Ben Glenn: The Simple ADHD Expert

Welcome to SimpleADHDexpert.com!

// April 1st, 2009 // Comments Off // uncategorized

Hi! Thanks for visiting Ben Glenn’s website-slash-blog!  Here you can find out about everything you need to know about how to book Ben for your event, as well as read his blog entries about everything from his latest events to his thoughts on ADHD. We love comments and questions, so please don’t be shy and tell us what you think!

To book Ben for your event, please check out the links above and download a copy of his Press Kit which has all the information about him, and his presentations. Don’t forget to read the FAQs too! If you’re interested in checking pricing or availability, please click on Book Ben and submit an info request to Ben’s event coordinator.

We look forward to working with you!

The Simple ADHD Expert team.

The Wonderful, Magical Notebook

// February 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // encouragement

While I wasn’t quite Harry Potter growing up, I had a magic notebook. It wasn’t full of spells, but it saved me from getting derailed by the biggest enemy of the ADDer’s focus: a passing thought.

I owe it all to my special ed. teacher, Mrs. T. She gave me a cheap spiral notebook with the words ‘The Magic Notebook’ written on it. She told me that whenever I had a distracting moment in class, I should write whatever I noticed and any idea that I had into the notebook, close it, and put it away. Then whenever I didn’t have to pay attention to anything, I could pull out the notebook and be as ADD on it as I wanted to be.  ADDers come up with the most creative and innovative ideas ever, but those ideas often get lost because they’re not written down. I cringe when I think of all of the great ideas I lost when I told myself, “This is brilliant! I won’t forget it!!” and then two minutes later, it was gone. It made me just want to ask strangers to kick me in hopes that it would jog my memory (do not try that at home, kids). Adults, you can do it, record it, and upload it to YouTube, please.

My advice: Get your own magic notebook. Instead of a cheap spiral, I recommend a middle of the range notebook. Not so cheap that it falls apart, and not so expensive that you’d never want to write in it because it’s too nice.

Conveniently, the notebook that I sell on my website works well. It’s spiral-bound and color coordinated for different topics. Plus, it lays flat so you don’t have to deal with that hump in the middle of bound notebooks. Once you get your notebook, write your ideas down when they come to you.

Some of my best comedy comes from ideas that I wrote down in the middle of church. I always have a notebook with me. You’d probably do best with two notebooks: a big one that you can use when you have a backpack or similar bag and a pocket-sized one for all other times. I’ve found that the popular and sturdy Moleskine notebooks fit well in my pockets.

Along with your notebook, it’s a good idea to keep a pen with you. Some pens are flat so that they can slip into a notebook.

You never know when an idea’s going to come. You can’t prepare for the moment. You either write it down or you’re going to miss it. And because of that, you need to keep your magic notebook with you. Magic notebooks do wonders, but they can’t do anything when you leave them at home.

Please Excuse this Attack on Excuses!

// January 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // encouragement

ADHD comes with the gift of imaginative creativity, which, when used properly, can sprout great artwork and ideas. This creativity is a huge part of who I am and what I do. However, we can abuse that creativity as ADHD gives us a sort of a loophole that we can exploit to get out of our responsibilities.

This post is inspired by a conversation I had with a woman whose husband has ADHD. She said that their marriage was going through a rough time because her husband blamed all of his failings on his ADHD. He used it as an excuse to get out of helping around the house, helping with the kids, and working on their relationship. Sadly, their marriage was headed toward a negative conclusion.

Early in my marriage, I did the same thing. I learned very quickly that excuses just don’t help me from growing, but have great potential to hurt the ones that I love.

There was a book that came out a little while ago called I’m Not Lazy, Crazy, or Stupid. That is extremely true - ADDers are not lazy, crazy, or stupid. But like everyone else, we have the tendency to be lazy. And on top of that, we have obstacles like the distractability that most people don’t have.

That leaves us with a choice. Do we

A. Find the help that I need accomplish the task that is more challenging than for most people?
B. Make an excuse to try to find a way to get out of it?

It’s often easier to come up with an excuse rather than dig deep for the internal motivation to move forward, especially when your goal is difficult.

I have a stack of books on my desk, but I struggle with reading. And when I say ’struggle’, I mean like World War III. It’s a battle for me to read. However, my passion is to be helpful with those with ADHD. To be good at that, I have to educate myself, which means reading.

So, I fight to get the reading done. I find a way to set up the accountability, set aside the excuses, and recognize that I have the tendency to find more fun things to do instead. It’s only by battling to dedicate my time that I can finally read.

To learn to battle the temptation to make excuses, make a list of all of the challenges that you’d like to meet. For each challenge, come up with 3 positive ways that you can attack the problem. Then go for it.

