The Opposite of Traction

The opposite of traction is distraction.

As I sit here trying to write this long-overdue blog entry, my dog Arcee refuses to quit bringing me her ball. Each toss buys me maybe thirty seconds of focus before she’s back again, tail wagging, eyes locked, ball dropped squarely in my lap—or worse, on my keyboard. At this rate, I’m writing at about 0.25x speed, like a video stuck in slow motion.

I’m perched in bed, straining to wrangle scattered brainwaves into coherent sentences, when Arcee leaps up, head bumping my laptop screen, demanding another round of fetch. And I can’t help but see the metaphor.

Life so often feels like this: a constant battle against distractions while we’re trying to move toward something meaningful. Strong winds push us backward just as we’re trying to step forward. My dog keeps literally dropping the ball, while I keep metaphorically dropping it—my train of thought derailing with every interruption.

Maybe that’s the real lesson: traction isn’t just about moving forward. It’s about learning how to keep going, even when the ball keeps bouncing back into your lap.

Clarity in Chaos: Finding Momentum

Every day, I wake up with the same mission: conquer the chaos. I want to find calm in the storm, clarity in the noise, and momentum in the mess. But let’s be real—resisting interruptions and distractions is a full-time job in itself.

Social media notifications pop up like whack-a-moles, demanding attention every few minutes. Combine that with an addictive personality and the irresistible urge to scroll after a long day of mental overload, and you’ve got a recipe not for disaster—but for a slow, steady burn. Not the kind that fuels passion. The kind that fuels burnout.

I want to chase my personal goals. I want to build something meaningful. I want to nurture the dreams that whisper to me in quiet moments. But by the time I get home, I’m spent. All my energy has gone into work, into obligations, into surviving the day. What’s left is a shell that craves rest and escape. Dreams be damned.

And that’s where the loop begins.

I feel disappointed in myself. I know what I want to do. I even know how to do it. But my brain refuses to cooperate. Every day feels like Groundhog Day—same distractions, same exhaustion, same guilt. It’s like watching your potential from behind a foggy window, knowing it’s there but unable to reach it.

So how do you break the cycle? How do you gain clarity and build momentum when your brain is stuck in survival mode?

Step One: Ditch the Myth of Discipline

The first word that comes to mind is discipline. But let’s be honest—my ADHD brain doesn’t speak that language. Discipline sounds like a rigid, joyless drill sergeant barking orders. And when you’re already overwhelmed, that kind of pressure just adds weight to the pile.

Instead, I’ve learned to lean into two strategies that actually work for me:

1. Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Momentum doesn’t come from motivation—it comes from movement. So I start small. I pretend I’m the kind of person who has it together. I set a timer for 10 minutes and tackle one tiny task. I show up, even when I don’t feel ready. And sometimes, that’s enough to get the gears turning.

2. Make It a Habit

Practice doesn’t make perfect. But it does make better. Habits are the scaffolding that hold up your goals when motivation fails. I don’t aim for epic wins—I aim for consistency. A five-minute journaling session. A single load of laundry. One email drafted. These micro-movements build momentum, and momentum builds clarity.

Final Thought: Progress Over Perfection

If you’re stuck in the loop, know this: you’re not broken. You’re human. The chaos isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a sign that you’re juggling a lot. And clarity doesn’t come from waiting for the perfect moment. It comes from choosing progress, one imperfect step at a time.

So keep showing up. Keep faking it. Keep practicing. You don’t need to conquer the storm all at once. You just need to find your footing, one day at a time.

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