's so totally true. So totally true. Brett, I want to keep it at 15 minutes like we always do, but we'll definitely have you back.  14:26 - How can people find you? Socials: Yes. LinkedIn @ BrettGreene  Web:  newtechnorthwest.com add epsiloncoaching.com.  Brett: Can I just say one more?  Go for it.  I know you try to keep it tight. Yeah. One thing we talked about real quick on here than I think just because it helps people a lot is understanding neurodivergent more as an operating system that's different, like Apple versus Android. And when you understand that it's low executive function, low working memory, low dopamine, low serotonin, you can explain that to people, then you can create a new understanding and context with each other to move forward in a more positive and helpful way. So a quick example is if two people go to lunch, one person orders mayonnaise with their fries, the American goes, that's weird, and feels like it's really awkward. Add strange and why would a person do that? And then the other person says, oh, I'm Canadian, that's what we do. And immediately it just melts. It's like, oh, you're Canadian, right? What they do. The truth is we haven't been educated as a society. We're not educated on neurodivergent. Unfortunately. It's up to us to educate the folks around us. And actually I'm working on a book now on communication specifically to help neurodivergent people easily in like a 20 minutes conversation be able to explain what a neurodivergent brain is. So that now the understandings of like, well, why didn't you do that thing you said you were going to do? Why do you forget this now you're not going to get labeled as lazy and negative and these things because from a neurotypical perspective that stuff could be true. Bu once they understand a neurodivergent brain and go like, oh, well, you don't have the parts in your brain for that. You're at 20% executive function versus 100, and by eleven or 12:11 A.m. Or twelve you're spent for the day. Whereas I started with ten gallons of fuel I ended up with four and I'm tired. You started with two and you're at zero and we're acting like it's the same thing because we don't have the language to explain. Peter Shankman [00:16:24]: No. Excellent, excellent. Great answer. [00:16:27]: So thank you for letting me do that and thank you for allowing me to be on here. I really appreciate peter, glad to have you, Brett. Peter Shankman [00:16:33]: Definitely. Brett [00:16:33]: It's an honor Peter Shankman [00:16:35]: Goes, as always, you've Been listening to Faster Than Normal. If you like what you hear, leave us a review. Tell people the more people who listen, the better off we are. We are hundreds of episodes in over 300 and we are thrilled that you guys have been along the journey. We couldn't have done it without you. So we will see you next week. As always, ADHD at all forms in our diversity. What do I say is a gift, not a curse. We'll see you guys soon. Take care. Stay safe! — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. All now on https://www.threads.net/@petershankman If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Get ready to meet ADHD Royalty, Peter Shankman! He is known globally for his entrepreneurial prowess, and work on educating himself and the world about ADHD. I've known of Peter's work for years and it's truly an honour to speak with him!He wants both kids and parents to know that a diagnosis of ADHD doesn't mean you're broken, but brilliant! That if you have an ADHD brain, you have been given a gift of a brain that's equal to a Ferrari, but society and the school system wants these kids to fit into a “Honda Accord” brain! I love that metaphor, and if you have a kiddo with this diagnosis, you know exactly what he's talking about!Peter's message to parents is that neurodiversity brings gifts and we need to have unwavering love, support and advocacy for our kids. Using this superpower for good means we focus on feeding that brain with exercise, protein, nutrition and calming techniques. For a download of Peter's article, Ten Ways to be Happier When You Live/Love Someone Diagnosed With ADHD, visit the Parent Toolbox. www.parent-toolbox.comAbout Peter ShankmanPeter Shankman is a spectacular example of what happens when you find the best traits of ADHD and work really hard to make them benefit you. By the time Peter was diagnosed as ADHD he had started and sold two companies and realized that all the differences that formerly labeled him as a troublemaker were actually his greatest assets. After Peter sold his third company, (Help a Reporter Out,) he decided to focus on really understanding this “faster brain” of his, and learning exactly what it could do. From that, the "Faster Than Normal" podcast and bestselling book of the same name were born. Since then, Peter has written numerous best-selling books and “Faster than Normal” is the Internet's #1 podcast on ADHD. Peter believes that everyone has gifts, potential, and abilities far beyond what society has deemed “normal,” and strives to help bring those gifts to life in as many people as he can.Social Media:Website: www.Shankman.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petershankmanFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterShankmanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/petershankman/Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/petershankmanTwitter: https://twitter.com/petershankman Thanks for listening! For more on Robbin, her work and free resources, keep reading!READY FOR YOUR FAMILY CHECK UP CALL? If you're feeling burnt out by bad behavior, worn down from constant battles and bickering and you've struggled to get the cooperation, respect and obedience you want from your kids, I've been there too. It might be time to learn new tools (that you've never been taught) to help you get your kids to listen to you, build teamwork, and grow the harmony in your home. https://parentingforconnection.as.me/CheckupcallFREE GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF STRONG-WILLED KIDS: “How to Turn a NO into Cooperation” go to

We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing  that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code  PETER  for 10% off of the 15” device up to $30.  Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Enjoy! [You are now safely here] 00:04 - Skylight calendar makes chores and scheduling easy. Use the code “Peter” for a nice discount! 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing - Introducing and welcome TO EPISODE THREEHUNDRED!! Today.. It's my daughter who is asking the questions!!  03:48 - The Importance of Self-Care on Sundays05:08 - ADHD and unintentional distractions.  06:00 - On Imposter syndrome, fear of inadequacy, difficulty focusing 09:12 - How does Dopamine work and how do we get some? 11:21 - ADHD and Self-Perception 13:14 - The Impact of diagnosis on self-perspective 14:18 - What's the most common question about ADHD 15:51 - Advice for Living with ADHD 16:18 - Thanks so much for enjoying with us this special 300th episode of "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. mostly but somewhat.  You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast to simply better their lives. And now here's the host of the Faster than Normal podcast, the man whose preschool teacher said he would either be president or in jail by age 40, Peter Shankman. Peter Shankman [00:01:36]: Hey, guys, welcome to another episode of Faster than Normal. My name is Peter Shankman. I am your host. I am thrilled that you're here. I have a very special interview today because I decided that who better to understand the ADHD brain of a parent than their child? So with that, I want to introduce you all to my daughter, Jessa Shankman, who has ten. I told her to come up with ten questions that she is going to ask her dad today. Add dad's going to talk a little bit about ADHD from the perspective of what it's like to have it when you're a dad and what it's like for a kid with a dad who has ADHD. So, Jessa, welcome to Faster Than Normal. Jessa [00:02:14]: Hey, everyone. I'm really glad to be here. It's super cool. Peter Shankman [00:02:17]: It's great to have you. So tell us a little bit about yourself. How old are you? Jessa [00:02:21]: I'm ten years old. I really like music. I like coloring. I don't know what to say. Peter Shankman [00:02:27]: Okay, you're going into what grade? In the fall. Jessa [00:02:30]: I'm going into fifth grade in my school. It's junior high, so I'm pretty excited for that. Peter Shankman [00:02:34]: You start in junior high this year. Very cool. And have you had a good summer so far? Jessa [00:02:38]: Yeah, I went to sleepway camp, and I went to a day camp for a little bit, and I'm going to Paris in a few weeks. Peter Shankman [00:02:43]: Paris, very nice. I didn't get to go overseas until I was, like, 25. Very cool. Very cool. All right, so I'm going to start off and ask you a question first, and then from there, we can go into sort of your questions. I don't know if you remember this bu when you were about three or four years old, one day I woke up, you were here, and I slept in that day, and I didn't get on the bike. You know how I get on my bike every morning, right? I get on my bike to clear out my brain and all that. One day, you must have been, like, maybe four years old, and I came in the kitchen, and I woke you up, and I woke you up in your room. We went to the kitchen to have red goes, and I was just sitting there, and I was watching you eat, whatever, and you went, dad, daddy, did you get on the bike today? Did you get on your bike? And I said, no. I said, no. Why? And you said, because you're not as happy. Do you remember this? Jessa [00:03:31]: No, I don't remember it, but I probably did ask. Peter Shankman [00:03:33]: Yeah, you said no because you're not as happy. And so that's when I realized the true meaning of what it means to get that dopamine every morning. So can you still tell the difference in me on the days that I work out before I wake you up versus the days I don't? Jessa [00:03:48]: The days that you don't work out are usually Sundays, so you're always like, okay, let's get breakfast. And then after breakfast, you either take a shower or you lie on the couch. Peter Shankman [00:04:01]: And the days that I do work out? Jessa [00:04:03]: The days you do work out, after breakfast, you probably do some work or whatever, and it's always like a weekday that you work out. Peter Shankman [00:04:11]: You see the difference, and that usually comes from the exercise. Yes. Interesting. Okay, so you still see us. That wasn't a one time thing. Cool. Good to know. All right, so Jessa has some questions for her dad, so you want to start it of yeah, sure. Jessa [00:04:24]: All right, first question. What is your favorite thing about having ADHD? Peter Shankman [00:04:31]: Question my favorite thing about having ADHD is that there's always something new. Everything is a new experience. So everything than someone asks me to do or that I get to do or everything I get to do with you, I always look at as a new challenge and a new experience, and I find a way to make it not boring. Last week, we had to drive like 2 hours to get to the ranch, right? And then 2 hours back, and we were singing music, we were singing show tunes. We were just having fun, right. So, for me, ADHD really lets my brain work so I can always have a good time. Jessa [00:05:04]: Yeah. All right. And you can guess the second question. Is your least favorite thing about having ADHD. Peter Shankman [00:05:08]: My least favorite thing about having ADHD? I think my least favorite thing about having ADHD is worrying a lot that I'm not as good as I could be. So there's a name for it. It's called imposter Syndrome, and it means that you don't think you're as good as everyone else thinks you are. So people might say, wow, you're doing really well, but in your mind, you're like, no, I'm kind of a loser. Right. And I think that comes from having ADHD. So I think the worst thing about having ADHD is probably twofold. One is that fear that I'm not as good as other people think I am. And the second thing is, sometimes I lose my focus. And if it happens when we're hanging out and you notice it, I always feel really bad. That's fine, because I know it's fine, but I want to give you my full attention. And sometimes, no matter how hard I try, ADHD kicks in, and I'm like, well, you know, that a squirrel. So it's hard sometimes, but I try. Jessa [00:06:05]: Yeah. And then the related question is, when you get distracted from your work, from me, what's the best solution? Like, what's the best thing that you could do to stop the distraction? Peter Shankman [00:06:19]: It's a great question. So we've talked about that, because sometimes you get distracted. And what do I tell you to do? Jessa [00:06:25]: Bring a fidget, do some squats, add jumping squats. Peter Shankman [00:06:28]: Add jumping jacks. Right. And the fidget, the squats and jumping jacks, they all have one thing in common. They make your brain produce what dopamine dopamine? Exactly. And dopamine is the chemical in your brain that people with ADHD don't make enough of. And so when I take my fidget or when I do some squats or some jumping jacks, or even if I just walk up and down some stairs or get some fresh air, that gives me dopamine and lets me focus more than I could have if I just didn't do anything. So, yeah, I think that for me, it's always about getting up, add doing something, even if it's just like, three minutes of going outside the apartment, walking up from our floor, like, to the roof and then back. Right. It's just something to change that brain chemistry, really. Good question. What else what's the next one? Jessa [00:07:10]: Next question. Fourth question. If you could get rid of your ADHD, would you or would you keep it? Peter Shankman [00:07:17]: I would never, ever get rid of it. So I think that my ADHD is very much responsible for most of if not all of my success. And even though there are some negatives to it, I think that the positives really outweigh the negatives. Having a different brain, having a brain that thinks differently than most people, I think is a gift. As long as you know how to use it. Jessa [00:07:38]: Yeah. Keep it under control, obviously. Peter Shankman [00:07:40]: Exactly. Jessa [00:07:41]: Next question. What is the most common problem with ADHD where you have? Peter Shankman [00:07:49] I think for me, one of the most common problems is sometimes I'm too fast. When your mom and I were married, a lot of times I'd come home, right, and she might be home already, and I'd walk in the door and it didn't matter what she was doing, it didn't matter if she was with you, it didn't matter what she was. I'd be like, Let me tell you about my day. And I would just sort of go from like zero to 100 miles an hour. And I didn't realize because in my head, I'm like, wow, this is really exciting. I want to share this with the person I love. And it never occurred to me that I might want to just take a second, relax, say hi, calm down. So that was something I really had to learn. So I think that one of the biggest problems is that when you're ADHD, you're very fast, and not everyone is as fast as you, right? And so I think that one of the biggest problems is you have to learn that because everyone's fast as you, you have to learn how to slow down. And that's really hard because when you have a faster brain, all you want to do is go fast. So it's hard to learn. I think the biggest problem for me has been learning how to slow down. I think I've done a much better job than I used to, but I'm still learning. Jessa [00:08:58]: It like your new book.  Peter Shankman [00:09:01]: Exactly. The boy with the faster brain. Very good. Jessa [00:09:03]: That's what he tries to learn anyway. Next question. When you get on the bike in the morning, how does it help you with your ADHD? Peter Shankman [00:09:12]: Good question. So when I get on the bike in the morning, I am sweating out and I am focused on riding and the exercise that I'm doing. There's something that happens in my body because I'm working out really hard. That tells my body to produce extra chemicals, to let my workout be better and to absorb what I'm getting from my workout. There's a term called runners high, which means that when you're running, when you go and do a marathon Add, you just run like a five K or a ten K. You get this sort of feeling of elation, feeling of happiness, right? And even though you're running and everything hurts and you shouldn't be happy, you're like and you're totally giggling and everything. And that's what it feels like when I'm cycling, and that's what it feels like when I Skydive. That's what it feels like when I run or when I'm boxing. And what's cool about that is that when I finish the workout, it doesn't just go away. There's so much of those chemicals in my body that the body has to take time to process them out. So I might feel that sort of energy for like three, four or 5 hours, which is enough to get me through my morning, right? To keep me focused, to allow me to focus on you and than take you to school and then focus on work. And then in the afternoon, maybe I'll do another little exercise to get me through the afternoon. So that's really what being on that bike does for me. Imagine. Remember how when we were in the car last month, in Grandpa's car, and it stopped on the side of the road, and I pressed the start button and it went Add? It didn't start right away, but it finally caught. So that's sort of what having ADHD is like. When you wake up, your brain is sort of like but if you get on the bike, it catches, and then it catches and it starts and it goes really fast. So the bike sort of helps my brain start up in the morning, I guess. Jessa [00:10:58]: Kind of like when you start a race car and it goes like and then when they say, like, Ready, set, go, you're like, zooming off. Peter Shankman [00:11:03]: Exactly. That's 100% correct. Yes. Jessa [00:11:06]: Okay, this next question. If someone were to say, like, wow, you have ADHD, or wow, are you okay? Like, is something happening to your brain? How would that make you feel? Would it make you feel good? Add make you feel bad, like, proud to have ADHD? Or would it make you feel sad? Peter Shankman [00:11:25]: Well, I'll tell you the truth. When I was growing up, Jessa, when I was a kid in school, ADHD didn't exist. No one knew what it was. And so what I was told a lot by teachers and by other students, whatever, was really just to shut up, stop interrupting the class, stop interrupting what I'm saying, stop trying to make jokes, just sit there and be quiet. And that really hurt. That was really hard because I didn't realize I was doing anything wrong in my mind. I was just trying to make a joke or trying to try to give an answer or whatever, but was constantly, even in my twenty s and thirty s before I met your mom or before you were born. I have friends now who I was friends with back then, and they say, yeah, you really calmed down back then. You used to try to make it all about you. Now you don't. And so I think that back then, it really made me sad because I didn't know how to control my faster brain. But now that I do know how to control it, when someone says, oh, you look like you have ADHD, I think that's a compliment, because what they're saying is, wow, you can do six things at the same time, or, I can't believe you wrote that entire book on a flight to Tokyo, or things like that. So I look at it as a compliment. They're saying that, wow, you have a real gift. You know what I mean? Yeah. Jessa [00:12:33]: That's really cool. Okay, when you were diagnosed with ADHD, when you were, like, 35 or something, what was the first thought that popped into your brain? When the doctor said, okay, you have ADHD, what was your immediate thought? Peter Shankman [00:12:51]: Like, wow, my first thought was that everything makes sense. All the stuff that I used to get in trouble for, all the things I used to do that I didn't understand why I did, they all made sense. Now they all seem to have a reason for why I did them, and now that I know what that reason is, I can control it better. That was the first thought I had yeah. Jessa [00:13:13]: Than makes sense. Because in school, you're like, what is this? What do I have? I think it's just normal. But then when you got diagnosed, you're just like, wow. Peter Shankman [00:13:23]: Imagine if you had a big eyelash in your eye, and it was constantly bothering you and hurting, whatever, but you cold. Jessa [00:13:27]: Never know what it was. Peter Shankman [00:13:28]: You could never find it. Right? And one day you look in the mirror and you see the eyelash, and you get it out, and you're like, oh, that's exactly what it's like. Jessa [00:13:36]: Yeah. Or, like, something like, I don't know, a good example. Let's say someone was teasing you because you had, like, a pimple on your nose, and you're like, what is happening? What's going on? Why is everyone laughing at me? Then you go to the mirror, and then you're like, oh, let's get that off. Peter Shankman [00:13:56]: Yeah. It's hard when you don't understand why things are happening, but once you're able to figure out the reason for them, you can start figuring out what to do about it. Yeah. Jessa [00:14:05]: All right, next question. What's the most common question you get asked about ADHD? From your viewers or from people that you speak to about something? What's the most common question you get asked? Like, wow. Is it okay? Are you good? Peter Shankman [00:14:21]: That's a good question. I think the most common question I get is probably, how did I learn how to use my ADHD for good? How did I learn to use it to my advantage? How did I learn to make it so that it's not a negative in my life? And the answer I usually give is that just took a lot of time and a lot of practice, add a lot of effort, a lot of working with my feelings, doctor, my therapist, and a lot of sort of understanding that if you break your leg right, you have to put a cast in your leg to heal it. No one's going to say, oh, you're stupid for breaking your leg. No, it just happens, right? So it's understanding that, hey, I'm not stupid, I just have a different brain and I need to learn how to work that brain better. And I think that was the biggest thing. So people ask me, people will tell me they don't think ADHD is good, they think it's terrible. And I'm like, well, you have to learn how to use your brain. Jessa [00:15:18]: You have to learn how to use it right differently. Peter Shankman [00:15:20]: Exactly. Jessa [00:15:21]: Or to keep it under control and not get it all crazy and stuff. Okay, and this is the final question. This is a really interesting one. If you could give any advice to anyone who has ADHD, kids, adults, teens, what would it be? Peter Shankman [00:15:39]: Embrace what you have. Understand that you're not broken, you're gift and find ways, whether it's through therapy, whether it's through talking to friends who you trust, whether it's through talking to your family or your teachers. Find ways to challenge your brain and use your brain to the best of your ability. Because you really do have a much faster brain than normal people and as soon as you learn how to use it, you'll be much faster than them. Jessa [00:16:03]: It's really good and it helps you. And yeah, those are all the questions and I love all your answers. Peter Shankman [00:16:10]: Well, Jessa, you are a wonderful interviewer. I'm going to have you start doing more of my shows. Thank you so much for taking the time. Jessa [00:16:15]: {kisses} Goodbye, everybody. Peter Shankman [00:16:18]: Guys, as always, you've been listening to Fast Add Normal. This is a special episode of my daughter, Jessa. Thank you so much, Jessa. Guys, we will see you again next week with another fresh new interview. As always, if you know anyone who should be on our podcast, shoot me an email. Peter@petershankman.com. I'm on threads at Petershankman. Like me, I'm on Instagram at petershankman and you can find us at Faster Normal or anywhere you find podcasts online. ADHD is a gift, not a curse. We will see you next week. Thank you so much for being a part. Take care.  — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

SHINING WITH ADHD  EPISODE #123: ADHD and the Benefits of A Faster Brain with Peter Shankman The Childhood Collective 8/23/2023   SUMMARY Raising a child with ADHD is often complicated, and being a child with ADHD is also REALLY hard. The constant redirections, the social struggles, and the low self-esteem can have the ADHD child feeling like they're broken. “What's wrong with me?” Is the recurring question in their mind? But what if we flip the script? As parents and caregivers, we have the opportunity to show kids that their brain is not broken; it's BRILLIANT. They have a faster brain and just have to learn how to drive it. Today we talk with author Peter Shankman about his journey to engage his faster brain and help parents teach their kids how to use what he calls “an amazing gift.”   MEET PETER Peter is a 5x best-selling author, entrepreneur, and corporate keynote speaker. With three successful startup launches and exits under his belt, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about customer experience, social media, PR, marketing, advertising, and ADHD with the new neurodiverse and remote economies. He's currently the Futurist in Residence at Price Benowitz and BluShark Digital. Peter's podcast, Faster than Normal - is the #1 podcast on ADHD, focusing on the superpowers and gifts of having a "faster than normal brain,” which has helped thousands of people all around the world realize that having a neurodiverse brain is actually a gift, not a curse. Finally, Peter is a father, a 2x Ironman triathlete, a Class B licensed skydiver, and has a pretty serious Peloton addiction. When he's not traveling around the world speaking to companies big and small, he's based in NYC with his nine-year-old daughter and two-year-old dog, both of whom consistently refuse him access to his couch. AFFILIATE INFORMATION We can't have your attention and not mention Time Timer. As parents, we are looking for anything that will support our kids and make our lives easier. The original Time Timer does just that. In our homes, it allows us to teach our kids how to visualize time. This helps with activity transitions, independence, and building executive function skills. Trust our pro-tip; it's a game changer!    Bonus: Head to https://www.timetimer.com/discount/TCC and use the code TCC to get a site-wide discount.    LINKS+RESOURCES Peter's Book "The Boy with the Faster Brain" Time Timer Site  Code: TCC for a discount!                  The Childhood Collective Instagram The Childhood Collective Youtube *Closed Captioning Available   Have a question or want to share some thoughts? Shoot us an email at hello@thechildhoodcollective.com    

