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- You’re Not Indecisive. You’re Overloaded - Jim Livingstone - The ADHD Advantage Newsletter
You’re Not Indecisive. You’re Overloaded - Jim Livingstone - The ADHD Advantage Newsletter
"Maybe" is just a decision waiting for permission.
Jim Livingstone
March 19, 2026
 | Diagnosed with ADHD at 46? Feeling like you've wasted years? Like your best days are behind you? I get it. I WAS you. But here's what I learned in the 27 years since my diagnosis: Late diagnosis isn't the end. It's the beginning. At 73, I'm: · Fitter than I was at 50 (24kg lost and maintained) · Building successful businesses that work WITH my brain · Teaching thousands of ADHD adults to thrive, not just survive There's no finish line. But there IS transformation. Let me show you what 27 years of ADHD expertise looks like.. |
Read more on jimlivingstone.com.au
You’re Not Indecisive. You’re Overloaded
📖 Quick read: 3min 10sec
You're not indecisive. You're overloaded.
There's a difference. And confusing the two has cost us years.
We've been told our whole lives that we always change our minds. That we overthink. That we're flaky, inconsistent, commitment-phobic.
What they missed: our brains process more information at once than most people can handle. Of course we freeze.
That's not a flaw. That's an advantage, running on the wrong operating system.
Here's the irony. The moment a decision really matters, our brain kicks into overdrive — adding layers, angles, scenarios. We turn a two-option choice into a 47-variable equation. The very trait that makes us brilliant problem-solvers can make the simplest decisions feel impossible.
The answer is almost never more analysis. It's simplification.
The real reason we get stuck
Here's what's actually happening when we can't decide.
Our ADHD brains are pattern-recognition machines. We're scanning every angle simultaneously — the risks, the ripple effects, the what-ifs. We see connections other people miss entirely.
The problem isn't that we think too much. It's that we were never taught how to use that processing power to our advantage.
So instead of moving fast, we stall. Not because we're scared. Because we're running an operating system nobody gave us a manual for.
"Maybe" is just a decision waiting for permission.
Here's the reframe: that freeze is information, not failure.
When we can't move on something, it usually means one of four things:
1. We don't have enough information yet — and our brain knows it.
2. The decision conflicts with something we actually value.
3. We're waiting for someone else to tell us it's okay.
4. We have too much information, causing confusion.
Only one of those requires more time. The other three just need clarity.
What Stanislav Petrov can teach us
In 1983, a Soviet officer named Stanislav Petrov had 25 minutes to decide whether to tell the Kremlin that the US had launched nuclear missiles.
The computer said yes. The protocol said report it.
He said no.
Not because he ignored the data. Because his pattern-recognition overrode the system. Something felt wrong — five missiles made no strategic sense. He trusted that read and called it a false alarm.
He was right. The satellite had mistaken sunlight for warheads.
He saved the world because he trusted his gut over the manual.
That's us. That's our brain at its best — synthesising signals faster than logic can keep up, and acting on the result.
We're not bad at decisions. We've just been told our instincts are wrong.
Three simple rules we use now
We've spent decades trying to decide the 'right' way. Here's what actually works:
1. If you can't decide, the answer is no. Indecision is data. Use it.
2. Pick the option that creates change. Feeling stuck is what not changing causes. Movement beats perfection every time.
3. There is no right decision — only trade-offs. Once we accept that, the freeze lifts. We stop waiting for certainty that was never coming.
The ADHD advantage here: we're actually faster at processing trade-offs than most people. We just weren't taught to trust that speed — or our instincts.
And when the freeze hits hard? Walk. Literally. Movement clears the ADHD brain faster than any pros-and-cons list ever will.
Want to go deeper on this?
My book Late ADHD Diagnosis: Your New Beginning walks through exactly how to trust your ADHD brain — including the decisions that matter most.
Focus on what matters
— Jim
‘Turn ADHD Into Your Advantage’
The ADHD Advantage | jimlivingstone.com.au
If That Resonates, This Is For You
Both of my books were written for exactly this moment — the moment you realise you were never the problem.
👉 Find them at jimlivingstone.com.au
Download your complimentary PDF of the first two chapters.
Readers Review
“I just finished reading, I love your balance of giving the science and then being authentic. It feels easier to understand that way. I appreciate the example under limited working memory and LOVE the action steps at the end.”. - Alexxa
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Expect the Best,
If you’ve got a second, I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. [email protected] I reply to every email.
One question before you go: What’s the one area where your ADHD has secretly been your biggest strength?” Hit reply — I genuinely read every response. |
This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content in this newsletter is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional help if you believe you may have Mental Health Issues.
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