When you’ve tried your best, come back to evaluate your list and try again in any area where you feel like you fell short.

Yes, you have ADHD. Yes, it comes with a lot of obstacles. However, you still have the capability to reach the big and difficult goals. There is enough help out there through books, life coaches, medicine, and more to help you meet your challenges and keep moving forward.

Don’t miss out on all of the fun, creative adventures that life has to offer. There’s certainly no excuse for that.

Let Your Passions Rule…Just a Little Bit!

// December 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // encouragement

In an earlier blog post, I explained how I used to wait for the perfect time to pursue my passion: writing a book. It wasn’t until my wife suggested (and when I say ’suggested’, I mean basically stood on a chair and screamed in my ear) that I needed to stop waiting and just start writing that I actually got something done. Since then, I’ve written three books and am working on my fourth as I write this.

I’m thankful that I was able to accomplish my passion several times over. I thought I needed the perfect setting, but I didn’t; I just needed to dive in.

However, diving in isn’t exactly easy either. The problem is that we live in a world that pulls at us with so many demands, responsibilities, to-dos, and deadlines. Unfortunately, our passions are the first things to fall by the wayside when life gets busy.

Our passions are activities and pursuits that are most meaningful to us. Those are the things that truly move us in life; that we enjoy and derive great satisfaction and pleasure from. We should not let these go unfulfilled even if sometimes, these passions seem somewhat impractical and unrealistic - case in point, a dyslexic ADHDer wanting to write a book.

Over time, I’ve learned that the key to not getting side-tracked or discouraged is recognizing that if you work on your passion even a little every day, that work will add up. Before you know it, you’ll have a full-fledged achievement on your hands.

The reality of life is that a lot of busy work DOES need to be done, but if you’re the type that’s prone to put your own needs last, please remind yourself to make time for things that are important to you on a deeper, more personal level. Spending all your days on the busy work (emails, chores, etc.), at the expense of constantly putting the activities and people you love on the back-burner, until there is a perfect time might seem like the practical, responsible thing to do, but will ultimately make you feel short-changed and bitter.

Chasing a dream among the busyness of life is hard enough for “normal” people. It gets a lot more hairy when you’re “special.” ADDers aren’t exactly the best time-managers out there. We often have a problem understanding how quickly time can get away. And our tendency to hyperfocus on one thing makes us ignore the other things we could or should be doing. So this is definitely one area of our lives where accountability is the key to success - don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help! And if you have the means I definitely recommend hiring an ADHD Life Coach to help you get started and keep on track.

The Power of the Project

// November 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // encouragement

Most people might think that giving a project to someone with ADD is a great way to make sure that it won’t get done. That we would work on it for a few moments until we get distracted by something and that would be that. Nothing can be further from the truth…if you give us the right project and help us break it down into manageable tasks that is!

Non-ADDers often see us distracted and struggling, but they don’t realize that we’re actually searching for focus and direction. Even though we have scattered brains, people with ADHD thrive on structured, laid-out projects. Every completed step is a boost, especially if it’s something that we’re interested in. And the sweetest part is the journey from A to B to C to D and finding joy in that accomplishment.

It’s important for people with ADHD to consistently have a project in motion. Frustration arises when there isn’t anything to keep the mind engaged. We need those moments of hyper-focus; activities that release neurotransmitters to create the focus that we desire.

To make the task more enjoyable, ask questions. This breaks the work down into bite-sized pieces. And if you have a project leader or boss, be sure to let them know about your focusing struggles. That way, you can get more direction after each step; not as micro-managing, but getting accountability set up for yourself.

But the project lifestyle isn’t all sunshine (unless you’re a heliologist). The ADDer needs to be aware that there will be a feeling of letdown upon completion of a project. I’ve noticed that I tend to go into a mild state of depression when I am between projects and lacking the focus and direction of being actively engaged in reaching a project goal.

Interestingly, for me this “letdown” happens when I return home from being on the road. For a long time my wife and I couldn’t figure it out. I love being home with my family. I would look forward to coming home and then I would get home and spend the next day or two feeling lost, disoriented and down.  Eventually, we came to understand that being on the road, was, in a way, a short-term project for me. The trip consisted of clear and sequential goals that I was comfortable achieving - travel to event location, set-up, speak, meet people, pack-up, spend night at hotel, travel home - and that coming home signaled the completion of the project. I was down not because I was home, but because a project had come to an end and I was left with an activity vacuum which my ADHD brain was not too fond of.

Now I know that after doing a series of shows, I need something to be already implemented when I get home, even if it’s just a planned day of rest. Though it can be a challenge to figure out how to focus on resting. I’m not so good at that.