We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Frame! Enjoy this podcast knowing  that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can get yours too for TEN PERCENT OFF if you use the discount code: PeterShankman Enjoy! https://www.skylightframe.com/ Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words: Lisa M. Navarra, M.S. in Special Education, SDA, award-winning educator, behavior specialist and published author of children's books, music and teacher resources provides powerful training and tools to help children self-regulate in school and at home. Lisa has been invited to speak at conferences, schools, libraries and organizations where she has transformed resistant learners into students who learn the skills in how to focus and believe in themselves! Lisa's dedication to supporting schools and families extends beyond her books and resources and includes her podcast, “Student Success Beyond Expectations” Podcast and therapy dog Rosie! Check out Lisa's resources and information at https://childbehaviorconsulting.com.  Reflecting on significant changes in education over the past decade, Lisa wonders how they have benefitted children. She shares her experiences dealing with parents of children with special needs or neurodiversity, highlighting the challenges they face. #SpecialEducation Today we learn more about the challenging work yet ahead. Enjoy! [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 00:41 - Introducing and welcome Lisa Navarra  05:21 - On Lisa's journey of choosing a career in Special Education and behavior consulting 07:30 - On pedagogical paradigm shifts in teaching by focusing on teaching children how to learn and self-regulate via parents, teachers and even administrators #ASL 07:40 - On educators and parents learning cognitive skills, using positive self-talk #CBT 11:28 - Practical vs theoretical knowledge/help, and TikTok's impact on kids' advice. How do our subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  https://childbehaviorconsulting.com Socials: @LNavarraCBC on Facebook  X  YouTube and LisaNavarraEDU on INSTA 15:23 - Thank you Lisa, stay safe, stay well! 00:00 - 00OhHello hello? Beep beep beep hello there?! YEs, yoU.  We are so happy that you are doing good, here & learning with us!! I'll say it till I die..  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman [We will siphon-in BlueSky and learn about that in October, or when eX-Twitter stops eating itself and we figure out hash^tag threads or whatever it all and in the Newnew is then whatAmess-Ed] — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. mostly but somewhat.  You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the man who doesn't understand how anyone could have leftover Pizza- Peter Shankman!!  Ladies Gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Faster Than Normal. My name is Peter Shankman. I want to give a shout out to Skylight frame. If you guys have been around for a while, you remember Skylight and specifically the Skylight calendar. They were kind enough to sponsor Faster Than Normal last year. And you guys did such a great job and had such a great result with Skylight calendar that they're back. So what is Skylight calendar? I have one in my kitchen. It essentially is a digital calendar that connects to all of my regular calendars, like Google and everything like that. It also shows all the photos I want. It sits on my kitchen wall. And every morning, my daughter gets up, sees the tasks she has to do, sees the schoolwork she has to do. She has to do this reading, or she has to change the dog's weebly pads, whatever it is,  it's on there. The second she does it, she runs back to the frame and she's the calendar, and she clicks it and it goes away. She loves it. It keeps us on track. It keeps us together. You can find them  www.skylightframe.com Use code Petershankman. They'll get you a nice discount. It is the greatest thing. We have no more fights. We have no more arguments anymore. She does what she has to do because she sees it on the calendar every morning. And when we're not looking at it, it just shows awesome photos of us and our dog and all of our trips and stuff like that. So strongly recommend it. Skylightframe.com. Check out the calendar. Use code. Peter Shankman you'll get a nice discount. Peter Shankman [00:02:01]:  All right, who are we talking to today? We're talking to Lisa Navarro. Lisa is an MS in special education. She's an SDA award winning educator. We're talking about education sake. She's a behavioral specialist. She's published authors of children's books. She's music, done music. She's done teacher resources. She provides training. I don't know what she doesn't do. Apparently, she's also a spy in 14 different countries and can kill you with just one pinky. So it's very cool. She has a podcast called Student Success Beyond Expectations, and she's a therapy dog named Rosie. That's obviously the most important part to me. But Lisa, welcome to the podcast. Lisa [00:02:34]: Thank you so much for having me. Peter, I'm so excited to be here with you. Peter Shankman [00:02:38]: So tell us your story. How did you A, get into this and B, how did you start working with children with special needs? Lisa [00:02:46]: Well, I guess I started with how did I get involved with children with special needs? I think it was always in me. I wanted to help people. And so when I was going through college, I kind of just kind of meandered a little bit. I love the deaf world and hearing. And then I ended up changing my major that allowed me this certification for special education. Zero to 21 at the time. I'm old also for gen ed k to six. But Peter, what I realized the first day of my first real job as a classroom teacher was not only do I not know what I'm doing and how to help these kids, but the even more sad part is no one else around me was able to. So when I say these kids, I said I want to teach children who were then classified emotionally disturbed. So I had all the behavioral kids and I was at a complete loss. It was at that point in time I said, wow, you know what? I need to either figure this out for these kids because they need me or I need to bail because I'm not going to be good enough for them. Peter Shankman [00:04:04]: Right. It's a tough decision to come to when you realize that basically you have to change virtually everything. Lisa [00:04:12]: It really was sincerely. I cried from this is back in like gosh, when did I start? 1990, 719 96. It's been a while. Lisa [00:04:21]: But I've cried before too. But anyway, yeah, I cried from September through December. I mean, I had children who would kick, bite, hit some that were abused. They made the newspaper a foster child. One would bang their head so hard on the concrete and actually join school with his forehead already kind of curved because it was something that he had been doing for years. And I was teaching children four years old through seven all in the same class. So it was kindergarten, first and second grade. So it was quite the challenge. But you know something? I believe that when we do things for the right reason and we become inspired, then we empower ourselves and the are ways to do that. Even if it's not quite the way of the system that we're in. But we can overcome those challenges to help kids. Peter Shankman [00:05:16]: I imagine that it's incredibly gratifying. Lisa [00:05:21]: You know what's really gratifying, and I say this honestly, very humbling, is that throughout the years you had mentioned that I wrote books, add, I've got these programs and whatnot my career had been a special education teacher, behavior specialist for almost ten years. Back into the classroom. I'm back to being behavior specialist within the district, plus having cold behavior consulting where I see clients and I provide professional development for educators and for parent, of course, because they need to be involved. But what's the most gratifying is knowing that the time and years add efforts spent on researching peer reviewed articles and then creating trainings and tools to help children are working. That is the most gratifying thing ever because I feel like it's putting the pieces together for them, and when they're happy and they feel empowered, then that's what it's really all about for me.   Peter Shankman [00:06:28]: Tell me what it's like to deal with parents. When I was growing up and ADHD didn't really exist, there was special education. It was literally this is the era of the special ed short bus back in the, which of course we don't refer to as now. But when you deal with parents, I often wonder what it's like for a parent that has to sort of get the news than the child is either neurodiverse or needs special attention or whatever. And a lot of parents I've talked to say that this is sort of just dropped in their lab. Right. They're given this news and they're not really given many resources from the school or from the teachers or whatever they say, yeah, you might want to get them evaluated. Well, how do we do that? That's good luck on you. What has to change for that? Lisa [00:07:22]: I can't believe you're actually asking this. You just opened up a whole can of worms, Peter. I hope you're okay with that. Peter Shankman [00:07:29]: Go for it. All you. Lisa [00:07:30]: So listen, my everything in this world is to create a paradigm shift in the pedagogy of teaching. And I have been a staunch advocate in every single way to be able to do this, and it involves parents. So here's what I propose. I propose that children need to learn how to learn so they can understand what's being taught to them. Okay, so what does that mean? That means that educators and parents need to learn the cognitive skills in how to learn so children can engage in what's called, you know, goal oriented behaviors. We need to teach towards children's ability to self regulate we in the classroom and then support that at home. We don't need to be teaching them just the standards and curriculum. It's obviously not enough. These kids need to know that they can overcome challenges by using positive self talk, identifying that they're off task and they're not focused. Okay, well, how do we focus? So honestly, that's where my training tools come in. That's where my parent workshops come in. That's where my educator workshops come in, and they're all aligned. So education needs to now meet finally with research from years ago that we need to support executive functioning skills to support self regulation in the classroom and couple it and integrate it with social emotional learning, and it becomes part of our daily teaching and style of teaching. Peter Shankman [00:09:03]: What do you think it is about the system currently that makes it so reluctant to change. Lisa [00:09:12]: So I think we do have some inspired leaders. I think we have very well intended people too, who are in leadership positions. However, I still believe that there's two things here. I think that there's a disconnect between what the know and what is really truly needed. And also what I'm talking about here is I'm talking about integrating psychology and education and it truly hasn't happened in public schools. And so it's kind of also the unknown. Does that make sense?   Peter Shankman [00:09:48]: Yeah, it does. I think that a lot of times, more often than not, you get stuck in a situation where the system or the department or whatever says, well, that's the way we've always done it and it seems to be working well, it's not working, but it's easier to stay the course. Add it is to change. Change is always scary. Where have you found the best success when working with children, parents, teachers, whatever? What makes a teacher successful in understanding that children learn in different ways?   Lisa [00:10:20]: First of all, I believe it's the passion, right? They need to be passionate. Teaching now more than ever is so hard. It's a lot of micromanagement, we've got a lot of behaviors, a lot of academic achievements, gaps. There's a lot working against the teachers now. So I than first, that passion is number one because that's going to allow them to be open to learning new things. And I think it's also presenting this type of information in ways like I do. You know what I do if you read my presentations, Peter, I have real classroom footage of students learning and applying the information. So it's not theory. There's so many programs out there now than throw around these terms executive functioning and self regulation and okay, well, show me what you're talking about in real time. Right? And a lot of these programs, it's either theory, they've done studies, they have maybe clients of their own, but have they been in it, doing it and seeing a success? I think that's huge for really making that turning point within education. Peter Shankman [00:11:28]: It's interesting because I think that you make a really good point, the concept of theoretical versus practical. I get that all the time. I see these people when I'm giving my keynotes, I see other people giving keynotes and they're like, oh, and they're telling how to handle the customer and how to do this Add. I'm like, this is all from your book, but what practical experience? I started Add sold three companies. Where's your experience in that? Where's the practical aspect of that? And I think that's something that unfortunately, with the rise of social media, TikTok and all these, you have 50 million people on TikTok explaining how to manage your ADHD, right? And 49.99 million of them are not trained in any way whatsoever, right? And so we become sort of this meme generation where we're helping people through memes. But are we really helping? Is the question. It's interesting. I'm good friends with someone. I've had her on the podcast countless times. Dr. Jennifer Hartstein. She was the CBS Early Show psychology contributor. She's a child psychologist on the show. She has her own practice in New York City, and she's constantly talking about, know, the fact that you can't diagnose or treat any condition through TikTok. It's so true. But it's amazing. What have you seen? What's the biggest thing you've seen in, say, the past ten years or since in your time doing this that you never thought you'd see? What has happened that's beneficial? What has changed in the education world that you see as an actual, very strong positive for kids?   Lisa [00:12:57]: Well, I think the identification of we've had a lot of problems, and kids have a lot of challenges, and finally we need to address them. I think COVID and we've probably heard people say this a lot before, that there were preexisting conditions, but with the rise of COVID now we can't deny it anymore. And so more schools are talking about social emotional learning. I've sat on a number of panels and discussions. I was the moderator for New York State Assembly panel and discussion, Mental Health in the Classroom and think, yeah, really cool stuff. So I think that the awareness and the push toward meeting students'needs are there. But I still think that we need to be careful, Peter, because people are putting mental health in a very wide umbrella, and it's kind of loosey goosey. And I think when we're talking about kids who have ADHD or even kids who maybe have an attention challenge or, you know what, that they feel like they're not good enough because they have a learning disability. All these cognitive skills and social emotional learning entwined together can help all of them. So I'm seeing school districts be a little bit more open now to hearing about some of these programs, what kids need, and saying, okay, we might need to be doing something different. Peter Shankman [00:14:27]: I think it's the premise also that a rising tide raises all boats, that if you're helping one segment of the population, than can be beneficial to every segment of the population. Lisa [00:14:37]: I agree. And it makes you a stronger educator. It makes you a more effective parent and communicator. It makes children in the classroom work with each other, better interpersonal skills, better modeling, because they're confident and not afraid to take a risk. They have more growth mindset. So how can any of that not be a good influence on kids who technically, quote unquote, need it or not? Right? Peter Shankman [00:15:02]: Yeah, 100%. Lisa how can people find you if they want to get more from you? Lisa [00:15:06]: Childbehaviorconsulting.com you can find me on social media, @LNavarraCBC or you can always give me a call. 631-617-1958 but childbehaviorconsulting.com is the website and has a lot of information there so people can reach me in lots of different ways. Peter Shankman [00:15:23]: Very cool. Really great to have you. I'd love to have you back as well at some point. Definitely, I'd love to be back. So thank you so much for taking the time, guys. As always, you've been listening to Fast than Normal. I want to give a shout out again to Skylight Frame. Check them out@ skylightframe.com. The calendar they have that sits on my wall has stopped about 300 arguments between me and my ten year old daughters. Best thing in the world, discount using the code PeterShankman We will see you next week with a brand new guest. Stay safe, stay well. ADHD and all farms in our diversity is a gift, not a curse. We'll talk to you soon. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week!  “I would rather a child start therapy at an early age and learn that they're brilliant; than spend the next 30 years undoing the belief that they are broken.”   -Peter Shankman  June 7, 2023

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  As a visionary team leader from Delaware, Zachary has leveraged the power of social media to build his own successful brokerage, Loft Realty. With a robust following of 1.6M on TikTok, coupled with a significant presence on Facebook and Instagram, he has elevated Loft Realty to the pinnacle of Google reviews in the state.  Now, Zachary channels his passion for mentorship, regularly sharing his blueprint for success. From gracing stages as a distinguished speaker, coaching budding agents, to hosting inspiring masterminds, his mission is to empower others to make their own mark in the industry. Enjoy! [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 00:41 - Introducing and welcome Zachary Foust!! 01:42 - So what's your backstory? 03:35 - “Where there's consistency, there's redundancy” -Zachary Foust  5:55 - Talk to me about some of the lessons that you pulled out of those dark times? 06:15 - On meditation and the change is made in Zach's life. 07:32 - How on Frozen pond do you Meditate@!?? On ADHD!? Ref: MindValley.com Ref: Wim Hof Method 09:00 - On wanting to resume disciplines and hobbies.  12:32 -  How do our subscribers find out more about you if they are at the lake?  Web:  https://www.loftteamde.com   https://zacharyfoust.liftoffalpha.com Socials: @zacharyloft on TikTok  @Zachary.Loft on INSTA and Loft RealtyDE on FB 00:00 - 00OhHello hello? Hello there! YEs, yoU.  We are so happy that you are doing good, here & listening with us!! I'll say it till I die..  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 13:15 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky.  [Ed: I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not, in October when Twitter stops eating itself and we figure out hash^tag threads or whatever it all the Newnew is, cooL??  -Ed] [Also Ed: This is still a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat.  You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the man who doesn't understand how anyone could have leftover Pizza  Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Hey, guys. Peter Shankman. Welcome to another episode of Faster Than Normal. Thrilled to have you here. Every once in a while I'm browsing Instagram or a lot. And not just once in a while, but like constantly. And every once in a while I do come across someone who is worth following. And I found someone named Zach Faust who does a billion things. I'll tell you, he sent me a bio and he managed to put a billion things into two paragraphs. He's a team leader from Delaware. He's levered the power of social media to build his own successful real estate brokerage called Loft Realty. With a robust following of 1.6 million on TikTok. Coupled with his significant presence on Facebook and Instagram, he has elevated Loft Realty, the pinnacle of Google reviews in the state. Now, Zachary channels his passion for mentorship, regularly sharing his blueprint for success, gracing stage as a speaker, coaching agents, hosting Masterminds. He likes to empower other people. He's also massively ADHD. At 29 years old. Zach. Welcome to past the normal man. Zachary [00:01:35]: Thank you, Peter. Man, I did not write that. My lovely assistant Adrian did. And yeah, he did manage to somehow sum it all up. Peter Shankman [00:01:42]: Well, it's pretty much everything you need. It turned out pretty well. It turned out pretty well. So tell us your story. You tried to tell me offline. You were diagnosed when you were a kid. Tell us what happened. Zachary [00:01:51]: Yeah, I think probably the typical history book for a lot of ADHD was, hey, if only he applied himself. Right? If only he would apply himself. If only he could pay attention, being a distraction. And so it eventually just led to teacher after teacher saying the same thing. Doctor appointment schedule came out at around eleven or twelve years old, was given the Adderall medication for several years, body just wouldn't take it. Nothing was really helping in that regard. And it led me toward pushing toward the inevitable difficulty of US. Structure and consistency and had been for so many years. Peter Shankman [00:02:30]: Right. Zachary [00:02:30]: And it took me a good twelve years of adulthood to finally accept that and just accept than that's how it's going to be Add. We're all just kids that grew up. We just happen to be kids that wanted to fidget every time. Peter Shankman [00:02:42]: What was it? Because a lot of entrepreneurs. A lot of ADHD people are entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur people, ADHD. What was it that sort of woke you up and said, okay, I don't play well with others in that regard? Zachary [00:02:55]: So I was six years military. I joined the army at 17 years old. My parents, dual military, they didn't force me to get in, but obviously just the influence and from their perspective and from mine, the consistency and the discipline required just to be a part of it seemed like it could help, and it did, and I learned so much. But one thing I definitely learned was that where there's consistency, there's redundancy. And that redundancy for me especially, I just couldn't do it. Peter Shankman [00:03:25]: That's a great line where there's consistency, there's redundancy. Zachary [00:03:29]: Yeah. And it's tough to not bleed those lines together. And we have to be consistent, especially in the entrepreneurial world, but that also leads to that. Oh, it's the same thing, chicken and rice. So I eventually bled into accidentally becoming an entrepreneur by when I not back from my first deployment or actually my only deployment to Afghanistan, I wanted to play soccer again. There were no adult soccer leagues that weren't like either 40 year olds or 40 year old or older or for kids 18 younger, Add. So I was like, let's just start an open gym. And then we had 10, 20, 30 before we knew it was uncontrollable. So we're like, let's turn this into a league. And before I knew it, I was profiting off of something we created. And I discovered entrepreneurship, and I quickly found out that even though I was making no money off the venture, it was like 40K in, 40K out. I was like, this is what I need to do. Meeting with different people every day is different. New problems to solve, something different, some new fire to put out. I fell in love with it. And that's what led us into led me to finding real estate, which is just every single day is definitely different. And now running a team here in Delaware of 17 fold problems, fires to put out, and loving every day of it. Peter Shankman [00:04:38]: What is it about the constant? Not, say the constant fires, but the constant you never know what you're going to get when you wake up in the morning that excites you? Zachary [00:04:45]: That exact thing. The never knowing what's going to happen. I'll put our podcast, for example, I put your book in the morning when I went into the gym by noon or 01:00 p.m., I'd finished it. DMG said I liked it. And here we are in a podcast together. I love that about life. I love that about the universe. I love that about just the life I get to live with my beautiful daughter and wife, that every day is different. And I love that because I've seen the redundancy just lead to a dark time for me where my brain is just not being stimulated and part of that for me was immaturity and not knowing my brain. Add not knowing that just like a muscle in my body being worked at the gym, so too did my brain need to be stimulated. Even more so for us to continue to grow and not grow stagnant and frankly, dark and went through a lot of dark spots before I really started learning about what I was and how my brain operates. Peter Shankman [00:05:43]: Talk to me about.. so that's an interesting point. So you went through dark times. Talk to me about some of the lessons that you pulled out of those dark times, because if you're talking about the now in the past, you obviously learn from them. Zachary [00:05:55]: Well, I would say the fall of 2021 was my darkest time. I've had, I had fallen into it on so many different levels. But what got me out is what's really important and what got me out was understanding what my brain was doing add how it was operating. And that every time I went into a consistent pattern of good, I felt like I was met with water on the other end time period of doing bad. Like I could go two weeks, no alcohol, no sugar, no caffeine, and then boom, four weeks laying on the couch, getting to work late, not taking care of myself, things like that. And that wave was just compounding, it seemed, every single time. Add it was like a drug. Higher the high, lower the lows. And so finally I met meditation and I sat and I finally learned and I sucked for a while. I sucked for a while. Add I finally started to learn how to actually be in a moment. I never knew what that meant. And then from there, it was a little easier to start the little tiny self care things back again, just doing what I need to do, the routines of making my bed. I started getting back into the gym for the first time in years and then a fitness journey took off and real estate grew from being just myself and as part of our team to now it's the top brokerage in the state. And all that was based off the little consistencies that really just started with getting my brain involved and giving it a moment to breathe. Man, it's like our engines are on hyperdrive all the time. Peter Shankman [00:07:32]:  Yeah, talking about than brings up an interesting point though. You said you learned to meditate. People with ADHD usually equate meditation with something else. Whether it's for me, I meditate, my bike is my meditation, right? I look at people who sit there and sort of become one with their brain and one with the universe and can do 30, 40, 50 minutes of, of just, just Zen. Add I just don't understand those people, right? And God bless them, it's amazing what they can do. But it has never come easy to me and I just assumed it's because of my ADHD, you seem to have cracked the code there. And I guarantee you a lot of my listeners, a lot of my listeners are like, sitting there going, how the fuck did you do that? Zachary [00:08:24]: I can't sit here and say there's one secret. I will say getting my own brain is very on the logical end of things. Emotion doesn't get mixed in a ton. And so for me, I need to know why I started ice bathing because I learned why it was helping my I i started going to the gym more because I started learning more about it wasn't just about my body. It's what my liver is getting from it. It's what my bones are getting from know. It's what I'm going to be as a grandfather type deal. And so with the meditation side of things, a man by the name of Joe Dispenzia, dr. Joe Dispenzia and a company named Mindvalley both were really good at breaking down why we're doing it, why being in the moment matters, what are