Why My ADHD Brain Finally Befriended the "Good Enough" and How It Changed Everything

Embracing the concept of "good enough" is a powerful strategy for individuals with ADHD to combat perfectionism and initiation paralysis. By lowering internal expectations and accepting imperfection, it reduces the overwhelming pressure that often prevents tasks from starting or being completed, fostering a more sustainable and less stressful approach to daily life and productivity.

Ever felt that gnawing sensation, that whisper in the back of your mind telling you it's not perfect enough? Or maybe, like me, you've stared at a blank document, a cluttered room, or an unfinished project, feeling the massive weight of "all or nothing" pressing down, rendering you utterly immobile. For years, my ADHD brain and I were locked in this silent battle with perfectionism, and honestly, perfectionism was winning. It wasn't until I stumbled — quite accidentally, as most good things happen for me — upon the radical idea of "good enough" that things finally started to shift.

Why does perfectionism feel like such a trap for ADHD brains?

Perfectionism often acts as a sneaky, well-intentioned saboteur for ADHD brains, masquerading as a drive for excellence but actually leading to initiation paralysis and burnout. For us, the pursuit of an ideal outcome can trigger intense executive dysfunction, making even small tasks feel monumental and impossible to start if they can't be done "perfectly."

Think about it: our brains are already working overtime to manage attention, prioritize, and regulate emotions. Adding the pressure of flawless execution on top of that is like asking a car with a sputtering engine to win a Formula 1 race. The cognitive load becomes immense, and our nervous system, sensing an overwhelming task, often defaults to avoidance. It’s not that we don't want to do well; it's that the perceived chasm between "not started" and "perfectly finished" feels too wide to jump. I remember one time, I needed to send a simple email to a colleague. It wasn't even a big deal, just a quick update. But my brain immediately started spiraling: Is my tone right? Is it concise enough? Have I proofread it twelve times? What if they think I'm unprofessional? Hours later, the email was still in drafts, and I was deep down a rabbit hole of researching email etiquette, completely derailed from my actual work. It was exhausting and entirely self-imposed.

How can "good enough" actually help me get things done?

Embracing "good enough" liberates your ADHD brain by lowering the activation energy required to start and complete tasks, transforming overwhelming projects into manageable steps. This shift in mindset reduces anxiety and the intense pressure associated with perfectionism, allowing for consistent progress rather than stalled ambition.

It's about decoupling your self-worth from the outcome of a task. When you tell yourself, "This doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be done," you're essentially giving your brain permission to relax. This permission slip is incredibly powerful. It allows you to bypass the internal editor that demands flawlessness before even a single word is typed or a single dish is washed. For me, this was a game-changer with my writing. I used to agonize over every sentence, every paragraph, convinced it had to be a masterpiece. The result? Endless drafts, missed deadlines, and a lot of self-recrimination. Now, I aim for "first draft good enough." I tell myself, "Just get the ideas down. It doesn't have to be brilliant, it just needs to exist." The magic is that once it exists, it's infinitely easier to refine and improve than starting from scratch. And often, what I initially deemed "good enough" turns out to be pretty darn good after all.

What’s the difference between "good enough" and being sloppy or lazy?

The distinction between "good enough" and being sloppy or lazy lies in intention and self-awareness. "Good enough" is a conscious, strategic choice to prioritize completion and progress over an unattainable ideal, especially when perfectionism is a barrier. Sloppiness or laziness, conversely, often stems from a lack of care or engagement.

With ADHD, often our "laziness" isn't true laziness; it's executive dysfunction manifesting as avoidance due to overwhelm or fear of failure. "Good enough" is a tactical maneuver against this. It's about setting a realistic bar for a task, completing it to that standard, and moving on. It’s not about doing a bad job; it's about doing a satisfactory job that meets the requirements without draining all your mental energy. For instance, my house will likely never be "magazine spread" clean. But "good enough" clean means the dishes are done, the floor is swept, and the surfaces are clear enough to function. That’s a huge win for me, and it allows me to conserve energy for things that truly require more meticulous attention, like my client work. It's a conscious prioritization, not a surrender to mess. There are definitely days when the "good enough" bar is set very low, and that's okay too. Sometimes, just putting the laundry in the hamper instead of leaving it on the floor is good enough, and it prevents the bigger overwhelm of a mountain of clothes.