Still, despite the risk of a letdown, the joy and reward of working on a project is well worth it. Start planning your project lifestyle, and you’ll probably find yourself hooked on getting good work done.

Southwestern Partnership for College and Career Success

// November 2nd, 2009 // No Comments » // events

This event was a huge success thanks in large part to Sherry and Barb. I definitely owe them a huge “thank-you”, not only for this event… but for the past 7 years that we have partnered. These ladies are dedicated to connecting students with careers they are passionate about.

Man was there some energy in that gymnasium!! The students were absolutely amazing. There were some students there that had seen me last year which was pretty exciting. I also got to perform one of my favorite drawings which was a real treat for me.

Every year with this group continues to get better. This was, by far, the best year yet and I am really looking forward to what next year has in store!

So many events, so little time!

// October 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // events

Wow - it’s been a hectic few weeks! As you can tell, I am way behind on keeping you guys and gals updated. I’m actually preparing right now to leave for a whirlwind tour where Larry and I will be doing events in Vincennes, IN, Chicago, IL, Katy, TX and Washington, DC…all in the next 4 days! Phew! All that means is I don’t have a lot of time to say everything I’d like to say.

I would, however, like to take just a minute to reflect back on the past few weeks and thank the many people that coordinate the events where I speak. I know the amount of effort it takes to pull an event off - and everything has gone so smoothly. I wish I had the time to sit down and write a blog for each event I’ve had since August 20th.  Instead, I would just like to say a sincere “thank you” to all of the participants and coordinators for each of these events:

The Kentucky Migrant Education Program in Louisville, KY

Emerson Technologies in Sydney, OH

Sussex Technical High School, Georgetown, DE

Heritage School in Provo, UT

Brady Middle School, Cleveland, OH

SpringHill Camps, Evart, MI

Alabama Department of Education in Montgomery, AL

The Ft. Wayne Association for the Education of Young Children in Ft. Wayne, IN

Shawnee College in Ullin, IL

Grace Community Church in Raleigh, NC

Thank you to each and every one of you for your hard work.  You each make a difference in someone’s life every day!

The Power of Consistent Repetition

// October 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // encouragement

A lesson that I’ve learned over and over is that repetition works. If I want to be good at something, I need to do it a ton of times.

I grew up with learning disabilities and problems with reading comprehension (a lot of people who have ADHD also have Dyslexia and other Learning Disabilities).  My special education teacher had me write out my spelling words so many times that my hand would cramp up. I loathed the process of repetition, but results showed true.

Now, repetition has proven itself, and I can’t say that I hate it. If I put in my reps, I can rely on them to help me recall and effortlessly do what I need to do, even when I’m tired or distracted.

Not too long ago, I took up boxing (I told you that I’m special - some people take naps to relax, me, I like to punch things (and people) :-D), and my coach has me doing the same drills over and over.

He growls, “Ben, I am teaching you this so that when you are in the ring and you are tired, your body will respond without you even having to think about it.”

This came to light during a recent sparring match. Coach had been getting me to “slip a right jab.” This is when someone throws a right jab at you, and you turn to duck it and counter-punch with a left hook. I was absolutely exhausted during the fight, and then it happened.

In the post-fight debrief, Coach asked me if I saw what I did. I didn’t because I was too tired. He said that I slipped a right jab and threw a left hook; he called it “perfect.” (I was just glad that I could stand upright.) And it was all due to repetition.

People wonder how I, an ADDer, can draw a picture in 12 minutes and 33 seconds or keep my thoughts in order while speaking. It’s because I have done the drawing and the speech so many times that I can probably do it in my sleep. Because I struggle with reading, I work hard to memorize Bible verses so I don’t have read in front of church groups. I turn to the page, but I don’t read it; it just cues me to recall the passage.

ADDers know what it’s like to have a scattered brain; repetition is definitely one of the things that can combat that scatter. Whether it’s music, athletics, performing, or anything else, we can use repetition so that when we’re tired and ADHD flares up, we can work off of instinct.

Practice does make perfect. And that’s something worth repeating.

Go Ahead and be a (Legal) Risk Taker

// September 28th, 2009 // No Comments » // encouragement

I once met a kid who had an interesting game that he played when he was bored. I forget whether he had a name for it, but the local authorities did: breaking and entering.

I didn’t meet this kid at a jail. He never stole anything. He just broke into people’s homes to see if he could. He loved taking risks, and since his town didn’t offer much by way of entertainment, he started inventing his own.

ADDers are risk takers. It’s not because we don’t have fear. We just have a desire for adrenaline release. It’s like we subconsciously know that doing something risky will release the neurotransmitters that help our brains function like everyone elses.