the studies? What's the reality behind the science? And from then, I discovered that what I thought was keeping me from being able to meditate, I was actually given a little bit of a superpower behind it. It's just like your book, being able to operate on hyperdrive, being able to go in super fast mode, it seems like the worst thing in the world for when you're told, hey, shut your eyes and think about nothing, right? But the way that, like Dr. Joe Dispenzio puts it, is meditation is focus. And we have this innate superpower that we can unlock sometime called that hyper focus, where we can just lock in, where you're on a plane writing a book for 8 hours, right? And so meditation has become my plane in a way where I can now focus my energy instead of focusing my thoughts, because we're really good at focusing on something, add just going into it. But what if we could transition that insane amount of hyper focus into, say, hey, just focus on the top of your head. Just focus really hard on the top of your head and just on repeat or focus on the tip of your nose. How does the air feel going in and out? Is it warm? Is it cold? What do you smell? How are your nostrils moving? How do your eyes feel? Because doing that body scan type stuff where it's like feeling your toes and your fingers, I feel we have such a superpower with that because we can lock in now. When I'm locked out, don't expect me to be able to knock out more than seven to ten minutes, right? But like any form of exercising, I'm continuing to get better. And that was definitely the start because I wasn't listening to me. And especially when we have 19 different voices and messages and emotions and stressors and, oh, by the way, I forgot to say Happy birthday to Gabrielle six weeks ago. Got to get to that all going on at the same time. Giving the opportunity to breathe was just something I had to learn how to do. Peter Shankman [00:11:15]: I understand. It makes sense. It's one of the simplest things in the world, and yet the hardest thing in the world to master. Zachary [00:11:20]: There's no question about it. Yeah. And this thing that named itself between our ears, we don't even take the time. Peter Shankman [00:11:29]: I love the fact that you're an ice bath guy. I fell in love with ice bathing about probably ten years ago. It's so funny because I go for me, everyone's like, oh, how do you survive the cold? I'm like, It's not about the cold. It's about breathing. Zachary [00:11:43]: Yeah. Peter Shankman [00:11:44]: It's not about the about I know that if I get dumped into Coney Island on New Year's Day for the polar bear plungers, I do almost every year that I'm not going to drown because I understand how to control my breathing. The fight or flight scenario of hitting that water, I don't say I control it, but I don't say I own it, but I definitely can control it. Zachary [00:12:09]:You're aware of it. Peter Shankman [00:12:10]: Yeah, and I understand that it's going to take five to 10 seconds. Push through it, and you'll be breathing again. Zachary [00:12:18]: Exactly. Peter Shankman [00:12:18]: It is literally a metaphor for life. I've yet to meet a problem that might take some time. Bu. You just push through it, and then you're onto the next thing. Zachary [00:12:30]: Onto the next side. Yeah. Peter Shankman [00:12:32]: Really true. Zach, how can people find you? I know that you have a ridiculous Instagram following or Twitter following all that. No TikTok followers. How can people find you? Zachary [00:12:40]: Yeah, it's at Zachary Loft. On most platforms. Just Loft Realty is the company. Zachary is the name. So just combined it and ended up sticking. So it's at Zachary loft. Instagram is the best place for DMs. That's in my opinion. I'm not a big Twitter guy. I know. It's good over there, too. Peter Shankman [00:12:54]: No. Canceled myself off Twitter about three months ago. I just don't see the point anymore, but awesome. Zach, thank you so much for taking time. I definitely want to have you back in a few months. I'm going to make a note to reach out to you, and we'll do this again in the fall, but I have a feeling you have a lot more stories to share and a lot of value to give, so we're definitely going to have you back. I really appreciate the time, man. Zachary [00:13:13]: Of course. An open book for you, my man. I appreciate you. Peter Shankman [00:13:15]: All right, guys, as always, fast and almost for you. We want to know what you want to hear. Shoot us an email. Know it's the beginning of summer now, and my kid is at summer camp. She's at sleepaway camp. So I got a shit ton of time in my hands. Let me know what we're talking about. Find me a guest. Bring the on. We'll have them on just like Zach. Stay safe, stay healthy. ADHD add all forms of neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. We'll see you guys soon. You've been listening to the faster than normal podcast. We're available on itunes, Stitcher and Google Play, and of course, at www.fasterthnormal.com. I'm your host, Peter Shankman, and you can find me@petershankman.com and at petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review? The more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast is shown and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were performed by Steven Byrom, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagonblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Dana Sproule, is a passionate teacher and literacy coach who loves learning about “neurodiversities” and loves working with students who have them.  She was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and suddenly her impulsive, hyperactive, obsessive and passionate behaviour and thinking started to make sense.  Dana is now grateful to have a good awareness of ADHD, and realizes you can only recover with awareness and knowledge.  Recently she has noticed connections between ADHD and individuals who are in 12 step recovery programs.  Looking ahead to the future, Dana believes there should be a substantial increase in ADHD testing and support in our educational systems, so hopefully this could help our future generations avoid the pitfalls individuals with a little less dopamine can run into. Enjoy!  [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 00:41 - Introducing and welcome Teacher and Literacy Coach, Dana Sproule!! 01:45 - So what's your backstory? ADHD traits in children and people attending AA meetings and thinks AA should acknowledge the connection. 06:50 - Ironically hyperactive people love singing, dancing, sports, but struggle with small talk and team sports. 09:35 On Breaking the stigma: ADHD acceptance and progress towards destigmatization 12:00 - Hope for a future without stigma. 00:00 -Ever want to pursue a degree in Psychology? Here are some other good topics Dana Sproule and Peter Shankman discussed today.. that you will learn more about if you will tune-in :) - Dana's personal experience of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult - Discussion of the connection between ADHD and addiction - The need for more research in the area of neurodiversity and addiction - Correlation between neurodiversity and incarceration rates - Personal experience of being open about their ADHD and its positive impact on their job search - Progress in society's understanding and acceptance of ADHD - Sharing knowledge and observations with teachers and principals - Criticism of negative stereotypes and misinformation surrounding ADHD - Advocacy for play-based learning and outdoor time in schools - Discussion of ADHD testing in schools and the potential benefits - Comfort and relief in realizing one has ADHD and eliminating shame - Importance of openness and the harmful effects of secrets and shame - Noticing ADHD behaviors in students and personal associations with ADHD - Observations of ADHD traits in participants of Adult Child of Alcoholics and Al-Anon meetings - Connection between ADHD and partners attending Alcoholics Anonymous - Suggestion for incorporating a brain-based component into the twelve-step program 13:00 -  How do our hot subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  Ms. Sproule is not a big fan of socials, but if you have a question you may email her dana@donotemaildanasproule.whatevs.ca or you can contact us for her address.  [Ms. Sproule did not verbally share her email address -Ed] 14:11 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF!  YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear!  We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo'sx!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 0000 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL??  -Ed] [Also Ed here. SorryIFneedbe: This is still a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb] 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Phil is an innovative memory coach who transforms learning by tapping into the mind's hidden potential. Leveraging techniques honed from history's greatest minds, Phil has helped over 2,000 students worldwide to learn languages in just 15 hours. His own ability to learn and teach a language within a month showcases the power of his methods. He is on a mission to learn 30 languages and teach them to 500 million students and we're going to learn several of his techniques and tricks today- enjoy!   [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 00:41 - Introducing and welcome Philippe Arseneault! 01:45 - How did Philippe start his career; what's your backstory? 04:41 - Speed learning unlocks dormant potential for all people, but especially the Neurodiverse 08:28 - Imaginative networking scenarios  14:56 - ADHD students benefit in multiple areas. [i.e. A student with ADHD had an 800% memory increase in 15 hours using memory tricks]  15:00 - How does Philippe view speed learning? 16:00 -  How do our hot subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  https://speaklikealocal15.com/ Socials: LinkTree  @speaklikealocal on Facebook or info@speaklikealocal15.com FREE MINI COURSE JUST EMAIL HIM!! Don't forget to mention Faster Than Normal!  00:00 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF!  YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear!  We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo'sx!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 11:56 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL??  -Ed] [Also Ed here. SorryIFneedbe: This is still a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat.  Speaker A [00:00:00]: You're listening to the Faster than Normal podcast where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week, we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession, from rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gift of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advantage to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the man who doesn't understand how anyone could have leftover pizza, Peter Shankman. Peter Shankman [00:00:41]: Everyone. Welcome to their episode of Faster than Normal. My name is Peter Shankman. I am thrilled to have you. This is the world's number one ADHD podcast. Add. We are glad that you are here. Add neurodiversity is a gift, not a curse. We explain it every week. Add. Hopefully this week will be no different. I would love to mention our guest today. Want to talk to you about Phil. Let's Talk About Phil. Phil Arseneault is how do we put him? He's a memory guy. I think he's the best way to explain this. All right. What the heck is I'm thinking? Well, Bill is an innovative memory coach who transforms learning by tapping into the mind's hidden potential. He's helped over 2000 students to learn languages in just 15 hours apiece. His own ability to learn and teach a language within a month showcases the power of his methods. He's on a mission to learn 30 languages and teach them to 500 million students. That is pretty impressive. He began his career with law enforcement, but he wound up going down this fascinating path when he discovered his fascination with memory. He learned Spanish in a month to secure a managerial position at a high end restaurant in Playa del Carmen at the age of 22. I love that. Sounds like he's ADHD. He loves exploring shipwrecks without oxygen tanks. Philippe [00:01:53]: Interesting timing considering what's happened in the past couple of weeks with the Than, he dives the depths of the human mind. So there's definitely diving here. Phil. Welcome to fast add normal. Philippe [00:02:02]: Hey, Peter, thanks for having me. Peter Shankman [00:02:05]: First question. How did you discover that your memory was incredible and you decided this is what you want to do with your life? Philippe [00:02:12]: Well, I don't have an incredible memory bu. I've been harnessing these very powerful tricks which have unlocked my ability to remember things. But before we even get into that, I want to just show some appreciation towards you. Thank you so much for writing that book. It completely blew my mind when I discovered that I had ADHD through this book. And I don't know, nobody else in my life was surprised except for me. Peter Shankman [00:02:42]: Thank you. Than means a lot. That's usually the case when you come out with ADHD. People like well, yeah, duh. Philippe [00:02:49]: Yeah. A student of mine, a friend of mine, he needed to learn Portuguese in a month, so I had to learn Portuguese and teach him Portuguese. And at one point, he just casually mentioned the fact that I have ADHD, and I was like, no, I don't. And he's like, you got to read this book. And I'm like, I'll read the first chapter, but there's no way I read the whole book in the day, and I was just completely so just thank you so much for having made that beautiful piece of content. Peter Shankman [00:03:12]: I love that. Thank you. Fast and normal helps again. I love that. I need to understand this. So you started what you started as a cop? Philippe [00:03:22]: Well, I worked in municipal law enforcement for five years in Montreal, but it was completely depressing, and I knew I was destined for greater things. So I was very happy to have shifted or manifested this opportunity in Mexico. And then the only obstacle that was in my way was the Spanish components. Peter Shankman [00:03:41]: Yeah, I imagine managing a restaurant in Mexico would kind of require you to speak Spanish. Philippe [00:03:45]: Yeah, well, I managed to make it through all the hiring process and made it down to the last two until that finally came up. And then I had to convince them that I was going to be able to learn Spanish within a month and that if I was not able to do that, that they would have that time to find somebody that's much more capable and competent than the other guy and me. But in the meantime, I'd at least solve all of their logistical issues and I'd train all their staff. So that was the whole goal, is basically just a month. They didn't think that I'd be able to do it, but they figured they'd get a month of training, add optimization of their new hotel restaurant, and I guess I surprised them because I succeeded. I stayed there for over a year. Peter Shankman [00:04:30]: Unbelievable. So what is it what is it about language that makes it this sort of tell us your secret? Philippe [00:04:41]: For me, it all boils down to speed learning. Speed learning or accelerated learning methods. And this, for me, I kind of see it as like the Green Lanterns ring. I think when you have focus and determination but you don't have a solid way to utilize it, it gets pretty much wasted. But when you have a way to focus it. So, for me, the speed learning has been something that has unlocked so many things throughout all my entire life, and it has given me this feeling of having a superpower. So I use it in school to memorize 510, 15 pages of notes the night before the exam. Obviously, I had to build up to that. I started off with just a couple of little dates and a couple of little bits of information, and then over years, you develop it into 15 pages verbatim in an hour that you can memorize. But I also use it in the restaurant industry to memorize 20, 30, 40 people's names every night and then their orders and their drink orders and what their bills were. And again, it started off with a table of two and a table of four and I'd make a bunch of mistakes. But over a period of time using these really powerful tricks, it made me feel like everything is possible. We have 256,000,000,000 gigs of storage capacity, which is like 1.2 billion computers. So we have all this potential. And I didn't understand why people can access it. And then when I started going on this rabbit hole of memory competitions around the world and there's thousands and thousands of people that are utilizing these really powerful tricks, they're memorizing over 4000 digits in an hour and like 30 to 60 decks of shuffled cards in a couple of hours, which is like 3000 individual cards. They're doing all this. Why are we struggling in school? So it was really serendipitous that the language element came into play with this challenge. And as I was learning it with these tricks, everybody was so surprised by how quickly I was learning and I just felt like it was normal. So I was teaching them along the way. And then when I realized that my natural gift to perceive patterns and to simplify things. And all the years that I've spent very passionately curious about the mind psychology, personal development, flow states and speed learning, it all couples together and fits in perfectly with languages in a way that I don't think that anybody else has ever really tapped into. So people just started getting really excited with because most of my students don't have ADHD. And I've noticed that the students than I've taught that have ADHD are able to outperform and they really take all these tricks and these tips and they run with it and it's just so much more powerful. But even with the people without ADHD, they're accessing parts of their brains and capabilities that they thought never existed, but they were just lying dormant. So it's just been incredibly rewarding. The language is just basically the path that I'm choosing to spread the knowledge of speed learning and unlocking people's dormant potential. Peter Shankman [00:07:55]: Give us an example of one of those tricks because look, it sounds amazing. It sounds like, oh my God, I need to do this. Give me an example of something that you learned that allows you to sort of tap into that potential. Philippe [00:08:07]: Okay, so the beauty about the speed learning tricks is it's a very simple fundamental core, right? And then you use it in different ways that you can use it for numbers, for names. When you go to a networking event. Peter Shankman [00:08:22]: Give me something with names. I'm terrible names. I meet someone, I forget the name 2 seconds later. Give me something with names. Philippe [00:08:28]: All right, so here's an example. I meet you at a networking event and you say hey, my name is Peter Shankman. So as I'm shaking your hand and saying hello to you, I'm imagining you dressed in tights like Peter Pan, and then you never wanted to grow up, so you have a shank in your pocket and I'm shaking your right hand always, because I know that's your shanking hand and I know you're always looking to shank a man, right? You want to be a boy forever. Peter Pan wants to be a boy forever. So you're always looking to shank a man. So I shake your hand and I neutralize your Shanking hand because you're Petershankman. And then in the beginning, you say, well, that takes a long time. How can you do all that while you're shaking somebody's hand? Well, in the beginning, it takes a bit of time, but as you practice it, over a couple of weeks, couple of months, that whole story just pops into my head in terms of concepts, not in terms of specific words. And then I immediately lock you down as Peter Shankman. I can give you another story for numbers, if you like. Yeah, I'll summarize it, but normally it's a little bit longer, add more wild. But basically, you want to imagine yourself as a spy sent to murder Hitler. Now, this is Germany, kind of like where the movie Unglorious Pastors ended off, where they're trying to kill Hitler and he's in his office yelling, nine, nine, nine. Right? He's getting very, very angry. So you reach into your pocket and you're there as an undercover spy, and you pull out this little tiny, mutated squid, octopus assassin creature. And as it goes onto the floor, it starts to shift and mutate and grow into the giant assassin octopus. He's killing Hitler. He's killing everybody in the room. You start running away. The octopus starts chasing after you. But luckily, you have a secret pill that's hidden in your teeth. So you clamp down and you break the hidden tooth. You hope that it's not cyanide, but it doesn't taste like cyanide, so it actually transforms you into a car. So you look down and you look down at your hands and your feet, and you got four tires growing out of your extremities. You have four tires growing out of your extremities. And now you transform and you drive the hell out of there and you go down to Amsterdam for your extraction point. Now, when you get to Amsterdam, the first place you go to is the brothel, obviously. So as you pull into the brothel with your four tires, you transform back into human shape and you try to get into the brothel to call. Now, there's this little short bouncer that's blocking the way, and he's not letting you into the brothel. He looks kind of like the famous rapper $0.50. But he's vertically challenged. He's a dwarf, so his friends jokingly call him $0.25. So you pick up air. He's not very intimidating, and you smush him into your hands and he transforms into a 25 cent quarter, right? So now he literally is as you walk into the brothel, there's this giant, like, blockbuster gumball machine. Like those giant gumball machines. You put twenty five cents in the gumball machine, and you turn it around and the ball comes out. But you didn't get a gum. You won a prize. So you open up the little piece of paper and you read it, and it says, you have won a complimentary 69 in this establishment. Complimentary 69. We get 69. Amazing. So you run in, forgetting about the extraction point, just running in to collect your reward. But when you get in, there's this giant jigsaw from the movie the movie saw this giant jigsaw puppet riding the Tricycle and he's so freaky and he's giant Tricycle, and he starts chasing you out of the brothel. So you've got this Tricycle just hauling ass behind you, pardon my French. This giant tricycle chasing you? And you try to bite down on your teeth again, but you can't turn into a car anymore. But luckily, there's this giant pink Ford pickup truck. It's a four x four with two pink with a couple of pink unicorns in the back. For some reason you jump in the car, the keys are in the ignition, you haul of, and then you're driving, and the Tricycle is gaining on you. But luckily, you see the button for the four x four. You unlock the four x four. You have enough torque to escape. So let's go back to the beginning of the story. Where are you? Peter Shankman [00:12:34]: In Germany. Philippe [00:12:35]: In Germany. What is Hitler yelling? Peter Shankman [00:12:37]: Nine. Nine. Nine. Philippe [00:12:38]: Perfect. So the first number is nine. So we got nine. You reach into your pocket. What was in your pocket? How do you kill Hitler? Peter Shankman [00:12:45]: An octopus. Philippe [00:12:46]: Octopus. How many legs does an octopus have? Eight. So we got nine. Eight. Perfect. Now, how do you escape the octopus? Peter Shankman [00:12:54]: I bite down on something in my tooth Philippe [00:12:57]: Perfect. And then what grows out of your limbs? Peter Shankman [00:13:00]: Two wheels. Philippe [00:13:02]: Out of all of your limbs? Peter Shankman [00:13:03]: All four wheels. Philippe [00:13:04]: Perfect. We got nine, eight, four. Perfect. And then where do you escape to after Germany? Peter Shankman [00:13:10]: Amsterdam. Philippe [00:13:11]: Amsterdam. And when you get there, who's blocking your entrance? Peter Shankman [00:13:15]: Twenty five cents. Philippe [00:13:16]: Twenty five cents. Excellent. Now, when you turn it into 25 cent, what do you get in the gumball machine? Peter Shankman [00:13:21]: A prize. Philippe [00:13:22]: And what's the prize? Peter Shankman [00:13:24]: Free 69. Philippe [00:13:25]: Perfect. So we got 69. And then when you get into redeem, your prize, who attacks you?  Peter Shankman [00:13:31]: I don't remember that part. Who attacks me? Philippe [00:13:34]: Okay. What was his vehicle of transportation? What was he riding? Some creature was attacking you on this weird children. Peter Shankman [00:13:43]: Was it a bike or something like that? Philippe [00:13:44]: Yeah, it was a bike, but it was a Jigsaw from that's right. Peter Shankman [00:13:48]: Jigsaw from Saw. Right. Philippe [00:13:49]: So he's got a tricycle. Right. So the tricycle number three. And then how do you escape him. There was unicorns somewhere. Peter Shankman [00:13:58]: That's right. Philippe [00:13:59]: Okay, and then how do you get enough speed to outdrive the tricycle? You hit a button. What did the button say? Peter Shankman [00:14:07]: What did the button say? Philippe [00:14:09]: It unlocked all the torque if it was a pickup truck. Yes. Okay, very good. Four x four x four. So that's my phone number, 984-256-9344. When it's in the format of numbers, I can't memorize a single phone number. But when I transform it into these stories, I can do in one night, I could do 1020 people's phone numbers, and if I need to sit down to memorize them for an event that I have, it takes me ten minutes, and I just get 1020 phone numbers locked in the form of these stories. Peter Shankman [00:14:46]: That's amazing. I imagine that people with neurodiverse brains would even have an easier time learning this stuff because they're already creative to begin with. Philippe [00:14:56]: Like I said, I've seen 800% increase when we measured it once with I had a student ADHD. This is one of my first students when I beginning. For a month, I was teaching everybody for free, and then I just started going with referrals. But this guy, he was always known as having a crappy memory. Maybe it was partly due to ADHD, but his brain was just not able to make memories. His mom, as a gift, as a gag gift for Christmas, bought him a little kids memory game. So there's 70 cards in them, and it's like a picture of a pacifier, a picture of a bicycle, et cetera. And he could never memorize more than five or ten, depending on how he's feeling. And then within 15 hours of working with me with these tricks, he was able to memorize the whole deck, and we ran out of cards, so we didn't even reach the limit of its potential. But that's an 800% increase in 15 hours. So ADHD students that I've had, they just take this and fly, not only for the languages, but for numbers, for information. They use it in their work now. They use it in their relationships. Their girlfriend's favorite color is blue. They just imagine the girlfriend listening to blues music every anniversary, so now they always remember it's blue. If it's red, they imagine them as a raging bowl. If they forget the favorite color, and then the red connects with the bowl. I love the it connects everything. Peter Shankman [00:16:18]: This is brilliant. All right, we're out of time. I want to have you back without question. How can people find you? Philippe [00:16:24]: I'm on Facebook. Speak like a local. Or they have my phone number now. It's plus 52 area code or email info at speaklikealocal15.Com. Web:  https://speaklikealocal15.com/ Socials: LinkTree  @speaklikealocal on Facebook or info@speaklikealocal15.com FREE MINI COURSE JUST EMAIL HIM!! Don't forget to mention Faster Than Normal!  