Ask HN: Moderately successful founder, diffident because I can't focus

3 points by AttentionStepFn 15 years ago | 6 comments

Throwaway account for reasons that will shortly become apparent. Apologies that this is long and somewhat whiny.

I started a startup about a year ago making enterprise SaaS. We are moderately successful now (12K/month) with another 12k/month worth of deals very likely to happen in the next two months.

We currently operate in a niche where our software solves a very painful problem. The thing is, there are at leasts two other generalized versions of the same problem in non-niche markets which are far more lucrative, and technically easy for us to solve, but where there is a lot of competition. I tell myself we are avoiding entering that game because we need to be a force to reckon with in our niche first, but I am afraid I am just rationalizing out of fear and I am scared of expanding because I fear I am not capable of coping with the pressure / living up to what the game requires because I have a severe problem with focusing on anything for more than a few minutes.

Background: For the past decade or so, I have been struggling with a severe case of inability to focus. In grad school when I almost failed a class because of this (I also got A's in a 75% of my classes), I forced myself to go to a therapist who told me I almost certainly had ADHD and should get the officially diagnosed at a test center and take medication or therapy. I am very wary of drugs and very reluctant to open up in front of a stranger (therapist) again. So I decided to build support structures that would help me get through this. I have a very supportive significant other and have made quite a bit of progress. My productivity has improved after I quit my day job and started the startup, but I still can't focus for shit except rare hacking sessions late at night which screw up the next day. Whatever success I have experienced is attributable largely to just not giving up and trying different things until something worked. On a day to day basis, I flit from one task to another and I feel like I am doing may be 1/3rd of what a normal person would be able to do. Still, I am enjoying being able to work for myself, delivering things at are useful for a lot of people and that keeps me going.

I don't like having nagging doubts and would appreciate your help 'debugging' my thought process, fears, complexes. Feel free to ask questions, offer ideas, criticism - anything that may help solve my dual problems - an inability to focus and a reluctance to enter the big game.

Thank you.

BHoffman 15 years ago |

I understand where you are coming from. I have a hard time focusing for long stretches. For me these are the techniques that I find to work:

1. Remove as many distraction as you can. You work for yourself so you have more control over your environment than most. Try something like Leachblock for Firefox if you have issues with web surfing.

2. When you are off task tell yourself you are just going to do a few minutes of work. Getting started on a task is always the hardest part.

3. Once you are working on a task try to avoid stopping. Even telling yourself you will take a brake in a few minutes is helpful. You just have to get past that moment of distraction.

4. Don't beat yourself up over getting distracted. It will cause you to get a complex and not make the situation better.

5. Take breaks. You should be taking a 15 minute break every hour or 2. Get up and walk away from your computer. You mind needs that time to keep focused when you need it to.

AttentionStepFn 15 years ago | |

Good advice. Thank you.

I am experiment with a version of PG's two computer solution from "Disconnecting distraction".

kellyreid 15 years ago |

Don't self-diagnose ADHD. I got a psych eval when I was 20 which showed that I was a classic case, and have been adapting ever since. Its often the case that people with ADHD are amazingly capable entrepreneurs, but can still get landmined by the disorder's characteristic inconsistency of focus.

I just finished reading Driven to Distraction (which is 15 years old at this point) and I suggest you give it a read. Bottom line is, if you're a smart person who seems to have an elephantine task when it comes to focus and attention, get evaluated. Just make sure it's not another disease or disorder first.

Don't be wary of the drugs. It will take time to find one that works for you, but when it does, it will pretty much feel like you are "more" able to "just be who you are". It's tough but really, go get the eval. I cannot stress this enough.

AttentionStepFn 15 years ago | |

I have read Driven to Distraction. I want to say I read it before I went to the therapist a decade ago, but I am not 100% sure.

This and other books (I recommend Delivered from Distraction, The checklist manifesto, The creative habit) helped form the core of my support structure, but I am not always good at using it. I keep revisiting my decision to get evaluated / take drugs but it comes down to this - I tend to use my weaknesses as crutches. It doesn't matter what the world labels my problems, they stem in my head and every non chemical way of dealing with them revolves around building habits that help address these. I am consciously eschewing drugs because I have a very addictive personality and I am just jumping ahead to working on my habits.

kellyreid 15 years ago | | |

drugs =/ crutch. yeah self medicating with blow is bad, of course, but with the direction of a doctor, the right drug can allow you to really do what you intend to do, and preven those short circuits in your brain from screwing it all up. think of the right dose/chemical as reading glasses. why struggle to focus your eyes when they're just not going to cooperate? Clearly, there are non chemical ways to help the syndrome but the chemical help is powerful and a responsible adult choice.

abgoosht 15 years ago |

I'm on the same boat with regards to attention span. Someone PLEASE answer his questions!!!