WHAT IS ADHD?
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVE DISORDER
ADHD affects people’s behaviour.
It’s marked by inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity which can interfere with functioning or development.
Inattention can include difficulties staying focused on a task or staying organised. It may mean people overlooking or missing details or avoiding tasks that require sustained mental effort.
Hyperactivity may result in a person moving around a lot and in situations when it is not appropriate. They may be ‘always on the go’ or talk excessively. Or it may be internalised hyperactivity, meaning their brain is constantly whirring.
Impulsivity can manifest as a lack of appropriate self-control.
An example could be interrupting others or not thinking through the long-term consequences of actions.
The Māori word for ADHD is Aroreretini... “Attention goes to many things”
ADHD + EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
Executive functioning is like your brain’s management system. It handles planning, prioritising, starting tasks, and seeing them through. For ADHDers, that system often runs on a different setting.
What this can look like:
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Struggling to start something, even if you really want to do it
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Losing track of time or underestimating how long things take
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Forgetting steps or missing small details
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Having a head full of ideas, but difficulty turning them into finished things
This isn’t laziness or a lack of intelligence. It’s the ADHD brain working differently. Once you understand how your executive functions affect you, you can start finding tools and strategies that make life and business flow more smoothly.
At The Technicolour Project, we don’t force square pegs into round holes. We help you create ways of working that fit your unique executive functioning style.
INTEREST-BASED NERVOUS SYSTEM
Most people are motivated by importance, deadlines, or rewards. ADHD brains work a little differently. We’re wired for interest, novelty, challenge, or urgency. If something sparks our interest, we can hyperfocus and achieve incredible things. If it doesn’t, even the simplest task can feel impossible.
What this means in real life:
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Getting lost for hours in a passion project
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Struggling with routine admin or chores
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Feeling inconsistent with energy and productivity
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Finding it hard to “just do it” unless the task feels engaging
This isn’t a flaw — it’s part of how ADHD brains are built. The trick is learning how to harness it. Coaching helps you spot your natural motivators and design systems that work with your interest-based nervous system instead of fighting against it.
When you know how your brain responds, you stop blaming yourself for the “can’t do it” days and start leaning into the “watch me fly” days.