Peter Shankman [00:16:37]: Amazing. Just amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time. This was awesome. Philippe [00:16:41]: See? And just to show you a bit of gratitude for rocking my world with this book, and I mean setting me on this path of optimizing my brain, add removing all the obstacles that I've had in my path. Happy to give all of your listeners a free mini course. So if anybody wants to send me a message, seven Spanish verb tenses in 1 hour. Or if they just want a memory, I have a little intro to memory hacking. I'll give it absolutely for free. Just send me a message. If you have any questions, just mention Peter Shankman or ADHD and happy to send off some cool free content. Peter Shankman [00:17:19]: I love it guys. You also know this guy on his zoom. His name is Dr. Phil. Your brain I love that. I love that, Phil. Thank you so much for taking time guys. If you listen to Faster Than Normal, this is fun to do. We'll have Phil back.  As always, we'd love to hear what guests you want to have on the podcast. We always have room. Let me know and we will see you guys soon. Keep having fun, stay healthy. Neurodiversity is a gift, not a curse. And we'll talk to you guys later. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in their own words:  Amanda Soper is the founder of Amanda Soper Equine – Gestalt Coaching & Horsemanship. A labor of love that focuses on helping young women break generational trauma cycles to live in authenticity and joy, through the healing power of horses. Amanda is a graduate of the renowned Touched by a Horse Equine Gestalt Coaching Method, where she found her community after a lifetime of feeling like a misfit toy. As a Gestaltist, her job requires spontaneity and creativity, so ADHD is the perfect superpower for creating powerful healing spaces and sessions. We are grateful for her time today and are now researching ADHD + Equine also, enjoy! And hey, thanks kindly for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!   [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 01:43 - Introducing and welcome Amanda Soper 02:06 - Why is it that every young girl has love affair in some capacity with horses? 03:14 - When were you diagnosed? 05:41 - Does ADHD give you that same hyper focus as say, Skydiving; when you're on a horse? 06:48 - Tell us how and why you started Equine Therapy; explain it to us? 10:28 -  How do our soon-to-be-poolside subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  https://amandasoperequine.com Socials: @amanda_soper_equine on: INSTA   11:07 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF!  YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear!  We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo'sx!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 11:56 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL??  -Ed] [Also Ed here. SorryIFneedbe: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! 1234-now Fiiifth and likely final re-trial run is today June 13, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut??  Welcome to another episode of Faster Than Normal. I'm thrilled to have you here. We are closing in on 300. Pretty crazy. We're not there yet. We should be there by the end of the summer, but 300 episodes, that's pretty amazing and inspiring. And I have you guys as an audience and I have all my listeners and guests to thank for it. It has been an incredible ride and I'm thrilled by it. So than you for that. I've just gotten back from another wonderful hour and a half of boxing. My kid is done with school, so she thought she was going to get to stay in and just do nothing. And I dragged her to boxing with me and had her workout. So she water me right now, which is good. It. So I'm back. I'm a little beaten up, but all good. Let's get into it. Today we are going to talk horses. And when you ask yourself, what do horses have to do with ADHD, it turns out the answer is a lot. So I want you to meet Amanda Soper. Amanda Soper is the founder of Amanda Soper equine guestal coaching and Horsemanship. She calls it a labor of love that focused on helping young women break generational trauma cycles to live in authenticity and joy through the healing power of horses. Amanda is a graduate of the renowned Touched by a Horse equine gestalt coaching method, where she found her community after a lifetime of feeling like she's a misfit toy. I get that as a Gestaltist, her job requires spontaneity Add creativity. So ADHD, which she has, is her perfect superpower for creating healing spaces and sessions. Welcome to Faster than Normal. Amanda [00:02:02]:  Amanda thank you so much for having me. It's an honor to be here. Peter Shankman [00:02:06]:  So why is it first question not related to ADHD? Why is it that every girl, when they are young, starts a love affair in some capacity with horses? My daughter, I put her on one at age four, age five, and even though she didn't pick it up because living in midtown Manhattan makes that a little difficult, she did fall in love with it and speaks of it often, that it's something she wants to do. What is it about horses and young. Amanda [00:02:37]:  Girls that is a million dollar question. Definitely. I think it's about freedom. For a lot of young girls, horses are their first faster of independence. Add getting to ride and partner with 1000 pound or bigger beast is just really magical. Add, I think it's the magic that draws most of us young women in young girls. It's great that you got your daughter started with a little taste of it early on. That's wonderful. And good luck with that if she turns it into a career or a hobby. Peter Shankman [00:03:14]: Yeah, I think she's picked up on acting, so hopefully that'll kick in for a while. But no, she loved it. She's an amazing time. Speaks with fondly often. So, tell me about ADHD. Tell me about when you were diagnosed. How old were you? How to start with your thing? Amanda [00:03:29]: So it's very new for me. I just learned about it in 2019. No, excuse me, where are we in the world? 2022. Add diagnosed 2022 about December. So this is really new. But when I learned about it, it was just this explosive light bulb moment of oh my God, yes, that's me, 100% Add. It, in fact, is, as it turns out. Peter Shankman [00:03:57]: That's pretty cool. At what point did you realize that ADHD could be a benefit or could be anything other than a hindrance? Amanda [00:04:06]: Kind of right away. Once I had the awareness of the trajectory of my life because of it, I never thought of it as being a hindrance. Because post school, where it definitely was a hindrance, all of my education was just a nightmare. Since I was diagnosed, it's been an absolute asset all the way. Because what I do with horses, of course, is horses are a high risk activity which real well into that ADHD Add world, but also because it requires spontaneity to pivot on a dime. Add your horse and you are maybe not communicating correctly. I can be really creative and find new avenues to work better with the horses, work better with people, work better with myself. The awareness of ADHD has been huge. Just that piece all alone has been huge. For me to take the trajectory of my life and go, I can help other people who have ADHD and Add and help them learn that it's an asset and not a curse or a gift. Not a curse, as you say. Yeah, for me, it has not been a negative at all since I was diagnosed. Peter Shankman [00:05:41]: Here's an interesting question I just thought of so you mentioned, and you're right. It's these thousand pound beasts who can easily trample you without a second thought. Not intentionally, but things happen. So when I first started Skydiving and my mother was definitely afraid of it because she goes, you never focus on anything. How the hell are you going to focus on doing things you need to do to jump on a plane safely? She was amazed when she came and watched me and realized how hyper focused I was on every single aspect of the event. Does ADHD give you that same hyper focus when you're on a horse, that you're so hyper aware of what you have to do because you love it so much and you know that it can be dangerous? Amanda [00:06:16]: 100%. 100%. There is a saying than your horse and you can both have the opportunity to freak out. But as a person it is never your turn. It is always you have to be hyper focused, you have to be in the present moment very much to be successful. Even if you're just trail riding or if you're barrel racing or whatever you're doing with horses. Absolutely that hyper focus is such an asset. Peter Shankman [00:06:47]: Makes sense. Tell me about this concept of what you started and explain to me where this because I imagine it's almost a level of therapy. Amanda [00:06:58]: It is very much, very therapeutic. After I got out of school, which as I mentioned was just something I never ever wanted to return to, I took about a year off and immediately returned to school to pursue horse training. And then to make a long story short, I graduated from the horse training program, and I didn't have any business sense, so I looked into schooling for business, which is how I ended up finding the Touch by a Horse equine Gestalt coaching method, which is a really intensive two year program to teach people how to partner with horses in gestalt. To coach whatever niche you choose to go into. Mine happens to be women and empowerment and grief processing and trauma recovery. So going down that trail of my own personal work, which is a requirement of the program, unlike traditional therapy where therapists don't actually it's not a requirement, than they heal from their own traumas. Bu this program touched by horse, it is very much a requirement. So once I started to heal from my childhood traumas, which I see now in a different light than even when I was doing the program, is a lot of it being related to ADHD and parents who didn't have coping mechanisms. For me, parents who themselves have ADHD, though they're undiagnosed this pathway has led me to helping women heal their own hearts, their own trauma with horses. And I've lost the thread of your question, so if you would please repeat than for my brain. Peter Shankman [00:08:44]: No, that's an classic ADHD thing. No, it's just the premise. Than horses can be incredible therapy and I don't think enough people realize that they absolutely can. Amanda [00:08:53]: Most people are aware of physical therapy with horses that's been around for a long time, but mental health and wellness with horses is just as powerful. And the horses themselves of course, are the drawing point for a lot of women, especially men, benefit from this as well. It's still stigmatized for men. So I work with men, but not very often. The horses themselves, their part in it is hard to explain because they show up differently for each individual person. For example, with grief, which is one of the very main things that I work with people on. I have seen people literally be wrapped up by this thousand pound animal. They put their head, add neck over their body and they pull them in and they give them this giant horse hug. And for somebody in deep grief or somebody who is having relationship problems and they're not feeling loved, the horses really do a deep dive into their heart and just expand it with their presence and people walk away feeling lighter and lighter. Really a lot of times physical issues will disappear. For somebody who's been suffering with say back pain or gut issues, just by being in the presence of a horse and having somebody listen and talk to. Peter Shankman [00:10:22]: Them and experience sounds pretty amazing. Amanda [00:10:27]: It's truly amazing. Peter Shankman [00:10:28]:  How can people find more? How can they reach you? 10:28 -  How do our soon-to-be-poolside subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  https://amandasoperequine.com Socials: @amanda_soper_equine on: INSTA     Amanda [00:10:32]: I am pretty easy to find so my website is Amandasoperequine.com, facebook is Amanda soperequine and Instagram is Amanda soberequine and I think that's pretty much all my socials. Peter Shankman [00:10:50]:  Awesome. Amanda, thank you so much for taking the time to be a faster. Normally we appreciate it. Horses definitely have a magical ability. I think we need to explore that more and I'm going to see if we can find other people who have ADHD and also understand the power of horses. I'm going to do some research. Amanda [00:11:05]:  Awesome. Let me know what you find out. Peter Shankman [00:11:07]:  Will do. Thanks so much guys, as always listening to Fast than Normal. We'd love to hear what you think. Drop us a note, leave us a review, let us know how we can help. Life goes on. Stay safe, stay healthy. ADHD is a gift, not a curse. We'll talk to you guys soon. Have a great day. You've been listening to the Faster than normal podcast. We're available on itunes, Stitcher and Google Play and of course at www.fasterthenormal.com. I'm your host Peter Shankman and you can find me@petershankman.com and at petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform form of choice and leave us a review. The more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast is shown and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were performed by Stephen Byrom and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagon Blast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our terriffic Guest today in her own words: Joia McDaniel is not just a dynamic force in the supply chain industry, but also a passionate advocate for neurodivergence. As the architect of Supply Chain GOAT she has over two decades of award-winning experience and an armory of creative ideas that set her apart in her field.  Born and raised in Detroit, the epicenter of the automotive world, Joia was primed early on to understand the complex dynamics of supply chains. Today, she resides in Fort Worth, Texas, expertly balancing her role as a business maven with her life as a loving wife and mother to four spirited children. Joia's journey to success is one that defies convention. Living with ADHD, she's found a unique perspective that she applies to her work and life. Far from being a limitation, her ADHD has proven to be an extraordinary capability. It propels her creativity, drives her boundless energy, and fosters a level of hyper focus that enables her to delve into complex problems until they're solved. Her Auditory Processing Disorder has refined her listening skills, helping her catch subtle cues others might miss and use these insights to fuel her innovative approach. Joia's distinctive prowess has shaped her success and fueled her passion to advocate for the neurodivergent community. She actively promotes a better understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity, highlighting the unique strengths and talents that neurodivergent individuals bring to the table. She is a testament to the fact that different minds have a place in our world and can lead, innovate, and excel. Joia McDaniel is a trailblazer, a thought leader, and an advocate. Her contributions to the supply chain industry and her commitment to fostering neurodiversity make her story a powerful narrative of exceptional ability, resilience, and impact.  Enjoy and hey, thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!   [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 01:43 - Introducing and welcome Joia McDaniel CEO of Supply Chain GOAT  02:40 - So how does one grow up in the supply chain? 04:36 - On the rewards of a career in Supply Chain and Logistics; is it a sexy career choice now? 05:42 - How did you first get diagnosed? 06:21 - Oh no.. Not the Meatz!!   07:58 - What were the first major changes that you noticed personally after you got diagnosed? 09:51 - So.. we have tons of kids who are college students or just getting out of college, figuring out what they want to do with their life. If they wanted to look at supply chain, tell us why, number one, and then tell us what they should be doing to get involved in that industry? #SummerJobs #SupplyChain #Neurodiverse 10:43 - Why is it the perfect career for neurodiversity? This is Joia's favorite question! 12:25 - Is working in the Supply Chain like putting out one fire after another? 13:11 - On Passion for your job/work/gig/world/client/account/boatshoes/recycle bins 13:46 -  How do our New Summer-shiney subscribers find out more about you?  joya@supplychaingoat.com. My website is www.supplychaingoat.com. It's not up as of June 13, 2023, but iscoming soon, so those are the ways that I could be reached. 14:36 - 500 POINTS FOR USING THE WORD SAUNA!! Ahhhh.. summer swim & spa days….  00:00 - Hey, hellooo from Earth!!@ ERF!  YEs! You right there with the cool earbuds and big grain Golden brain! Yes YOU dear!  We are THrr~rilled that you are here & listening!! Repeat in forward and to your kiddo'sx!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. -Peter Shankman. And ooh-ooh now.. and just by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 00:00 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [Ed- I will siphon -in BlueSky and learn about that next week!! If not in two or so, cooL??  -Ed] [Also Ed here. SorryIFneedbe: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  EXTRA CREDIT + GENERATED BY AI and NOT proofread much really here below: ——————————————— [Yaaaay CastMagic.io. Go-go-Gadget AI! -tell us in the comments or emaiL:  -Ed] Is this thing on?? 1. Who is the guest of the episode? Answer: The guest is Joia McDaniel, an advocate for both the supply chain industry and neurodivergence.  2. How has COVID impacted the supply chain industry? Answer: COVID has increased the attention on supply chain as more people realized the importance of understanding each link in the process.    3. What are the cognitive differences of the speaker, and how have they helped them in their career? Answer: The speaker has ADHD and auditory issues, which they consider their "superpower" in the supply chain industry.    4. What changes did the speaker experience after being diagnosed with ADD? Answer: The speaker experienced a significant change in energy levels, ability to complete tasks, gained more confidence, and was able to hyper-focus more effectively after receiving a diagnosis of ADD.    5. How did understanding the diagnosis and accommodations help the speaker? Answer: Understanding the diagnosis and accommodations helped improve the experience for the speaker in their career.  6. What company did the guest create, and how much experience does she have in the field? Answer: The guest created Supply Chain Goat LLC and has over two decades of experience in the field.  7. Where was the guest born and raised, and why is it important for understanding supply chain dynamics? Answer: The guest was born and raised in Detroit, which is important for understanding supply chain dynamics because of its connection to the automotive industry.  8. What sparked the guest's interest in supply chain? Answer: The guest's interest in supply chain was sparked by growing up around the automotive industry and being fascinated by watching the process of turning car parts into a whole vehicle.  9. What are some challenges that neurodiverse individuals face, and how can they excel in supply chain? Answer: Neurodiverse individuals can struggle with transitioning from a high-stress state to a calm state, but can excel in supply chain because of their ability to connect with different people and be natural people pleasers.  10. What is the name of the podcast, who is the host, and where can it be found? Answer: The name of the podcast is Faster Than Normal, the host is Peter Shankman, and it can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play, as well as www.fasterthannormal.com.——————————————————————————— — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! 1234-now Fiiifth and likely final re-trial run is today June 13, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut??  Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: And here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the only man who goes skydiving to calm down + focus, Peter Shankman. Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Greetings, everyone. Happy day. It is time for another episode of Fast Than Normal. My name is Norm McDonald. No, that's not true. I'm Peter Shankman, but I wanted to see if you guys are listening because I say that every single week. It is great to have you here. Everything is good. It is a gorgeous day. We're finally into summer almost, but it's good enough. It's nice out. Everyone's happy. Dog is sleeping. Let's see how long that lasts. So I am good. I'm glad you're with us, and I'm glad our guest is with us today, a lovely young lady named Joya McDaniel. Joya McDaniel is pretty interesting. The told me before we started that she's really nervous because she can't believe that I chose her to be on this podcast. I'm like, okay, you have obviously no idea who I am because I'm not special in the slightest, but there's nothing to be nervous about. But that being said, I'm thrilled that you're here: Welcome, Joia. Joia McDaniel [00:01:26]: Thank you. Thank you, Peter. I appreciate that. Peter Shankman [00:01:28]: So you have an interesting bio. You're like a dynamic force in the supply chain industry, right? So you're the reason that during COVID no one got any of the things they needed, right? That was all on you. Joia McDaniel [00:01:40]: No, absolutely not, because I wasn't a part of that. Peter Shankman [00:01:43]: There you go. Someone didn't hire you for the right time, and that totally screwed up the entire country anyway. She's a passion advocate, not only in the supply chain industry, but also passionate advocate for neuro divergence. As the architect of as the architect of supply chain Goat LLC, she has over two decades of award winning experience in an armory of creative ideas that set her apart in the field. She was born and raised in Detroit, which is the epicenter of the automotive world, as we know. So she was primed early on to understand the dynamics of supply chain. Now she lives in Texas, and we'll talk about that. But she's expertly balancing her role as a business maven with her life as a loving wife and mother to four spirited children. She is neurodiverse. She has ADHD Add. She's not a unique perspective that allows her to apply her work, so she applies this to her work in life. Here's what I want to know. This cool thing. Her auditory processing disorder has refined her listening skills, helping her catch subtle cues others might miss. So essentially you'd be one hell of a poker player. Joia McDaniel [00:02:37]: Yeah, maybe so. I don't play, but I can learn fast. Peter Shankman [00:02:40]: There you go. All right, Joy. Welcome to Faster. We're glad to have you here. So how does one grow up in the supply chain; how does that happen? Joia McDaniel [00:02:49]: So being from Detroit automotive, automotive is pretty much centered around supply chain. But as a kid, you don't know about supply chain. You just know you see one vehicle. I mean, you see the arts turn into a whole vehicle. And with both my parents being in the automotive industry, one at GM and, the other at Chrysler, it was just my life. I grew up automotive. I just heard all the conversations and it just kind of stuck with me. And it's literally just ingrained in my DNA because literally that's all that Detroit used to talk about during my days of growing up. And it's just going to see my Dad, seeing what he did, it was just always intriguing to see how he put one part on and then at the end you have this beautiful car. And so, yeah, that's pretty much been my life. And I don't know if you've heard of that saying, don't shut the line down, but that is like a common phrase in Detroit. So you can't shut the line down because it's expensive and it's almost like you're just going to hell. Like, literally it's just than serious. So having that ingrained in me, that started me out with the interest of just automotive, but I didn't, like I said, grasp the whole supply chain concept until after college, actually, and I got my first job and I just pretty much fell into supply chain in the automotive industry. And it's just been going nonstop, literally since then. So that's how automotive supply chain kind of ingrained in it to where I am now. Peter Shankman [00:04:26]: It's kind of fascinating when you think about it. You found it amazing and you found it enjoyable. Joia McDaniel [00:04:36]: Yes, absolutely. It's a very rewarding career and it's kind of like the new sexy word now. You really didn't hear about supply chain too much before, COVID so now everyone's trying to understand all the dynamics of supply chain. And it's such a layered field, and you really have to understand each chain, I mean, each link of the supply chain to really be good in this industry. Add that's something that my ADHD and my auditory issues has really helped to put me in a position of just excellence regardless of what I'm doing, literally, it's just effortlessly. So I'm excited. I find it to be my superpower. And it didn't always be like this. It wasn't always like this at all. I definitely had my challenges before I really understood what was going on. But definitely once you hone in and you know who you are and what you have and capable of the industry is just amazing for our brain type. Peter Shankman [00:05:42]: So let's talk brain type, let's talk neurodiversity. How did you first get diagnosed? Joia McDaniel [00:05:47]: So I was diagnosed in the third grade, and I was diagnosed because my mom was getting calls from the teachers I wasn't listening, I wasn't focused and all this stuff. And so was diagnosed from school, from my performance in school, Add. My mom, she never put me on any medication growing up. Instead, we did I don't know if you've heard of, like, the Bach remedy flowers. Yeah, we did that. And then I had a diet. No sugar, no meat. Literally, it was like that for 18 years. She was very, oh, my God. Peter Shankman [00:06:21]: No sugar I can handle, but no meat. Oh, my God. Joia McDaniel [00:06:24]: Yes. It was crazy. And it wasn't until I came home from college and my grandmother was frying some pork chops, and they smelled so good and, oh, my gosh, diet is broken. I cannot do this anymore. But, yeah, it's been going on since the third grade, but my mother never talked about it. I just knew that I had to take these drops, but she never said what it was. So when I got my career started going, things just started getting a little weird, like, okay, why can't I focus? Like, I need to why am I forgetting to do this? And just why is things just really weird? And so I went to the doctor again, I had the diagnosis, but I was never told about it. So I went to my doctor, and I literally told him this phrase. I said doctor, I am stupid. I don't know what's going on. I need some help. And just pulling my records and going through just my previous records and taking questionnaires, definitely. And then I told my mom. She's like, oh, yeah, you've had that since the third grade. I'm like, you know what? That's pretty much my story. And ever since I've had the official diagnosis of me knowing once, you know, it just kind of what do people say? It's like you're putting the wipers on when it's raining. But, yeah, it's been amazing. Now that I know and have an understanding, and I don't know how I was getting by before that. Peter Shankman [00:07:58]: Tell me what it was. So what was it like when you finally after you got diagnosed and you started, I guess whether it was medication, sort of understanding, Add, learning it, what were the first major changes that you noticed personally? Joia McDaniel [00:08:10]: Well, the first major changes was my energy. I've always been high energy, but my energy was different because I was able to actually get things done, and I would get things done, and I was able to multitask with actually getting the things that I was multitasking completed and just more confidence and stand up, able to hyper focus more. I would say that's some of the first benefits that I definitely experienced once I got the official diagnosis. And once you get it and you know Add, you understand some of the accommodations that you may need. That helps too. So you can understand exactly what's going on with you. But not being able to tell your employer and kind of mask in those things that I would say was the most difficult. You didn't ask that question, but that's something that kind of ties into that because it's all good. Add, you perform and you're a stellar. You're doing all these great things and getting these awards and everything but the masking and the background. It takes a long time to get things done for me back then before I learned updated processing. But it took a while to get used to having to do things differently and having the wheel and the brain power after medication.  