How can I practice embracing "good enough" without feeling like I'm settling?

To practice embracing "good enough" without feeling like you're settling, start by consciously reframing your internal dialogue and setting clear, realistic minimum viable standards for tasks. Focus on the benefits of completion and momentum over the elusive ideal of perfection.

1. Define "Good Enough" Upfront: Before you start a task, explicitly decide what "good enough" looks like. For an email, it might be "clear, concise, and spell-checked." For a creative project, "all key elements included, even if not fully polished." This proactive step removes ambiguity and gives your brain a concrete target.

2. Start Small, Finish Fast: Apply "good enough" to low-stakes tasks first. Can you write a "good enough" to-do list? Can you make a "good enough" breakfast? Each small completion builds momentum and proves to your brain that done is better than perfect.

3. Celebrate Completion, Not Perfection: Shift your focus from the quality of the output to the act of completion. Acknowledge and celebrate the fact that you finished something, even if it wasn't flawless. This positive reinforcement helps rewire your brain to associate "done" with reward.

4. Remind Yourself of the "Why": Why are you doing this? Often, the purpose of a task isn't to be a masterpiece, but to serve a function. An email's purpose is communication, not literary brilliance. A clean room's purpose is functionality, not aesthetic perfection. Connecting back to the core purpose helps detach from the need for perfection.

5. Acknowledge the Fear: It's okay to feel a pang of doubt or a worry that you're "settling." Acknowledge that feeling, but don't let it derail you. Remind yourself that this is a strategy to overcome a specific challenge (perfectionism/paralysis), not a permanent lowering of your standards for everything. You can always iterate and improve later, but only if something exists to be improved upon.

Embracing "good enough" isn't about mediocrity; it's about strategic self-compassion and effective resource management for a brain that often struggles with executive function. It’s about building a bridge from "nothing" to "something," and sometimes, that "something" is more than enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Doesn't "good enough" mean I'm lowering my standards?

A: Not necessarily. It means you're strategically adjusting your standards for specific tasks or situations where perfectionism causes paralysis. It's about prioritizing completion and progress, especially when your ADHD brain gets stuck, rather than abandoning tasks entirely.

Q: How do I know when "good enough" is truly enough, and not just an excuse?

A: This requires self-awareness. Ask yourself: Is the pursuit of perfection genuinely adding significant value, or is it causing significant delay and stress? If the latter, "good enough" is likely the right choice. It's a tool to overcome inertia, not to avoid responsibility.

Q: Can "good enough" apply to important work or only small tasks?

A: "Good enough" can absolutely apply to important work, especially in its initial stages. Getting a "good enough" first draft done for a major report, for instance, allows you to then refine and perfect it. The key is to break down the task and apply "good enough" to the steps, not necessarily the final, polished outcome.

TL;DR

✅ "Good enough" is a powerful ADHD strategy to fight perfectionism and get things done by lowering the activation energy for tasks.

🧠 It's about self-compassion and strategic prioritization, reducing overwhelm and allowing your brain to move from "nothing" to "something."

📌 Start by defining what "good enough" means for a task upfront, then celebrate completion over flawless execution to build momentum.

As someone who has lived with ADHD for over 20 years and spent the last 5 years researching and creating content for the neurodivergent community, I've seen firsthand how the pressure to be perfect can cripple even the most brilliant minds. This "good enough" philosophy isn't just theory for me; it's a hard-won lesson learned through countless missed deadlines and internal battles. It's a continuous practice, not a one-time fix, but it's made an immeasurable difference in my ability to actually do things.

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