Being a risk taker can be a good thing. Not everyone can do scary jobs like teaching skydiving, racing cars, being a rodeo cowboy, or speaking onstage. One field that ADDers excel in, but isn’t exactly thought of as risky is sales. Many salespeople are paid by commission, so if you don’t make the sale, you don’t get paid. That’s pretty risky.

With high energy and a fun, extroverted attitude, ADDers are natural salespeople. Years ago, I was amazed to find that I was pretty good at it.

One summer, I worked with “Dads For Lads,” an organization of fathers against drunk driving. To raise support, they had kids sell T-shirts door-to-door. I spent the summer walking around with big stack of shirts on my arm, and I did pretty well. Another summer, I sold frozen pizzas door-to-door for a contest to win a free ‘outdoor education’ camping trip. I really wanted to go learn about the wilderness, build a fire, cook on it, and see all sorts of bugs and animals.

Most kids were too afraid to go door-to-door. There’s something intimidating about walking up to a door - you never know who’s going to answer: a pleasant mom, a hairy man, a whiny kid, or a drooling dog. The other kids averaged about 10 pizzas sold, mostly to their relatives. I sold 100, won the contest, and went away for my first-ever weekend of camping.

My undiscovered ADHDness helped me to knock on people’s doors and ask them to buy something. I didn’t worry about what people thought or who might answer the door. I was an excellent salesman, and if I weren’t doing what I’m doing now, I probably would have ended up in sales.

What I’m do now for a living has its own risks. It’s a common belief that there are more people who fear public speaking than those who fear death. And the audiences don’t make it easy either. At many of the public school assemblies where I speak, the kids are usually not happy to see me. The looks on their faces scream, “I dare you to try to impress me.” I’m thankful to have many more happy endings than horror stories over the years.

If you have ADHD and have recognized the joy in taking risks, find something positive that’s worth taking a risk for; something that you dream about or love to do; something good that will make a difference in people’s lives. Oh, and preferably something that the police don’t have a codename for.

Defeat Frustration by finding your Outlet

// August 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // encouragement

At an event in Southern Indiana, I met Blake. He was a kid who had more energy than he knew what to do with, and that got him into trouble. He had no outlet for this energy, so it built up until it exploded during a time of frustration. He never hurt anyone but himself by punching a wall or doing something destructive or impulsive.

I can relate. I need an outlet. I have a short fuse and have the capacity to explode like most ADDers. We unleash our energy in different ways. Some of us are physical, others are verbal, and others internalize it, which leads to internal explosion.

Explosions in movies are cool. And so are the ones in fireworks. But ours are almost never good. We need to channel that energy before it has the chance to do us or others harm.

Boxing has been an excellent outlet for all of my energy and especially on those days when energy and frustration are present at the same time. Like when I’m ready to deplane after that long 5 hour flight and some other passenger yanks their bag out of the overhead compartment and knocks me in the head. And to add insult to injury doesn’t even apologize. Those moments I am especially grateful that I have a punching bag waiting for me.

So, I encouraged Blake to find an outlet, with exercise being a perfect choice. The physical activity eat up a lot of energy, keeps you in shape, and releases endorphins. And if exercise is not your thing, there are plenty of other outlets like music, chess, fishing, or even crocheting (teach that yarn a lesson!). Whatever it is, just make it something that you love to do and will be happy about pouring your energy into.

Blake is learning to recognize whether he’s getting to the point of exploding. So, instead of hitting a wall, he hits up his friends to help him. In addition to finding your outlet, that’s probably the best thing you can do about your pent-up energy.

I travel with my good friend and mentor Larry. He knows me well enough to see when I’m reaching my boiling point and pulls me aside before I get there. He’s helped me learn how to let frustrations go and change my attitude and mindset. And he can do this because I’ve given him permission to do so in our friendship.

I know that Larry has my best interests in mind. He doesn’t do all of this to be condescending or critical. He says, “I want Ben’s goodness to be seen.”

That’s someone who I’m proud to have as a friend and teammate. I highly recommend choosing a friend to walk with you in this struggle. He/she needs to be someone that you trust, and you need to give them permission to step into your life and show you some tough love.

Managing our energy level and frustrations is not an easy task. Find your outlet and find your Larry. It might take time and some trial and error, but you’ll be glad that you did. It beats punching a wall, because to be honest - the wall wins about every time.

Journey to the Tourney, Part 1

// August 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // video

Hey guys! I’m sorry I didn’t post this here earlier, although if you’re my “fan” on Facebook, this will be old news for you, but here’s a video (actually a series of videos) I made to tell you about my boxing and the championship that I went to a couple of weeks ago. Check it out and see what you think.