Peter Shankman [00:09:51]: Let's shift gears for a second. Go back to logistics and supply chain. So you say that it's great for.Someone with Neurodiversity, supply chain is awesome. So we have tons of kids who are college students or just getting out of college, figuring out what they want to do with their life. If they wanted to look at supply chain, tell us why, number one, and then tell us what they should be doing to get involved in that industry To get involved in that worl. Joia McDaniel [00:10:07]: So what they should be doing is looking into manufacturing, cohort classes or just anything dealing with automation, logistics. You could take courses at a community college. Even in high school they have transition classes and study groups and things like that. Just reading, reading and learning about supply chain, understanding the dynamics of it and what all it entails. What was your other question? Peter Shankman [00:10:43]: Sorry, tell us about so you mentioned neurodiversity. Why is it the perfect career for neurodiversity? Joia McDaniel [00:10:49]:  Okay, so it's the perfect career for neurodiversity. This is my favorite question because literally, supply chain moves so fast. Everything is moving so fast, Add. There's always something new going on. Every day there's a new problem, there's something going on. And in order to keep up with that fast paced scale, you have to have the ability to stop what you're doing maybe, and then go to something else and totally hone in on that and then go back to what you were doing before and have it be seamless. People communication, it can be a struggle with ADHD of people in supply chain, but we're natural born people pleasers. So sometimes you get intimidated. But communication, being a people pleaser actually works because you're dealing with so many people from so many different backgrounds and we're just able to connect with just about anyone. I'm sure you definitely can understand that. So that's definitely a plus. And then just being able to not just see one portion or one link when someone makes a decision and let's say for instance, sales, you know, that okay, they made a decision in sales. So this is going to impact production. This is going to impact forecasting. So it's like this huge like you just have this brand and you just know from the onset that if this happens, then that's going to happen. So definitely those are definitely things people. Peter Shankman [00:12:21]: With ADHD and Neurodiversity tend to be Really good at, putting out fires..Really good at, putting out fires. Is this a kind of industry where It'S one fire after anothe Joia McDaniel [00:12:29]: Absolutely, yes, absolutely. There's fires almost every day. And I don't care how good your supply chain is. I mean, it's so layered, it's so deep that you're always going to have something to do. Add it wasn't oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. Peter Shankman [00:12:42]: No, I just want to own into it because I want to follow up because that brings up an interesting question because we're really good people with neurodiversity are phenomenal putting on fires. But how do you handle the concept of, okay, I just put in a fire. Now I have to go home and listen to my children or listen to my husband or calm down or not because I can imagine you put in a fire and you solve a huge problem. You must be high as a kite. Dopamine hit from that. Must be off the charts. So how do you then go home And turn it off? Joia McDaniel [00:13:11]: It's difficult because you're so passionate. We're passionate people and you're excited, especially if it gets accomplished and it's favorable terms and it's just having a partner that understands what I do and being supportive and can listen to my stories and kind of bring me down some, that helps. But the ride home when I was going to the office, especially if I had to go through traffic, it was a lot a huge transition to go from that. It's like going from fire into the sauna. ####SAUNA!  Peter Shankman [00:13:46]: Fascinating. I love this. I want to get a job with you. Very cool. Joy than you. How can people find you? How can they reach you? Joia McDaniel [00:13:54]: So you can reach me at joia@supplychaingoat.com. My website is www. supplychaingoat.com. It's coming soon, so those are the ways that I could be reached. Peter Shankman [00:14:08]: We will link all of that in the podcast. I am greatly, greatly appreciative of you taking the time. Thank you so much. It was really great to have you. Joia McDaniel [00:14:15]: All right. Thank you, Peter. I appreciate it. Peter Shankman [00:14:17]: All right, guys, as always, than you for listening. Love that you're here. Any news, shoot us a note. Petershankman.com go to fastennormal.com everywhere but Twitter. We are on Blue Sky now at Peter Shankman on Blue Sky. [asap is good; I know -Ed] We'll talk about this every episode, but any interesting guests, shoot us a note. We'd love to have them on as well. Stay safe, stay happy, have a great week andBy the time this comes out, it'll Probably be summer, so stay cool and we will talk soon.Thanks for listening, guys. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.  Our Guest today in her own words:  Suzy Malseed is a high-energy Mum of twins, a competitive free-diver, a farmer, a reformed teacher and a neurodiversity advocate. Based in Australia, originally from New Zealand, Suzy maintains a ferocious appetite for adventure and travel, having lived in 6 countries and worked and stayed in many more! We have a few things in common, but can you guess the main similarity? Yep, ADHD! Also parachutes; but you've got to subscribe and listen for that story ;-)  Enjoy and hey, thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!  [you are now safely here ]    00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! [This week we've switched to Cloudemagic.io from a slow Descript. All sorts of things are happening in Tech now, huh?!  This may be ‘the way' we go for this upcoming Summer season. Please let us know what you think in the comments?! I will be paying special attention to any feedback on this Ep, that you may share- and also of the past three Ep.s (not the tbd Ep.291)  Thank you -Ed] 01:00 - Introducing and welcome Suzy Malseed!  03:50 - Most parents when their kids are diagnosed are like, Wait- this sounds like me? 05:09 - Shrek- Ogers are like Onions Ref 06:00 - On processing your ADHD 06:37 - Peter on Free Diving. Ref: Le Grande Blue  Luc Besson [Not a Luc Besson film, but if you love the above ref, (or Philip Glass, or Portugal even, then this assistant editor strongly rec's The 100 Foot Wave. It appears to also be a podcast now! -Ed] 07:50 - On “the silence” while free diving with very little gear  Ref:  If I dive to 30 meters, that four times the pressure that we experience walking on the ground..feels like a giant bear hug, basically.  09:24 - On Skydiving joy 09:42 - do you have techniques to get your head right, to get into the zone & ready to dive? 10:52 - On meditation.  11:00 - How much does your heat rate decease when you put just your HEAD into the water? Ref: The Diving Reflex aka MDR 11:18 - What, what? Why?? Genetics??! 12:05 - On mental and physical adaptation & breaking the surface13:04- Are you good in Emergencies too? Please ell us in the comments!! [remember, we always read these at some point every few weeks] 14:04 - Is dopamine generation = wanderlust or/and wanderlust?  [US parlance + vernacular]  14:20 - What else do I and we all not know about Free Diving; but should? 16:32 - When your back-up plan is to be prepared and try harder if… there is a next time, 98 feet down. 17:26 - Do you want to see what free diving in an Underwater Cave looks like?! [We have warned you!! [Trusted respect to AL + MCH & Co. btw -Ed ;-] 18:10 - Thank you Suzy Malseed!!  “I would rather a child start therapy at an early age and learn that they're brilliant; than spend the next 30 years undoing the belief that they are broken.”  -Peter Shankman  June 7, 2023 18:14 -  How do our now Summer-shiney subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  Will update if avail. Otago Times article from 2018 is here Socials: @NoAirSuzy on:  INSTA  @SuzyMalseed on: Facebook 18:14 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 17:24 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  [ Ed: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]    EXTRA CREDIT:  10 GEN-AI POINTS ABOUT FREE DIVING COVERED IN THIS INTERVIEW AND GENERATED BY AI.  1. What is free diving?  Ref: Free Diving Safety  Answer: Free diving is an activity that involves diving underwater without the aid of scuba diving equipment, but instead, relying on one's ability to hold their breath and adapt to high pressure underwater. 2. What is the process involved in free diving? Answer: The process involves a state of deep meditation to connect the mind, body, and breath. It involves getting a feeling in the body to confirm readiness and experiencing a mammalian dive reflex, which results in a 30% drop in heart rate when immersing the face in water. 3. What attracts people to free diving? Answer: Many free divers are drawn to the sport due to the sensory deprivation it offers. The sport also requires a lot of respect for the body and its ability to adapt to the demands of the sport. 4. What is the connection between ADHD and free diving? Answer: ADHD is highly represented in free diving. Many free divers with ADHD are drawn to the sport's calming effect and the sensory deprivation it offers. 5. Can free diving be a solo activity? Answer: Yes, free diving can be a solo activity, and the responsibility for success or failure rests solely on the diver. 6. What is the movie La Grand Blue about, and why is it significant? Answer: La Grand Blue is a movie about a free diver who can slow down his heartbeat and go as deep as he wants. It is one of Luke Basal's best films and launched the career of Eric Sierra and Jean Renault. 7. How does free diving compare to skydiving? Answer: Both skydiving and free diving require a lot of preparation work before the activity. The speaker puts a lot of effort into checking their gear before skydiving and even dreams about it. 8. What is the connection between risk-taking and neurodiversity? Answer: The speaker shares a love for risk-taking with their son. They both enjoy taking risks, but they are careful when doing so. This high appetite for risk-taking is much higher than the average person. 9. How was the speaker's son diagnosed with developmental issues? Answer: The speaker's son was diagnosed with developmental issues by a specialist in Singapore who observed his high energy and sensory needs. 10. Why is silence important to the speaker in free diving? Answer: The speaker experienced silence for the first time in their life when they first went underwater, and they are addicted to the quiet. The feeling of deep pressure on their body when diving is also compared to a welcoming hug. — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! Fourth and likely final trial run is today June 7, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut?? Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning from wherever in the world you happen to be. And welcome to their episode of Faster Than Normal. My name is Peter Shankman. It is 5:30 in the morning when I am recording this, which can only mean one thing. We are talking to someone and interviewing someone on the other side of the world, because otherwise I'd be on my bike right now. I want you guys to meet Suzy Malseed. Suzy is with us today, who is a high energy mom of twins, or Mum, as she puts it, which cold give you some idea of where we're talking to get this. She's a competitive free diver. I cannot wait to talk about that! She's a farmer, a reformed teacher, a neurodiversity advocate. She is based in Australia. Her two kids have ADHD. She's originally from New Zealand. She believes she has ADHD. She's a ferocious appetite for adventures and travel, having lived in six countries and worked and stayed in many more. Susie, good evening. Where you are. Good morning from where we are! Suzy [00:01:26]: Hello, Peter!! How are you? Peter Shankman [00:01:28]: It is great to have you back on the podcast. Love to talk with this. I found you because I started following you on Instagram because your Instagram is just you free diving, which is just some cool stuff. So I'm a huge fan. So thanks for taking the time today. Suzy [00:01:42]: Thank you very much. Thanks for having me. Peter Shankman [00:01:44]: So there are a lot of topics here I want to cover. Both your children, ADHD, were they diagnosed? If so, where? If so, how? How old are they? Let's start the so. Suzy [00:01:55]: Yeah, my kids are twins and they were diagnosed pretty young, particularly my son. So he was diagnosed first, which is kind of often the case because girls present a little differently. And he was diagnosed pretty early, pretty easily, pretty obvious, if you know what I mean. Right, Add? It wasn't necessarily something that I sort of went to the doctors and said, look, I think we've got some challenges. It was actually more because they were twins and because they were a little bit premy and we were living in Singapore at the time. Oh, wow. Yeah. And so singapore is amazing. It tends to be a little bit more on the clinical side, so they're very good at tracking and than sort of thing. So they were tracking growth and checking up a lot of things. And it was actually only in quite a routine sort of pediatric appointment when the specialist just saw my son literally bouncing and just said and I just said, oh, no, he's got high energy. I have too. And they just said, yeah, but there's energy and then there's energy. And I just went, oh, okay. Anyway, so we went there with Max pretty quickly, and it helped him a lot, to be honest, because it helped us to understand his sensory needs. That was probably the biggest thing that we had to get our heads around, is his sensory needs. He was very sensitive, so there was a lot of sort of putting his fingers in the ears and high pitched noises. He was very aversive to those sort of things. But he was also a sensory seeker, so he would love contact. He would love heavy contact. And once we understood that, we could do a lot of OT him. And we did a lot of physical work with him. I ran everywhere with him, on him, a scooter and a skateboard in the pool from a very young age, and his body just responded just so well to that heavy work. So I'm very grateful for understanding…. Peter Shankman [00:03:49]: Interesting. You said than you're undiagnosed, but you probably have it like most parents when their kids are diagnosed. That's how you figured out. You're like, Wait, this sounds like me 100%. Suzy [00:04:01]: I mean, as I was reading reading to learn more, to understand how to advocate for my son, I just sort of went, oh, my God. Well, that's me. And it was sort of the risk taking type stuff. I've never really put it all together, but I'm a very high energy person. I always have been. I've always had a ridiculous appetite for risk, but not in a stupid way. So from the outside, it might look like you're doing crazy stuff, but I've actually thought about everything I've done before I've done it. But my appetite for risk is certainly much higher than the average person. And I saw it with my son as well. He would jump off very high things, but he knows how to land, and that's the difference, right? Little parachute landing, and he's just not scared of getting hurt. And I've had the same thing. I'm not scared of getting hurt, which is probably quite weird, but when you've lived your whole life in the same body, you don't really realize how strange it is until you sort of put it all together. And it's like peeling an onion. As you get older, you realize a little bit more every year. Peter Shankman [00:05:09]: I always think back to that great line in Shrek. Onions are like ogres. Oh, they smell. No, they have layers. But it's very true. It's a complicated peel. It's interesting. And I talk about this all the time, which is great segue into talking about free diving. I never felt any kind of sense of release until I did my first race, until I did my first skydive, until I did all these things that allowed me to get as much dopamine as I ever wanted than I was doing stuff that would get me in trouble in school. And it'd be a nice quick hit, but it'd always come with a punishment. So, yeah, when you find that thing, it changes everything. And I'm sure your kids figured that out. Suzy [00:05:46]: Oh, absolutely. And for me, when I was at school, I mean, being a female, it's different again, like, I was the class clown, like you sort of alluded to in your book and stuff as well. It's very similar. And I never realized that I was doing it. I wouldn't have said than I was doing it to get a laugh. I was just quite flippant, and my brain just goes so fast. I would think of things very quickly. And it did get me into a fair bit of trouble, of course, but yeah. And you do realize after a while I did figure out that I was chasing adrenaline. I didn't understand that I was also chasing dopamine. So there's been a lot more come out since. Every year we learn more. So that's an interesting bit to put together. Peter Shankman [00:06:26]: All right, speaking of dopamine, let us talk about free diving. How cool. I've never done it, but I actually can't. Funnily enough, I have something called a peritoneal shunt in my spine. I can't go below like 20ft or. Suzy [00:06:40]: I'll. Peter Shankman [00:06:42]: But let's talk about free diving. I first learned about free diving high, as I'm sure you're familiar with in the movie La Grande Blue. Yes, I saw that movie in college, Add. Holy shit. Did that just captivate the hell out of me. It started my love affair with Jean Renew. If you haven't seen La Grande Blue, it's one of Luke Basal's best films. Luke Basal is the guy who did the original of Fem Nikita. Not that American bullshit, but the original version, the French version. And La Grande blue launched Eric Sierra's career and launched Jean Renault's career as well. So I strongly encourage you to check out La Grand Blue. But it is about a free diver and who just has this incredible ability to go as deep as he wants and slow his heartbeat down like something like six beats a minute. The first question I want to ask it must be I'm sure the dope mean hit is amazing, but the silence must be incredible. Suzy [00:07:39]: Yes. This is the thing. When I first went underwater was the first time in my whole life I've ever experienced silence. Like, my whole mind just went quiet. And that is what I'm probably addicted to the most, is just the quiet. I just love it. And then there's also pressure. So you're familiar with every 10 meters of depth, there's an additional atmosphere of pressure on the body right. So when we're sort of walking around on the ground, we have 1 ATM of pressure on our body. When we go 10 meters below surface, we have two atmospheres of pressure. Every 10 meters past that is an additional. So if I dive to 30 meters, I have four atmospheres of pressure on my body. Four times the pressure that we experience on the walking around on the ground. Now that feels like a giant bear hug, basically. And the really interesting thing is you either like it or you don't like it, to be honest. And I love that feeling. It's deep pressure to me. It just feels like a big welcoming hug. And that's a sensory thing for sure. So I have a few head starts, I think in terms of my natural ability to be able to be very good at the sport, sort of just drew me in from the start because I've actually been helping other people along the way. And sometimes when I watch their journey, it seems so foreign to me because it was so different to my journey. So they tell me about how scary it is and they tell me all than and I'm just like I can see that they are scared, so it's their truth. But I don't understand it because I've never had any fear around free diving. For me, it's just the most beautiful sport you could ever do. Peter Shankman [00:09:24]: I think it's the same for Skydiving when I'm never more free. Because when I jump out of that plane, I only have two options. I'm going to live or I'm going to die. That's it. Yes. Suzy [00:09:34]: Quite a cool feeling, right? Peter Shankman [00:09:35]: It is. It's wonderful. It's the most free I'll ever be. Suzy [00:09:38]: Yeah.  Peter Shankman [00:09:42]: So one of the things about Skydiving, I'm assuming it's the same with Freediving, is there is a not of prep work that goes into it. And a lot of for me, it's checking my gear, it's making sure that everything's right. The point where I have dreams about it. And my parents, once when they came to, they weren't too happy I was doing it. But when they first came to watch me, they told me were shocked at how meticulous I was because I was never that meticulous for anything in my life. And all of a sudden I'm here checking all my gear and I'm doing double check and triple check. So I'm curious, do you have routines before you go? You don't just jump in the water and dive. So do you have things that you do to sort of get your head right, to get into that zone to get ready to go? Suzy [00:10:24]: Yeah. The cool thing with free diving is we don't have a lot of gear. So that's pretty cool. Compared to scuba diving or technical diving. They have a lot of gear. They have all of that check check stuff. We don't have that. But obviously we have to go through our own process. The process that I go through is basically I would consider it. I was very deep meditation. So it is my way of connecting in my mind, my body and my breath. I get a feeling in my body and then I know I'm okay, I'm ready. Everything's like you just quieten down, everything. And then your heart rate flows. It's called a mammalian dive reflex. So every human gets this. When you hop in the water and immerse your face you'll get a 30% drop in heart rate. That's a given, right? Everyone gets that? Yeah.  Peter Shankman [00:11:11]: Wow. When you're in the water say it again, say it again. Suzy [00:11:16]: So when you immerse your face in water you get a 30% drop in heart rate. Peter Shankman [00:11:22]: That is incredible. Why?! Suzy [00:11:24]:  It's genetic. So it goes back to when we were little, whatever you think we were before. A little fishy somewhere along the line. Yes. It's called the mammalian mammal. Mammalian dive reflex. MDR. Yes, I've heard of that. Peter Shankman [00:11:39]: Okay. Suzy [00:11:39]: Yeah, no I know! Peter Shankman [00:11:40]: 30%. That's amazing. Suzy [00:11:42]: It's a big drop and so that's a real thing. So that sense of comfort and feeling like you're really supposed to be there comes over you. And then of course I suppose one of the other reasons I just love the sport so much is how much your body adapts is just you have so much respect for your body. So your body can adapt to pressure. Obviously we take one breath at the surface and that breath has got to carry us through all of the equalizations of our masks, our sinuses, our ears all the way down to the bottom and then all the way back. And the more you dive, the more you free dive, the more your body adapts to what you're asking it to do. And that happens with everything that we do, as you would know with your own body and your training. And free diving is perhaps an extreme example of that because when you take your breath on the surface and you leave, it's just you and it's like jumping out of a plane. It's just you. There's no one to blame, it's no one else, it's just you. And like you said to me, it's just so freeing. I go very silent and very quiet in that response. And are you good in emergencies and things like that. Like do you have that same sort of response where whenever everyone else panic. Peter Shankman [00:13:04]: I'm perfect in emergencies I'm terrible at real life.  Suzy [00:13:07]: Exactly. Peter Shankman [00:13:08]: But throw an emergency there and I'm the guy you want. Suzy [00:13:11]: Correct? Yeah. And I'm exactly the same and I figured that out along my life as well. Everyone. And when I was a kid I used to tell myself, I don't know why, but I live in opposite land and that's just how I prioritize it on my head. So someone else would go yay, we're having a massive party. And I would go oh my god. Peter Shankman [00:13:28]: Exactly. Well you know, you just made me realize something. I think that part of that might be because when you're in an emergency, you don't have time for social anxiety. There's never any small talk in the emergency. Suzy [00:13:40]: True. Yeah. Peter Shankman [00:13:42]: I just realized that there's no small talk in emergency. It's get shit done now. Suzy [00:13:46]: Yes. And we can be who we really are, like instead of niceties. And the other one I wanted to touch with you is travel. So I know that you're a massive traveler and I'm the same and quite extreme stuff as well. Probably when I look back in it, I have an appetite for that. And I think it boils down to the same sort of really ridiculous survival instinct which I quite enjoy, which is basically you're only going to eat when you figure out how to go get the food that you want to get and how to make yourself understood. Peter Shankman [00:14:16]: That's kind of a cool thing very much. I love that. What else? What am I not asking you about? Freediving? I don't know enough about it to know what to ask you. What am I not asking? Suzy [00:14:29]: Okay, so I think that ADHD is quite highly represented in free diving, to be honest. When I consider other free divers and I look around I see a lot of people who are like me and I believe that we're all drawn to the sport for the same reason, which is like a form of sensory deprivation, if you know what I mean. A lot of times we're actually diving in black water and that freaks some people really out. But we just close our eyes and I suppose how do you do that? Well, you have to find a way to surrender. You have to understand than the more you relax, the better your dive will be, the more tense you are, the worse your dive will be. So you have to switch off and there really is no choice. And if anything happens when you're under the water like I've had a couple of little incidences along the way. I had this time when I was swimming through a wreck and it was a fun dive with some other free divers and as I was going through the wreck and coming up through the wheelhouse, the back of my fin came off and I was sort of like it just came over me. I'm like, oh my God, I'm 30 meters down. I've already been here for at least a minute and now I only have one fin. If I panic, I'm toast. And you just go through that process and you're like, right, I have to cross my legs to make you can picture yourself crossing your legs and than do the dolphin movement to make your one fin work and just get yourself to the surface fast. And you just know that you have no space for panic so you have to stay calm. Peter Shankman [00:16:10]: I'm panicking listening to that story and I get it. I mean, you're in a position like same thing with Skydiving. Knock on wood. I haven't had to use my reserve yet, 500 jumps, but I'm sure at some point I will and I'll know what to do. But yeah, I mean, I guess it's that premise of what is your other option? Right? There is no other option. Suzy [00:16:30]: That's right. There's no other option. Peter Shankman [00:16:32]: Add, it's interesting because we worry about I'm sitting here, I'm listening to you. I'm like, Jessa, Christ, it's 98ft underwater, and she loses a fin. And I'm thinking you can't stop to get it right. You just sort of have to let it go. And so, okay, do what you have to do. Right. And this is what you train for. Suzy [00:16:50]: That's right. Peter Shankman [00:16:51]: And again, there's no small talk. There's no, oh, what would you rather do? There's no oh, honey, I don't know. What do you want to eat tonight? No, it's get out. Yeah, right. So you make than work. No, it makes perfect sense. But Jessa, 98ft of door. It's it's so funny. The only thing that that really physically scares me to the point where I can't even watch it is these guys who do sunken wet cave diving where they wear the air and they go into these ridiculously tight. And there's always a story, like people who have died doing that. I'm watching them skirt through these caves that are like they have half an inch above them. They have to take off the air bottle and put it next. What is wrong with you people? Yeah, I'll go jump into a perfectly plane because I'm not going to get Stuck through the middle of the earth, Jessa. Peter Shankman [00:17:47]: But, yeah, I get the freedom. I totally get the freedom that you feel it. But again, Steven, free diving is more freedom because you're not stuck in between the middle of the earth. I don't know. Suzy [00:17:56]: That's right. Peter Shankman [00:17:57]: Anyway, I want to be respectful of your time. Suzy, this was amazing. What a great story. I really like to have you back, if at all possible. Next time I'm down under, next time in Australia, I'm coming to visit, no question about it. You can take me out of the water. Peter Shankman [00:18:09]: That would be awesome. Suzy [00:18:10]: Absolutely. Yeah. We've got some nice things. Peter Shankman [00:18:12]: Thank you so much for taking the time. I really, really appreciate it. Suzy [00:18:15]: Thank you, Peter. Keep up the good work. Peter Shankman [00:18:17]: Thank you, guys. As always. Faster Than Normal is intended for you and yours! Shoot me, email. Let me know you want to hear. Peter Petershankman.com. I'm at Peter Shankman everywhere but Twitter, because Twitter sucks. Now, Add, if you're on Blue Sky, you can find me there, too. Let us know what you want to hear faster than most for you. We'll see you guys next week. ADHD is a gift on a curse, and I'd rather here's my new quote. I would rather a child start therapy at an early age and learn that they're brilliant than spend the next 30 years undoing the belief that they're broken. We'll see you soon, guys. Stay safe.  — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.   Our Guest today:  Morgan Hancock is a commercial Real Estate Agent, Entrepreneur, US Army Veteran, Mother-of-two, “Bourbonista” , and passionate advocate of the Arts. She is a charismatic force who can completely capture a room, radiating positivity with a disarming demeanor and sharp sense of humor. Growing up as an only child in a small town, Morgan spent much of her time alone reading, writing, and creating. With an overactive imagination and natural talent, art became an early passion. Taking an atypical path to her current success, Morgan has never let her context stand in the way of her ambition. She believes that art, like life, is only limited by your imagination, and it's up to you to create your own world. Morgan created Bourbon with Heart as a way to leverage the influence and popularity of Bourbon, in order to raise funds, bring awareness, educate, provide better access and deliver a first-class Arts experience to every person in Kentucky! Regardless of age, race, class, gender, or ability.  About the company: Bourbon with Heart is Kentucky's first & only arts-focused bourbon charity. Bourbon with Heart's (501c3) mission is to leverage the influence and popularity of Bourbon to raise funds, bring awareness, educate, provide better access and deliver a first-class arts experience to every person in Kentucky regardless of age, race, class, gender, or ability. This interview was a blast! [Ed: and made my Producer/Editor a little emotional]. Enjoy and thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!  [you are now here ]  00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 02:00 - Introducing and welcome Morgan Hancock, Founder & Director Bourbon with Heart, Inc.  02:33 - Thank you for your Service! [And to all of you who served- your family too if applicable!] 03:25 - On service and Peter's training. “My ADHD probably would have been I would have served me well to have been in some branch of the military, just for the discipline” -ps 04:17 - What's it like to be ADHD and in place w/ such discipline, such rigid controls; like the Army? 04:24 - And... we're now flying over Giza!  Ref:  https://www.instagram.com/p/B34UmeQlZE_/ 05:09 - When were you diagnosed? 06:04 - A little of Morgan's backstory 07:09 - On The Military  08:02 - On becoming a very young mother  09:03 - On parenting, and a couple of exciting childhoods 11:12 - Ok, I wanna know about Bourbon with Heart?! 12:53 - How's your company doing? 14:17 - Peter's toughest day in Louisville… almost a decade ago 15:05 - What if any advice would you have for your younger self? 16:27 - This was fantastic.. thank you Morgan. Please stay in touch! 17:01 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  Web:   https://bourbonwithheart.org  Email: BourbonWithHeart@gmail.com Socials:  @bourbonwithheart on INSTA  YouTube and Facebook 17:11 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Morgan!! 17:18 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 17:24 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  [ Ed: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! Third and likely final trial run is today May 30, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut?? Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to their episode of faster than normal. How about we raise a glass of bourbon today? I don't actually well, that's not true. I've had bourbon. I like bourbon, but like most things, I rarely drink anymore, because, as we know, I don't just have one drink. Peter Shankman [00:00:58]:  We are talking today on this gorgeous day I'm recording on a Thursday. I'm doing all my recordings on a Thursday this week, and it's it's beautiful out. It's it's about 68 degrees in New York. It's sunny and a cloud in the sky. It's a gorgeous day, and I'm inside recording all day. And this Saturday, it's going to be raining into the 40s. It's like god's personal gag reel. I just don't I don't understand the universe sometimes. Anyway, we have a fun guest on faster than normal day. We are talking to Morgan Hancock. Morgan Hancock is a plethora of things. I believe that everyone should make it an effort to use the word plethora at least once a day. Morgan includes you. I want you to start using the word plethora. Morgan [00:01:39]: At least I use it five times a day. Peter Shankman [00:01:40]: There you go. I like her! Morgan is a commercial real estate agent. She's an entrepreneur. She's an Army veteran. She's a mother of two. She's a get this “Bourbonista”, okay, which has to be my new favorite word. And she's a passionate advocate of the arts. She launched something called bourbon with heart. It's Kentucky's first and only arts focused bourbon charity. Bourbon with heart's mission is to leverage the influence and popularity of bourbon to raise funds, bring awareness, educate, provide better access, and deliver a first class arts experience to every person in Kentucky, regardless of age, race, class, gender, or ability. I absolutely love that. As a public school kid who grew up in the performing arts, I think that is hands down, one of the coolest things I've ever heard. Oh and by the way, Morgan also has massive ADHD. Welcome to the show. We're thrilled to have you. Morgan [00:02:33]: Thank you. And let me we started by saying we are Kentucky's first and only arts focused bourbon charity. But pretty sure we could just claim the world because I'm almost 100% certain nobody in the world has an Arts focused Bourbon charity. Peter Shankman [00:02:52]: I'm pretty sure I've never heard of one. I haven't been looking, but I'd be willing to bet that you're probably right on that. I'm talking to Morgan today and she's has her camera on. I'm looking in the background. She has this gorgeous her desk is full of stuff and she has this gorgeous collection of color swatches adorning her wall where normal in any other room it would be at a place. For some reason, it just seems to fit her style. She looks awesome as she's talking to us and it just seems to work. So, welcome to the podcast. We're thrilled to have you here. First question I got to ask you. So you're an army vet? Thank you for your service. Number one.But more importantly, let's talk about I've Often said that looking back on it. My ADHD probably would have been I would have served me well to have been in some branch of the military. Just for the discipline. Because when I was in my late.Twenty s, I met a former Navy.Seal who was teaching a boot camp class in New York City. Come to New York, he lived in Houston, came New York four times a year for two weeks at a time, and taught a boot camp class.And it was basically like being in the field for two straight weeks every Morning for two weeks. And I remember, granted, it was only 2 hours a day as opposed to in your aspect, 24/7, but the discipline that he required from us has stuck with me to this day. He's the reason I'm early. Everywhere I go, he's the reason that I'm not on time, I'm early and things like that So I don't know if you were Diagnosed by the time you entered the army, but let's first and foremost talk About what it's like to be in A place with such discipline and such rigid controls. Like the army, like the military, with ADHD. Morgan [00:04:24]:  Okay, well, first, it's a little awkward to people that can't see. So I'm just talking to you while you're jumping out of a plane in. Peter Shankman [00:04:33]: Egypt over the pyramids of Giza.Yes. Morgan [00:04:35]: So I've never interviewed with someone who's actually in the air over Giza. This is school for the people listening. His camera is not live right now, so he has the placeholder photo, which is him, skydiving or parasailing, I can't tell in Egypt. So I feel like that's I'm interviewing with him while he's doing that. I feel like really boring over here right now. Peter Shankman [00:05:07]:  Not at all! Morgan [00:05:09]: So, to answer your question, I wasn't diagnosed by that time. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 31. And I'm 37 almost, will be in a couple of months. My personality, if that's what you call it, did not do well in the military. I was constantly in trouble. I got transferred. I'll just say I got kicked out of a platoon, put in a different platoon. I was always on the verge of being written up for different issues. Bu. I made it. I served my time. I got honorable discharge. I made it. But I don't suggest it. The military as a place for people. Peter Shankman [00:05:56]: With ADHD, why were you constantly getting written up? Was it lack of attention? Was it lack of focus? What was causing it? Morgan [00:06:04]: Yeah, all the above and just kind of my whole life struggling with authority or any type of rigid systems and structured and just always kind of bouncing all over the place and kind of always being the class clown type, which really doesn't go over in the military. They just don't have a good sense of humor, I'll say that. Peter Shankman [00:06:36]: So basically your time in the military was like my time in school. Morgan [00:06:39]: Yeah, if you were a class clown, then yeah, I just tried to be a class clown in the military, and drill sergeants don't appreciate that. There's not like a superlative or you can win class clown. There's awards, honors and medals, but not for class clown and not for the funniest. Peter Shankman [00:07:00]: You got through it, though, right? Was there a point where you realized, gee, maybe I should shut up. Maybe I should stop making jokes? Morgan [00:07:09]: Yeah, because my arts and legs would hurt because of the punishments. And then because they do mass punishment. Peter Shankman [00:07:22]: Everyone had to do it. Morgan [00:07:23]: And you were getting trouble. Yeah, I thought, maybe I shouldn't do this, but then it's like I just couldn't resist either, so I just stayed in trouble and just don't recommend that's really my review of being in the military. Peter Shankman [00:07:44]: But you did it. You got through it. You got through it. Congratulations.     Morgan [00:07:47]: I did it, yeah. By the skin of my teeth, I got out of there. Peter Shankman [00:07:52]: So talk about; your an Army veteran, and prior to that you had a kid. Morgan [00:08:02]: Yeah, so I was 15 with my first son. I have two. One is 20 years old now. So it's crazy because we grew up together, and then I have a 13 year old, so I got pregnant with my second son also while I was in the military. I had one before I joined and than the second one during. Peter Shankman [00:08:30]: Are you married? Are you single? Morgan [00:08:32]: I'm not married, but not single. What do you call that? Peter Shankman [00:08:37]: Cohabitation? Doesn't matter. I guess the question I was going to ask is, what is it like raising a kid, a, when you're young. And by that, I mean, I've raised my Daughter when I've had ADHD, but I also had her at almost 40 years old. Right. So I had a little more life experience under my belt. What was that like for you? What were some of the, I guess, difficulties that you had to go through? I can't imagine anyone having a kid at 15, bet it wasn't easy, but what was it like for you? Morgan [00:09:03]: Right. I know it couldn't have been easy. If you just look at the facts of it, there's no way it could have been easy, but it's weird because honestly, sometimes it's just hard to remember. I think also when you're young, you just don't think about things being hard, you just do them and you just don't think, oh, this is now. If I had to do it now, I'd be like moaning and groaning, complaining about every step of the way. But I think when you're young, you're different. Maybe you're just a little more adaptable. But he had to go on some wild rides with me. I was always kind of rebelling or doing things against the norm and having a new phase or interest every other month or couple of months. So he definitely did not have a traditional upbringing. I pulled him out of school for many years to do homeschooling, if that's what you call it. I don't know how you exactly define homeschooling. We weren't in school. We'll say that. Peter Shankman [00:10:16]: It sounds like it was interesting, though, for him. It sounds like it was never boring. Morgan [00:10:19]:  Oh, no, definitely not. I think it was called ‘unschooling' at that time, and it was just the reason I did that is because school just wasn't beneficial to me. If anything, it felt a lot like wasted time. And he was also just a very passionate person like me. And so I just knew that school in a lot of ways was going to hold him back the way I felt it did for me. So he really didn't go to school most of his life, and I don't have any regrets of that decision. I think he's one of the most mature, just turned 20 year olds than I know. He pays all his own bills. He has a fantastic job making more than most 40 year olds I know. Peter Shankman [00:11:12]: Yeah, I want to talk about Bourbon with heart. So a nonprofit to help the arts is always an amazing thing!! I mean, I'm on the board of a couple of them here in New York, but why bourbon? What's your connection to bourbon other than Kentucky? Morgan [00:11:31]: Well, if you live in Kentucky, as you said, you can't help but be impacted by bourbon. It's a huge part of our culture, of our economy. I love bourbon. I've been a fan of bourbon since well, I can't say how long, because we'll just say since I legally could be. And bourbon in Kentucky has this kind of incredible power to people really unite around it, because, as I said, it is a culture and it brings people together. And there's this bond than bourbon forms, and art does the same thing. Art unites people and brings people together. And one thing that people, everyone in the world knows Kentucky is the leader of the bourbon industry, but people don't realize we have a really rich and thriving arts culture in Kentucky and a ton of talent. So we took bourbon with heart, got them as a way to leverage that existing popularity and influence of bourbon to then bring the awareness and educate people and raise funds for the local art scene. And it's working. Peter Shankman [00:12:53]: How is it working? Morgan [00:12:54]: It's working because it has been met with so much support and enthusiasm. I mean, people just naturally when we launched this, I did not expect the rapid success and for everyone to just be so to just embrace it with open arms. I mean, corporations, our local businesses, the distilleries, the media, the artists in our community, and everyone just has embraced us with open arms and everyone's all of a sudden, wow, art and bourbon was such a natural marriage. And so many things are just growing from this initial concept. We're on our fourth exhibit this year. We're already over $100,000 that we've raised this year. And we have some really huge partnerships coming with big community players coming up in the coming years or next year. It's bringing people together that you would not typically see in the same room. And that's a beautiful thing. And let me also I don't know if you mentioned this, but yes, we raise funds and we raise awareness for the local arts community, but we raise funds for other local nonprofits. So we've given away almost $45,000 to other nonprofits that aren't arts related. Peter Shankman [00:14:12]: Very cool. That's a phenomenal what a cool concept. Marrying the two. You wouldn't really think it's funny but, I want to say I have a love hate relationship with Kentucky, but primarily just a hate relationship. In 2014, I ran the Louisville Ironman and it was the last year they ever did it in the summer because the starting temperature was 104 degrees and it was hands down the most painful and difficult Iron Man Triathlon I've ever done in my life. And I remember being back at the airport after it was over and saying, I am never I don't even want to fly over Louisville. It was so hot and so miserable. But I got through it. And the people there were wonderful as they rescued my dehydrated ass from nearly dying. So great people, but your weather sucks ass. Morgan [00:15:03]: That being said, I agree. Peter Shankman [00:15:05]: What a cool concept and I'm so glad we took the time. Let me ask you one final question, Morgan. Let's say you're walking down the street and you come across a 15 year old who is much like you were at 15, undiagnosed ADHD, school, bores her. Things really, aren't you're not really seeing what's out there and you want more. You just don't know how to get it. What do you tell her? Morgan [00:15:27]:  You're not going to find it in that boy. Start with that. That's probably what she's needing to hear at than point that's honestly one of the main things. And then just chase your passions because basically what I've had to do. All the energy that fuels and drives me now to make me successful in these endeavors. Bourbon with heart. It's really kind of the same energy that got me in trouble in the past. I just learned how to harness it for more positive, socially acceptable, not self damaging things. I would tell them to take that energy and harness it. They can still let it all out, but harness it for something that's not going to get you in trouble. Peter Shankman [00:16:25]:  I love that. Morgan Hancock, this was an honest pleasure. Thank you so much. I'd love to have you back at some point. Morgan [00:16:31]: Thank you. Thank you. Peter Shankman [00:16:32]: Awesome guys. As always. Faster Than Normal is for you. We want to know who you want to hear other really cool people like Morgan. Send us a note. I am Peter@shankman.com. I am at Peter Shankman on all the Socials except Twitter. I don't use it anymore because it's evil. At FasterNormal everywhere as well, including instagram. Everywhere. Everywhere in the world that social media exists except Twitter. We will be back next week with another awesome episode and another awesome guest just like Morgan. Oh, Morgan! How can people find you?! Morgan [00:17:01]: 17:01 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you? Web:   https://bourbonwithheart.org  Email: BourbonWithHeart@gmail.com Socials:  @bourbonwithheart on INSTA  YouTube and Facebook Peter Shankman [00:17:11]: Very cool guys. We will see you next week. As always, thanks for listening. ADHD is a gift, not a curse. All neurodiversity is amazing. You're not broken, you're brilliant. See you next week. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.   Our Guest today:  Konrad runs a charming team of strategic word-slingers, known as The Creative Copywriter. They're a fast-growing content strategy and copywriting agency that blend art with science to help bold brands sell more stuff. Brands like Adidas, Hyundai, TikTok, Geox, Les Benjamins, Superdrug, PTC, Thomson Reuters, VMWare and plenty more. His mission? To break the boundaries of corporate dullness. And help companies pierce through the noise with ‘real talk', ‘word science' and calculated creativity. We're also taking about how to harness and Neurodiverse Superpower techniques today.. duh. Enjoy and thanks so much for subscribing to Faster Than Normal!  [ you are here ]  00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing! 00:57 - Introducing and welcome Konrad Sanders! 01:34 - What do you do when you run a creative company and have ADHD? 02:00 - How are you Konrad? 03:02 - What's your back story? Ok, your business's back story then! 04:00 - Incredible procrastinator also? Tell us in the comments!  04:40 - On life and Travelogue 05:20 - On career beginnings 06:40 - On meeting his business partner and wife! Who is NOT ADHD or Neurodiverse… 09:50 - On the ADHD/Neurodiverse brain and a non-neurodiverse partner 10:37 - What makes it work.. I mean your marriage + biz partnership; what 5 tools do you use?! 11:27 - The steps Konrad has taken and processes they is practicing 12:32 - Ref: Gemba Kaizen and  Techniques  14:37 - On dividing up the day-to-day work responsibilities, time management, ah, + hyperfocus! 17:16 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  Web: www.konradsanders.com  Email:  info@creative-copywriter.net Socials:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/konradsanders/ 18:00 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Konrad. [Konrad has kindly shared a few of his links/works with you and here they are]:  WATCH/LISTEN:  Speaking with Tyler from Yes Optimist! On sales funnels: https://youtu.be/R8DXWhT_NAY  Panel discussion with The Fountain Partnership on the state of SaaS Marketing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrqYKxBKsuU&t=1s  How to make your content zig when the industry zags with Sales Impact Academy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdT6W7OJNeY  How to make money writing online with Teachable: https://discover.teachable.com/workshops/make-money-writing-how-to-turn-your-word-skills-into-wages  How Konrad copes with ADHD as a CEO and founder: https://deezer.page.link/3EByB6ncxtm26D4L9  How Konrad builds business brand based on demand (Brand Harder or Go Home) https://street.agency/podcast/brand-harder-or-go-home-with-konrad-sanders/  READ:  The 13 Lenses approach to writing content that converts on Neal Schaffer: https://nealschaffer.com/how-to-create-content/  Are B2B SaaS Marketers getting it wrong on Tech Crunch: https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/26/are-b2b-saas-marketers-getting-it-wrong/  Why your marketers should stop marketing on The Drum: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2021/10/14/why-marketers-should-stop-marketing  18:44 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 18:46 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  [ Ed: This is a relatively brand new experiment in editing show notes, transcriptions sort of; so if you notice any important, or significant goofs we've missed here or along, please do let us know @FasterNormal  Thanks! -sb]  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (Ooh-ooh! Second trial run is today May 23, 2023. #gen_AI_for_whut?? — Summary:   - Background in philosophy, copywriting, and SEO. - The challenges the speaker faced due to ADHD and how it helped him understand his limitations and strengths. - Medication and ADHD coach. - A lean management approach and agile process. - Difficulties with time management and hyperfocusing. - Struggles with planning and organization in personal life. - "The Boy with the Faster Brain" and its success in sales. - Acknowledging the challenge of living or working with someone who has a brain different from yours. - The importance of acknowledging the struggles of non-ADHD partners or colleagues. - The speaker's tendency to go off on tangents during conversations.” — Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Hey everyone, Peter Shankman here. Welcome to another episode of Faster Than Normal. Glad to have you. It is a Friday here. We're recording on a different day for a change, but it is kind of gray and gloomy outside, so what better thing to do than be inside talking to cool people? Today we have Conrad Sanders. Conrad has an interesting backstory. He's masali ADHD and he runs a company, as he puts it, a charming team of strategic word slingers known as the Creative Copywriter. His company is a fast growing strategy and copywriting agency that blends art with science to help bold brands sell more stuff. He has clients like Adidas, Hyundai, TikTok, A, Superdrug, PTC, Thompson, Reuters, VMware so names, you know, he tries to break the boundaries of corporate dullness. I love that. What do you do when you run a creative company and you are ADHD? I have discovered this when I was running Help a Reporter Out about twelve years ago now, problem is, you're so creative tend to forget the day to day. And so I want to ask Conrad and I want you guys to hear how he handles that. So welcome, Konrad. Good to have you. Konrad Sanders [00:01:50]: Yeah, thanks for having me. I'll just say that I'm across the pond. You might be able to tell from my accent. And believe it or not, it is a rare sunny day here on this. Peter Shankman [00:02:00]: I was going to say yeah, I figured it would be cloudy and rainy just like it is here, but no, you have a sunny day in London. Nice. Konrad Sanders [00:02:05]: Yeah, we've had the worst weather this year possible, but the skies have opened up and the sun is shining, so I can't complain. Peter Shankman [00:02:14]: I'm hoping it stays that way. I'm going to be there on Sunday, so please keep it that way if you could. Konrad Sanders [00:02:18]: I'll do my best. Peter Shankman [00:02:19]: All right, so tell me about running a company when you're ADHD, because I know my story, but every story is different. Tell me your backstory. When were you diagnosed? The whole thing? Konrad Sanders [00:02:29]: Yeah, I mean, I think if I tell you my backstory, I think it's probably best to start with the backstory of the business. Like how that kind of started because I was only diagnosed a year and a half ago. Okay. I think that the diagnosis once I got it, it made a lot of sense, right? Once I kind of understood more about ADHD, looking back at my journey, my life journey, things made a lot more sense. It explained a lot, essentially. But shall I start with kind of the beginnings of the creative copywriter? I'll try to be succinct story and how I've got to where I am today. So I think it all helps you understand my journey and where I'm at and how we operate now. So I'll start off the uni left uni. I studied philosophy at Uni. I was one of the kind of guy that didn't go to found it very hard to go to lectures when it came to writing essays. I always left it literally to the last day and would drink loads of coffee. And I was good at kind of cutting corners and good at writing. Right? And I was good at cramming things in. Obviously, this is a sort of trait of having ADHD, leaving things the last minute and only being good at working under pressure, but being extremely good once, I'm very pressured again. I didn't know at the time I had ADHD. I just thought I was an incredible kind of procrastinator. I just didn't really understand why I could never start a project until it was, like, right at the last very minute. So Left Uni went traveling in Australia, all around Australia, met my wife well, she's now my wife, a girlfriend at the time, and she's also the managing director of the agency. So she's played a very important role in my life for many reasons. She also has a very different brain to me, to mine even. And anyway, we met traveling in Australia. She's from Israel originally. So I ended up there after two years of being in Australia, traveling Southeast Asia on a shoestring budget, literally, and ended up in her parents house in Israel without a work visa because it took a while to apply for one. And that's when I basically discovered the art and science of copywriting and SEO and kind of combined those things to sort of start a business and start an online business, which has kind of grown since Than and later in that journey. So I was kind of very good at kind of the sales, the marketing, the ideas. And actually, what some people don't know about me and my kind of entrepreneurial journey, which I'll share for you guys, is that that wasn't the only business idea I had. Right? There were plenty of the things, and I definitely had shiny object syndrome. And early on in the journey of our agency and I started as a freelancer, quickly kind of wanted to grow it and managed to kind of turn Than into a collective, gradually was building an agency. But I had what we call what I call shiny object syndrome, right? I was like, anything that came my way, I wanted to jump on and was hugely optimistic with time, which is again a common trait and terrible with time. So there was a point at which, believe it or not, I was kind of a co founder of, I believe, five different businesses, right, because there would be friends going, hey, why don't you join the Brcmo for this? And it made no sense, right? It didn't make sense. You can't really focus, and focus is extremely important as a business owner. And I gradually kind of understood that I was burning out, basically, I was doing too many things, spreading myself way too thin, doing far too many things, and then kind of matured a bit and understood I need to focus on the agency. That's the only thing making money. There's lots of potential there and a key milestone, right? A key ingredient in this sort of recipe or this journey, was my wife joining in 2017, and she has a very different brain to me. And she was in the NGO world prior to that, trying to solve the conflicts in her region. Didn't manage to do so. Kind of felt disillusioned with that whole NGO sort of world. And I said, hey, why don't you join us? It's when we're a small kind of, I think, a few person agency at the time and using freelancers, why don't you join? I know you're good with project management, that kind of stuff, right? You've got an operational type brain, so we could probably do with a bit of that. She joined just part time to fill in for someone, and the first week we were just clashing high, massive arguments. Why is it so chaotic? Why is it so chaotic? And I said, I was like, Babe, that's just agency life, you have to get used to it. And there was maybe a slither of truth in what I was saying, but for the most part it was because I was running it with my ADHD brain. And my second in command was also a creative and further along on that kind of spectrum, let's say. And we were going around putting out fires in a very charming way. We're very good at putting out fires, but rather than preempting them, rather than building process, right? And there were loads of parts of the business that I just wouldn't even look at, like finances. My brain wasn't interested. I wasn't interested in that. I was interested in the big ideas, the schmoozing, the charming, that kind of stuff. And there were holes, there were gaping holes in business, which I didn't even see at the time because my brain was kind of and I was closed off to it, I didn't want to see it. So things like money owed, right, I thought was money in the bank and there was debt, right? There were people owed us money and I was like, oh, yeah, they'll pay it, it's fine. And I didn't want to chase them up because I wasn't interested in the invoicing and things like that. So gaping holes which my wife discovered and she kind of naturally lent into that side of the business. What happened was the became the integrator and I was the visionary. And it actually worked really well after we got past the blazing rouse and kind of found our strengths and kind of limitations. And she helped me really understand where mine were and are. And she kind of obviously knows me on a personal level. So kind of it made a lot of sense. She started together with me building structure for the business, like processes lasering on the building process and making sure that we follow through and those processes are followed through. And gradually what happened was we built structure and then we started to grow that's properly. When we started growing as an agency, we've hit 40% growth since then and we're kind of approaching the 2 million mark now. I owe a lot of that to having someone like NIT Sam, Marga Hart and her very different kind of brain complementing. Peter Shankman [00:09:46]:  Let me interrupt you for a second because that actually brings up a really interesting point. You work and partner with someone both personally and professionally yes. Konrad Sanders [00:09:55]: Right. Peter Shankman [00:09:55]: Who has the complete opposite brain that you do. I think there is not a listener in this podcast who doesn't want to know five ways to make that work, because that is not easy. Forget about just one. Like living with someone with a different brain or working with someone with a different brain and you've chosen to do both things. And the fact that your partner hasn't thrown themselves out of a window yet is when you're ADHD it is difficult. We don't often talk about how difficult it can be for the other person. Konrad Sanders [00:10:34]: Yeah. Peter Shankman [00:10:34]:  So tell us what makes it work? Konrad Sanders [00:10:38]:  I think that's a great point to make. And I write LinkedIn posts about my ADHD quite a lot and I actually wanted to write one specifically on that. There's a lot of neurodiversity awareness at the moment, which is brilliant and it's great. And I almost want to do kind of partners of people who have neurodiversity awareness because yeah, and you said, like, she hasn't thrown herself out of a window yet. But I'll be honest, it's come close to that. But again, both based on our work life and personal life and often they're kind of woven into each other naturally. So how have we avoided that? I think, first of all, awareness of how my brain works. I did get diagnosed a couple of years ago. That made a big difference, even for myself, because in terms of understanding really where those we knew where the limitations were. We knew what I wasn't good at. Right. But there wasn't an explanation. And I think you know as to why. And I think when you understand why and I am on medication, and that's definitely helped. I also have ADHD coaching and that's really helped as well because it's someone else who's an accountability partner rather than just my partner in my personal life that's been really crucial and it's really been life changing for me having an ADHD coach because at work we built these processes, right? So there's something about building a business where even with my ADHD brain I really wanted to succeed. I know process is important and I know than following is important as much as my brain doesn't want to. And we have just this lean management approach, we take this agile approach based on like Gemba Kaizen, the Japanese business management philosophy where when there are hiccups, we call them Oopsies. Whenever there's something inefficient a hiccup, something has not quite gone wrong. Rather than blaming each other or blaming team members, we write it down on a slack thread and two weeks later we tackle it in this level ten meeting where we look at the problem, what was the root of the problem, how do we then preempt that issue for next time? Let's work it into a process and who in the team is going to take care of that? Two weeks later it's done, right? So it's this very very lean approach to kind of we call it the quest for perfection. You can ever be perfect bu if you're on that quest, it really really helps. And that was something we installed quite early. And I think that back to your question. I think that's one of the ways where we've perhaps avoided killing each other because we have this approach to business where if something's gone wrong and it might have been caused by me and it might be caused by something that hasn't been conducive to how my brain works, but it's written down and we tackle it and we think about what's the process that would be good for avoiding that. So I'll give you an example back in the day, for many years I'm in charge of getting the business in, right? Nita is in charge of making sure we deliver, you know, great results essentially to simplify it. And back in the day I used to do the proposals and a proposal is a project that has many different parts and that is not good. I'm not great at doing that, especially when it comes to time management, way, way too optimistic and also I would hyper focus on the wrong things, right? My brain wouldn't want to write the proposal, I'd be sitting there spending I could spend 4 hours adjusting the design of one slide because I like how things look and I wanted to look perfect and I'd hyper focus and what would happen is I would spend many evenings literally like until three or 04:00 A.m. Working on proposals and burning out and it wasn't good, but I thought oh, it's just because it had to take that long and there was the deadline tomorrow, there's no two ways about it and the other team members perhaps are not doing the right thing. I'm really pedantic and I have to kind of go in and change things. When we kind of took this much more process driven, agile approach to kind of uncovering why, what's going wrong and why and what's the root of the problem. One kind of look at it from Nitsang going in and looking than process the could uncover those holes and realize right there's A, B and C, there's this issue, we don't have a good process and Conrad is not great at doing that. So let's give it to another team member and then jump on a meeting with me and I will go through it and do you see what I mean? We created structure and process whereby the bits that I'm not good at, we're delegating and bringing me at the right time. And it was again, life changing transformative for the business and really, really crucial. So that's definitely one of the ways I say is like taking this, I mean, Gemba Kaisen is this book. I recommend this approach to business, which I think is probably one of the main ways which has helped us in our work life, really play to our strengths and really build structure that works not just for me, but other team members too. And in our private life, I'll be honest, that took a lot longer, right? That's where I feel like up until recently, even at work, I've been really good. Great at work, great at what I do. And we built this structure where I can really ADHD has superpowers as well, right. The amount of ideas I have kind of really brilliant just to blow my trumpet, like brilliant ideas in terms of branding and marketing and what we can do to kind of drive those forward, but the limitations as well. But I feel like I've been doing really well at work and then suddenly when it comes to after work hours, it all goes out the window. I don't have that structure, it's just this big void. And yeah, it has been difficult relationship wise because Nitzan traditionally has taken on way more than me. It's been very one sided relationship outside of work. She books the holidays, she plans them. Like when it comes to cooking, she'll buy the ingredients and plan. And I would take kind of I'll cook on this day and the other, but I haven't prepared bu. It'll be 07:00 p.m.. I don't know. I haven't got the ingredients. I don't know what I'm going to cook. And it causes friction. And that's just one example of the kind of way that friction in a relationship. Peter Shankman [00:17:22]: We try to keep these to 15 minutes because ADHD but tell people how we can find you and we'll definitely have you back. Konrad Sanders [00:17:29]: Yeah, I go off on tangents. Peter Shankman [00:17:31]: No, it's cool. I love it. I love it. I can relate. Konrad Sanders [00:17:34]: Yeah. So find me. LinkedIn is the best place. I'd say. Comrade McKay. Sanders. S-A-N-D-E-R-S-I talk about ADHD on there. I talk about copywriting and content strategy, I talk about my agency journey. And, yeah, there's so much more to talk about, but as you know, I will go off on many different tangents and not be very succeed, but I hope there's been some value and some interesting interest there in what we've chatted about today. Peter Shankman [00:18:02]: No question about it. Really appreciate it, guys. We're talking to Conrad Sanders. Really interesting stuff on how to survive ADHD. When your partner doesn't have it, you do, and you work with them as well. My God, that is just I can't even get over that. That's very impressive. We will definitely have you back, guys. Thanks for listening to Faster Than Normal- we love when you listen, we love when you comment. We love your emails. Send me a note, let me know how we're doing. The book The Boy with the Faster Brain continues to rocket the charts. We are thrilled for everyone who has purchased it. I am greatly appreciative. And we're changing the world about ADHD. One book and one podcast recording at a time. We'll be back next week in another episode. Have a great week. Stay safe, stay humble. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Over the past month, we have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by Skylight Frame. [Check it out at: https://www.skylightframe.com]  And guys, if you need a calendar for your family, for your kids, if your kids are neurodiverse- look at skylightframe.com! You order it, you hang it on your wall. It connects to your WIFI. You import your calendars, you add chore lists. My daughter knows all her chores. She knows everything she has to do. There's no more fights, no more arguments. She looks at the chores. She does them. She clicks the little button, the little touch screen, and it means that she's done and she gets her Roblox cuz that pretty much is what kids exist on today under the age of 12. They exist on, on Robux and, and apparently high quality mac and cheese. Apparently, you know, regular mac and cheese that we ate as kids. No, that's not good enough anymore. Skyline Frame is awesome. Use code PeterShankman at checkout. That will give you up to $30 off. I love the thing. You can also throw up all your photos on it. Uh, so when you're not using the calendar, it just. Scrolls your entire life by you and it looks pretty cool. It's in our kitchen. When I wake up at two in the morning to go get some cold water, I see a photo of me and my daughter or my dog, or my late cat, NASA, and it's pretty awesome. Makes my night. So https://www.skylightframe.com code: PeterShankman up to 30 bucks off. You will not regret this. If you get it, send me a note, let me know that you have it, and uh, I'll send you a photo for it. All right, again thank you to Skylight Frame! Enter discount code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off https://www.skylightframe.com Cortney Weinbaum (she/her) is the lead author of a new RAND Corporation report on Neurodiversity and National Security (link). She is a senior management scientist and senior national security researcher at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think-tank in Washington, DC. She specializes in intelligence and space topics, and she has worked with the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense to improve policies, practices, and technologies. She has improved analytic and collection tradecraft; identified emerging technologies and their impact on space architectures, special operations, countering weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence; and examined new workforce models for intelligence agencies. The study:  https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1875-1.html I am beyond excited that this study and research are basically backing up IN WRITING so many of the things we've been saying for almost THREE HUNDRED EPISODES!! We're definitely asking Cortney Weinbaum back!  Enjoy and listen up! 00:40 - Thank you so much for listening and for subscribing! Thank you Skylight Frame - Get your coupon now!  https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code: PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off 01:45 - Introducing and welcome Cortney Weinbaum!! Ref:  What is RAND anyway & why does it matter? 03:30 - I want to talk to you about the recommendations you and your team have made on this incredible research report. But first of all, what prompted this? 04:40-  I love that Rand was so open and wanted you to do this, and you got no pushback or feedback or anything like that? 05:00 -  Explaining to companies & governments how interviewing neurodivergent job candidates is a benefit to all, even your talent pool!  06:00 - Combatting prejudice, discrimination, and bias with the Neurodiverse Ed:  [this part right here] 07:48 - “You're the first person I've ever met like me who's successful” 08:40 -  “Two female civilian intelligence officers both came up to me.. from different agencies, and they said they both identify as autistic in their own workplace…We both face bias and discrimination for this. Ironically, they never met each other until that day” 09:54 - Within the US government, neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a Disability. 11:54 - The Catch 22 paradox. 15:30 - The US national security community isn't taking a position yet they're not saying we're neurodiverse friendly or we're not. They're more, maybe neurodiverse ignorant at this point. And that ignorance is changing for sure.. one organization, one office at a time.. 17:51 - I want to touch on a few more recommendations 18:42 - This is why we say don't treat it, (or ADHD), as disability.. 20:16 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  So, yeah, if people want to post or write to me, I say that anyone who doesn't sound like a troll, I will respond to. Web:  https://www.rand.org/about/people/w/weinbaum_cortney.html Socials: @cortney_dc on Twitter. @cortneywdc on Instagram,  LinkedIn,  Mastodon it says. “I'm on everything except Facebook”  20:30 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Cortney! 21:00 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 16:40 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  — TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. somewhat, (first trial run is today May 17, 2023):   As always, thank you Skylight for sponsoring this episode as well as many others of the Faster Than Normal Podcast. https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off. Peter Shankman [00:00:40]: Hey, everyone. Peter Shankman. Welcome to the Faster Than Normal Podcast episode number “Happy You're Here!” We're happy you're here as always! It's a gorgeous Monday. We are recording on Monday. I try to do all my podcasts in one day a week, and I do all my zooms the same day. And basically, I just know that there's going to be one day where I'm be super productive and not that productive, and you get everything done, and then that way you can spend the rest of the week doing everything. That's been my ADHD sort of lifestyle going on, like, ten years now. It really does work. Anyway, big shout out to Skylight Frame. You guys have heard me talk about them before. Skylight Frame is this awesome little frame that hangs in my kitchen right over there. And it shows my calendar, and it shows my daughter her chores and her calendar and what she has to do for school and what she has to bring everything in one place. It's touchscreen. It's Skylightframe.com. Peter Shankman. The code Peter Shankman will get you $30 off. I love it. I can upload pictures of anything. My parents can send pictures to the frame. So if they instead of that's their new way of guilting me for not bringing the kid over. They only live three blocks from me. So their new way of guilting me for not bringing the kid over is to send me photos of themselves that show up my Sky Frame, where they're holding little signs and say, forget about us. Remember us. We miss our granddaughter, things like that. It's lovely. Lovely Jewish guilt via digital. Anyway, skylightframe.com use code peter Shankman and we thank them for sponsoring this episode of Faster than Normal. And guys, I am so stoked today because we have a wonderful woman who I just met named Cortney Weinbaum on the podcast today. Get this. She is the lead author of a new Rand Corporation report on neurodiversity and national security. Okay, that is huge. And you know what the key finding is? Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization. I feel like Vindicated, like, for the first time, this stuff that I've been shouting from the rooftops about companies and neurodiversity in the workplace and neurodiverse. Cortney, sitting here right now from Bethesda, Maryland, and has verified everything that I've been screaming for ten years. I'm, like, the happiest person. A Cortney, Welcome to festival. Ed: [that's so funny- Castmagic.io thinks this is a festival.. well.. kind of it IS a festival, really.. but anyway, back to your transcript here- that has been corrected at least to this point by a human]. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you so much for taking the time. Cortney  [00:02:43]: Oh, thank you for having me, and I love your enthusiasm! Peter Shankman [00:02:46]:  Oh, my God. This came across my I don't remember who said this to me, but someone said to me that, you're going to love this. They're like, oh, my God, I am, like, so stoked about this. And we're going to talk about how you decided to do this study, but listen to this, guys. Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization within the US. Government. Neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a disability and requiring employees to identify as disabled benefits those with severe needs, while stigmatizing employees who have spent decades overcoming the challenges of workplaces designed for neurotypical workers. Several aspects of the recruiting and hiring process can pose barriers to a neurodiverse workforce. And then, once on board, neurodiversion employees can face challenges, navigating careers and workplaces that were not designed for them in mind. So I want to talk to you about the recommendations you and your team have made on this incredible research report. But first of all, what prompted this? Cortney  [00:03:38]:Wow. I want to unpack all of that in this episode with you. So what prompted this? A dear friend of mine who's the president of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance got together with one of her summer interns to write an op ed two years ago now on neurodiversity and intelligence. And my background is from the intelligence community. I joined the intelligence community very soon after 911, and that's how I entered National Security. And so when she and her intern called to interview me, it was like I got hit with a ton of bricks. Why hasn't anyone written about this before? And so I said, Send me that op ed as soon as it's done. And they did, and I took it inside Rand. For those listeners who aren't familiar with Rand, we're a nonprofit, nonpartisan, federally funded research center. I'm in our Washington, DC. Office, and I took that op ed inside Rand, and I said, we need to research this. There needs to be data about this topic. And I got an immediate gap. There was no hesitation at all. And so we got some project funding, and we did this study that you're looking at now. Peter Shankman [00:04:40]: That is amazing. I love that Rand was so open and wanted you to do this, and you got no pushback or feedback or anything like that? Cortney  [00:04:47]: None. Peter Shankman [00:04:48]: And we're starting to see that now. I mean, the companies that I'm dealing with and I'm working with, adobe and Morgan Stanley and Google, they're understanding not only that neurodiversity is real, not only that neurodiversity is something that needs to be addressed, but that it can benefit companies tremendously. And that's the story screaming from the rooftop. So let's talk about the key findings. First, in terms of neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen a national security organization. So that the hardest part there is explaining to companies that that can be a thing, right? As opposed to companies look at it. Okay, something else we have to deal with. No, this can benefit. Cortney  [00:05:22]: Absolutely. One of the questions that we were asked at the beginning of the study and then again at the end of the study were, but which jobs? Just tell me which jobs I should be opening to the neurodivergent candidates. And I'll flag those jobs as the one. And I'm laughing for those who can't see my face. And what we found out, what all of your listeners probably already know, is the answer is all of the jobs. And the way we make that point is I tell people this story, which is that when we started doing this research project, our goal was to talk to program managers, hiring managers. We were not trying to ask people to self identify as having a diagnosis and tell us about their experience. We didn't want to put at risk a population that's already at risk for prejudice, discrimination, and bias. So we weren't asking anyone about a diagnosis. But people started calling me. My phone started ringing by people who would say, I heard you're doing this study. I'm an intelligence officer, or I'm a military officer, and you need to interview me. I'm autistic. And I've never told the military that before. I got diagnosed outside the military health system so that there was no military record of my diagnosis. We heard all these personal stories so very early on. It was very clear that people with all of the Diagnoses we talk about in this report already are serving in the military, are serving as civilians in the entire national security enterprise, and that they're usually doing in a way that is masking, that is hiding whatever is their neurodivergent trait in order to fit in in their office so that they're not known. They describe themselves as living in the closet, like the LBGT community used to in the military. And that masking is exhausting, and it leads to burnout, and it prevents them from really leveraging the talents and the benefits of their conditions, but it also leads to burnout, exhaustion. It's psychologically draining all of the things. And so it creates this environment where the neurotypical employees and managers think, well, there's no one neurodivergent here. And it prevents us having role models that we can see with these diagnoses so that we can realize that, yeah, we actually should be making on ramps and making entry easier because our colleagues, who we really value, already have these diagnoses. So by having that community hide, it's a disservice to everyone. And so that's one of the first findings we had in this report, that. Peter Shankman [00:07:48]: Last point about the fact that we're not being more public about it. I gave a talk last week to a bunch of hundred fifth graders in school in New Jersey, because my latest book is for kids called The Boy with the Faster Brain. And it's hard. I tear up every time I think about this. Fifth grader came to me at the end of the class, and his head was at the end of the talk. And as everyone else was leaving, his head was down. He didn't really mumbling. I'm like what? And he's like, it you're the first person I've ever met like me who's successful, and my heart, oh, my God, my heart. Cortney  [00:08:27]: Oh, my gosh. Peter Shankman [00:08:28]: Right? And it's like, we need why we. Cortney  [00:08:30]: Do what we do. Peter Shankman [00:08:31]: Oh, my God. We need to be telling these stories. We need to be telling these stories. And I'm so glad that you are. Cortney  [00:08:40]: I have to give you one more example. We were at a conference. I mean, it was a small event, not massive, but it was a small event for neurodivergent service providers in the national security sector. So there are some please don't think there are none. And two female intelligence officers came up to me after I explained, I stood up, I said, I'm doing this project. If anyone wants to talk to me afterwards, come find me. And two female civilian intelligence officers both came up to me. They're from different agencies, and they said they both identify as autistic in their own workplaces. They're out of the closet, quote, unquote, in their workplaces as autistic. And they said, we need more of this. We need other people to be able to be out just like us. There's no one else that either of us could ever look up to. We both face bias and discrimination for this. Ironically, they never met each other until that day. They knew each other existed. I think they talked to emails, but this event was the first time they'd been in the same room, and it was really powerful. There are people who are trying to be role models, and they're doing it at cost. And we wanted to put this study out there to provide data and analysis and objective, unbiased data analysis on what is the benefits and what are those costs. Peter Shankman [00:09:54]: That's amazing. I'm so glad you did this. So let's look at this. Within the US government, neurodivergent diagnosis are treated as a disability. And so my first reaction is, no, it's not. But I understand why that would be, right. You're looking at a lot of these things are based on 50, 67 year old rules or the Ada from 82. So talk to me about what you learned from that standpoint. Cortney  [00:10:18]: Yeah, this was just eye opening, so I'm not a disability researcher. So a lot of this was new ground to me. If you want to get a job in the US government and you want to self identify as being disabled, any type of disability, you get what's called a schedule, a letter, from the Department of labor. Basically, you fill out a form, the department of labor gives you a letter called a Schedule A Letter. The schedule. A letter does not state your disability. It just says Mr. Smith has a severe disability and therefore qualifies for accommodation. That's all it says. It doesn't say what your disability is. You can be blind, you can be an amputee. Well, because of that process, no matter what your disability is, you're just identified as disabled and severely disabled. When government agencies are calculating data, we ask them, how many people do you have for neurodivergent your agency? And they said, I don't know, I can only give you my disability number. So the blind employees, the deaf employees, the amputees, and the autistic employees are all lumped in one category. So that was one finding. The second finding is that Schedule A Letter says severely disabled. And all the people we talk to don't identify as severely disabled. And they take deep personal offense at the idea that they should have to describe themselves as severely disabled just to wear noise canceling headphones in a classified room. Peter Shankman [00:11:34]: Exactly. Cortney  [00:11:35]: Or just to ask that the light bulb be taken out from over their desk, or that their desk be moved from the bullpen further away from the door so they don't hear the door every time it opens. These are like basic requests of a manager, but the government treats them as accommodations and if you want an accommodation, you must have a declaration of disability. Peter Shankman [00:11:53]:Right? Cortney  [00:11:54]: So we provide a few metaphors in the report and we call this the accommodations dilemma because it was like this whole catch 22 paradox. Cause you either declare yourself as disabled and all of a sudden you get all these benefits along with the risk of bias and discrimination, right? You don't declare yourself as disabled, don't worry about the bias and discrimination, but now you've got to cut it. And we said if you compare this to other diagnoses, and I use vision in the report as the example, I'm sitting here wearing eyeglasses, I'm near sighted. I am not disabled by any standard. I drive a car I can see perfectly with my eyeglasses on if I want to apply for military service or for a civilian job. I'm not considered disabled simply because I'm near sighted. Now, there's a point at which a vision diagnosis does become a disability, but it's a spectrum, and we know it's a spectrum and we know that simply having a vision diagnosis is not a binary yes you're disabled, or no you're not. For the government, having a neurodiverse divergent diagnosis is a binary yes or no. Whereas we all know, those who are in this community or researchers in this community, that it is a spectrum. There are some people with ADHD, autism and other diagnoses who do self identify as severely disabled and there's plenty who don't. And the government right now doesn't give people the option. Peter Shankman [00:13:07]: What's interesting, I think another aspect of that is because it's government work, it's the premise that you can't just move your desk away from the door if you just want to. There has to be an accommodation for. Cortney  [00:13:20]: It because someone else in the office is going to say, well, that's unfair. Why did they get to their desk? I want to be near the window. Peter Shankman [00:13:26]: And I think that what companies are starting to realize is that those rules don't. I interviewed someone who was a boss once and I said, what are the neurodiversion aspects of how you're dealing? He goes, there are none. He goes, you get your work done. He goes, I do not care how you do it. You're not in junior high. You don't have to ask for a bad bathroom pass. Do whatever works for you as long as you're getting stuff done. And I think back to my first and only job I ever really had working for someone else was for America Online and under Steve Case back in the 90s in Virginia, right near you, Northern Virginia, they said the same thing. We don't care when you come in, right, work from a forest, just get your stuff done. And that was so amazing. And of course it screwed me because I thought, oh wow, this must be what the workforce is like. And my second job at a national magazine was, no, the hell it ain't. That was sort of a wake up call, but now there's no question about that. It is difficult if you have to constantly label yourself as only one thing or the other. I've never looked at this as a disability from my perspective. I understand I've had to write it down at some points for surveys or qualifications or things like that. But again, I don't qualify my ADHD as a disability. And the funny thing was, I remember growing up in school, in the New York City public schools, you could qualify for something called resource room, which would give you extra time on tests and allow you lots of different accommodations. To get there, though, you had to fall below a certain level in reading and in math. And because I loved reading, I was on a 12th grade level from first grade. Because I hated math, I qualified. But because I didn't qualify for both, I didn't get anything. So yes, there's a lot that needs to be addressed in that. Talk about for a second the concept of and I want to be constantly time, but we're definitely having you back, but the aspects of recruitment and hiring process, right? So there are companies now that I'm advising that are trying to create conversation, that they are more neurodiverse aware and that they are neurodiverse friendly. And is that not the case in government yet or how is that happening? Cortney  [00:15:29]: Well, for the most part, the US national security community isn't taking a position yet they're not saying we're neurodiverse friendly or we're not. They're more maybe neurodiverse ignorant at this point. And that ignorance is changing for sure. But one organization, one office at a time, we're hoping this report can blow that door open. So what we did is we actually went through real government job vacancy postings and said, how is this worded today? And how might one word it differently? And there's actually a point in the report. We take a table. We take three or four job descriptions. And we wanted to make sure that these aren't very stereotypical job descriptions. We had people come to us say, oh yeah, I could hire people who are neurodivergent and they could be the cyber analyst in the corner who never have to speak to anyone. And so we made sure that the job descriptions we chose were not just like that person you put in the back corner who doesn't actually interact with people. We chose an accountant. Yes, a cyber operations officer. We chose a contracts officer. Contracting is a huge part of the national security workforce, and we chose some of these job descriptions. And then based on what we had learned from the commercial sector, we said, here's how you might do it differently. Sometimes it's just changing the wording. Like, instead of saying, demonstrate that you're an effective communicator. I don't know how to do that in a cover letter very well. Instead, we write it in a way that for someone who has trouble with nuance, who has trouble with interpretive language, who doesn't know how to do that, we'd be able to figure out what exactly is that they need to see from me. We took one of the job descriptions that was asking for financial analysis skills as the accounting position. And we said instead of all these things that they're asking the applicant to prove in a resume, instead let's interview this person by giving them a practical exercise, which is what some companies do, we email them a spreadsheet three days before the interview. The spreadsheet is fake financial data. We say to them, in three days, you're going to present your analysis to the hiring manager or a board of three people. Well, by doing that now, this person isn't worried about making eye contact and making sure they know how to answer the question of what do you want to get out of your career? Instead, you're really assessing this person on their financial analytic skills and their ability to convey analytic findings to a customer. That's probably all you really cared about in the first place. You didn't really care if they could make eye contact and shape your hand with a firm handshake. So we provide those kinds of really specific, tangible recommendations. Peter Shankman [00:17:51]: I want to touch on a few of the more recommendations. We have a few minutes left. One of the ones that I saw immediately, and I love this, help all employees understand neurodiversity right and this goes back to what I've taught at some of the companies that I work with in the concept of curb cuts. I'm sure you know that is at the end of World War II, 600,000 US servicemen came home disabled. And every city and every town across the country put ramps at the at the corner of every block, make up the sidewalks, making curb cuts. And they wound up helping those 600,000 servicemen and also wound up helping pregnant women and people with boxes and children and people with strollers list goes on and on. So you help one group and it benefits all. So the concept of teaching, understanding university, go ahead. Yeah. Cortney  [00:18:42]: This is why we say don't treat it as disability. By putting ramps in buildings, you didn't just help the people who are disabled. Like you said, you help the Janet or push the card more effectively. So if you change your interview practices or your management practices in ways that provide clear communication to everyone, everyone will benefit from that. It's not just the few employees that have a diagnosis. And by the way, there's plenty of employees who are not diagnosed because they didn't have the availability to have a diagnosis. So it helps them, too. So, yeah, we wanted to make sure that the recommendations in here were really widely applicable. We heard from plenty of people we interviewed. It's one thing to give the neurodivergent employee the feedback that they need to be a better communicator, but did you also give the rest of the team the feedback that they need to be better communicators, too? And that's what we're talking about. Why is the whole burden on one person to be able to improve team wide communication? The burden shouldn't fall on one person's shoulders 100%. Peter Shankman [00:19:41]: Courtney, I want to have you back again. I really appreciate you taking the time. I'm going to tell Meagan immediately that I want to have you back. I could talk about this for 6 hours. Maybe we'll break our rules and do like a 45 minutes version if you're up for it. But thank you so much for taking the time. And this research is available. Anyone can download it. It's at RAND.org under publication for free. Cortney  [00:20:03]: It's for FREE!!!! Peter Shankman [00:20:04]: That's the coolest thing. It's like, Here, have it. I'll put a link to where it is in the show notes. But again, if people want to find you, I mean, you're pretty easy to find. Do you mind if people contact you? Do you have a social account or. Cortney  [00:20:16]: How can people yeah, I'm on Mastodon, I'm on Twitter. I'm on Instagram, LinkedIn. I'm on everything except Facebook. So, yeah, people want to post to me. I say that anyone who doesn't sound like a troll, I will respond to. Peter Shankman [00:20:30]: Awesome. Cortney Weinbaum, thank you so much for taking the time. Really. Cortney  [00:20:34]: Thanks for having me. Peter Shankman [00:20:35]: Phenomenal. Most definitely. We'll be live in a few weeks. Guys, thank you for listening. Really appreciate your time. I love that you are still listening to Faster Than Normal. We are closing in on 300 episodes. How amazing is that? I've never been able to do anything 300 times in a row, so I am super excited about that. And we will be back next week with another interview with someone probably not as cool as Cortney, but we're going to try. Thank you again, everyone for listening. Cortney, thank you one more time. We will talk to you guys soon. Have a great day. Stay safe. — Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week! 

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Over the past month, we have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by Skylight Frame. [Check it out at: https://www.skylightframe.com]  And guys, if you need a calendar for your family, for your kids, if your kids are neurodiverse- look at skylightframe.com! You order it, you hang it on your wall. It connects to your WIFI. You import your calendars, you add chore lists. My daughter knows all her chores. She knows everything she has to do. There's no more fights, no more arguments. She looks at the chores. She does them. She clicks the little button, the little touch screen, and it means that she's done and she gets her Roblox cuz that pretty much is what kids exist on today under the age of 12. They exist on, on Robux and, and apparently high quality mac and cheese. Apparently, you know, regular mac and cheese that we ate as kids. No, that's not good enough anymore. Skyline Frame is awesome. Use code PeterShankman at checkout. That will give you up to $30 off. I love the thing. You can also throw up all your photos on it. Uh, so when you're not using the calendar, it just. Scrolls your entire life by you and it looks pretty cool. It's in our kitchen. When I wake up at two in the morning to go get some cold water, I see a photo of me and my daughter or my dog, or my late cat, NASA, and it's pretty awesome. Makes my night. So https://www.skylightframe.com code: PeterShankman up to 30 bucks off. You will not regret this. If you get it, send me a note, let me know that you have it, and uh, I'll send you a photo for it. All right, again thank you to Skylight Frame! Enter discount code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off https://www.skylightframe.com Our guest today is Stephanie Scheller. Stephanie has studied human psychology for more than a decade and built her first business from scratch to walk away from her job in less than five months. She has now worked with more than 5000+ companies and is dedicated to helping small business owners understand how to create their greatest impact. Using the violin to tap into the human subconscious, Stephanie breaks down the psychology behind business growth strategies and marketing that makes an impact to simplify implementation and accelerate growth. She is a TEDx speaker, a two-time best-selling author, an award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of Grow Disrupt, a company that designs and produces educational events for the ADHD small business owner! In her downtime, you'll find Stephanie playing on the violin, out in the Texas Hill Country with her horse, or in the garage painting endlessly. Enjoy! 00:40 - Thank you so much for listening and for subscribing! Thank you Skylight Frame - Get your coupon now!  https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code: PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off 01:45 - Introducing and welcome Stephanie Scheller! 03:04 - How long have you been playing violin? 04:30 - Is music and the Arts in general an ADHD brain booster? 04:45 - On unlocking your focus on what to do correctly! 05:20 - On having a plan for when you succeed. 05:53 - Peter's T-shirt idea- …that was successful. 06:08 - When were you diagnosed, and how did that go? 07:20 - On ‘covering' for your ADHD and building events that will keep us focused 08:15 - What are YOU doing to care for your ADHD?  [On Peter's diagnosis/non-diagnosis]  08:42 - What happens in your brain when you start playing violin? Has it always been easy? 12:00 - On finding your happy thing, and how it can completely change your life! 13:30 - What kinds of events are you doing, what kind of content and tools are you employing? 14:48 -  How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  Web:  www.GrowDisrupt.com and https://www.thestephaniescheller.com Socials: @GrowDisrupt on Facebook  YouTube  15:18 - Stephanie.. would you give us just a little taste of your violin, 48secs or so? 16:00 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Stephanie! 16:40 - Hey, you there! Yes YOU! We are thrilled that you are here & listening!  ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 16:40 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!  —  

Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Over the past month, we have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by Skylight Frame. [Check it out at: https://www.skylightframe.com]  And guys, if you need a calendar for your family, for your kids, if your kids are neurodiverse- look at skylightframe.com! You order it, you hang it on your wall. It connects to your WIFI. You import your calendars, you add chore lists. My daughter knows all her chores. She knows everything she has to do. There's no more fights, no more arguments. She looks at the chores. She does them. She clicks the little button, the little touch screen, and it means that she's done and she gets her Roblox cuz that pretty much is what kids exist on today under the age of 12. They exist on, on Robux and, and apparently high quality mac and cheese. Apparently, you know, regular mac and cheese that we ate as kids. No, that's not good enough anymore. Skyline Frame is awesome. Use code PeterShankman at checkout. That will give you up to $30 off. I love the thing. You can also throw up all your photos on it. Uh, so when you're not using the calendar, it just. Scrolls your entire life by you and it looks pretty cool. It's in our kitchen. When I wake up at two in the morning to go get some cold water, I see a photo of me and my daughter or my dog, or my late cat, NASA, and it's pretty awesome. Makes my night. So https://www.skylightframe.com code: PeterShankman up to 30 bucks off. You will not regret this. If you get it, send me a note, let me know that you have it, and uh, I'll send you a photo for it. All right, again thank you to Skylight Frame! Enter discount code:  PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off https://www.skylightframe.com Welcome to the month of May! So, there are a few things you cannot buy in life: One of them is Time and your Life. Therefore people's goal is to reclaim time and have peace of mind. For our guest today, Roy Smith, protecting others has always been his passion. An Executive Protection Specialist, Mr. Smith makes sure people come home after a busy workday, or a night out. His career in law enforcement has laid the foundation for his exceptional expertise in the security industry. His experience spans diverse roles. Roy worked with high-threat criminals - was a Gang Task Force Officer on the southern border of Texas. He was assigned to multiple Texas and Federal task forces to combat gangs, drug trafficking, etc. His goal at that time was to protect the community. Then Roy went into the Executive Protection field and graduated top of his class from one of the most renown academies in the US and won a prestigious award. Security is not a luxury; it's a necessity. Roy Smith understands this principle and has dedicated his life to ensuring the safety and well-being of those he serves. As the CEO and Executive Protection Specialist at Viking Executive Protection Solutions and Owner and President of Viking Tactical Security Group, Roy offers top-tier concierge executive protection services to high net worth clients, and high-threat security to media networks, and at events as well as a School Guardian Program for children. In addition to personal security, Viking provides assessment and situational awareness classes to empower individuals with essential knowledge and skills. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from one of the industry's leading professionals and learn how Roy Smith and his team at Viking Executive Protection Solutions can help you stay safe and secure in an unpredictable world. Today we learn how to stay heads-up, especially since it is unbelievably easy for us neurodiverse individuals to lose situational awareness. Enjoy! 00:40 - Thank you so much for listening and for subscribing! Thank you Skylight Frame - Get your coupon now!  https://www.skylightframe.com Discount Code: PeterShankman for 10% off, up to $30 off 02:17 - Introducing and welcome Roy Smith! 03:36 - What is your company designed to do? 04:00 - Do you think there would be lower instances of crime if people were just more aware of their surroundings on a regular basis? 05:00 - Bad stuff can happen anywhere.. and you may not even be aware of all that you are not aware of! Especially when ‘safe' in your routines & cyclic norms. #HeadOnASwivel 08:04 - Challenging our habit of going into ‘autopilot' when we commute and… 08:31 - When you get home… 09:00 - How do you practice being aware of new/odd patterns in your daily? 10:00 - How do you not sit there and dwell, or worry about one detail being off, once you've noticed it? 10:53 - Let's talk about personal safety in the post COVID era 11:06 - Not quite like Jason Bourne's default training state but.. what basic things should we remember to always do when going to:  a restaurant, movie theater, baseball park, whatever? 12:18 - A couple of tips for travelers and event-goers awaiting the queue to shorten 14:19 - On the benefits of pet, (let alone well-trained pet), ownership; in public! 17:14 - How do you train your Neurodiverse, (or any), body to sort of not go into overdrive when something is happening? How do you use that dopamine and adrenaline to your advantage? 20:30 - On training your mind and body via live scenarios 20:45 - The benefits of using preparedness drills as part of your training 23:08 - How do our spectacular subscribers find out more about you?  Telephone: (1+) 844-6-Viking aka: +1 (844) 684-5464 Web:  www.VikingEPS.com  email:  info @ vikingeps.com Socials:  @viking_eps on INSTA and @ vikingeps on Facebook and Twitter 24:06 - Thank you so much for making time for all of us today Roy! 24:24 - You! Hey there! We are thrilled that you are here and listening! ADHD and all forms of Neurodiversity are gifts, not curses. And by the way, if you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number one bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman 24:50 - Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits. Guys, as always thanks so much for subscribing! Faster Than Normal is for YOU! We want to know what you'd like to hear! Do you have a cool friend with a great story? We'd love to learn about, and from them. I'm www.petershankman.com and you can reach out anytime via email at peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterNormal on all of the socials. It really helps when you drop us a review on iTunes and of course, subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! As you know, the more reviews we get, the more people we can reach. Help us to show the world that ADHD is a gift, not a curse!