I.N.C.U.P.

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Challenge. Action. Reward.

Why? Because it gives healthy dopamine and builds self-confidence.

Use challenge, action, and reward:

✅ Set a timer.

✅ Sixty minute

✅ Start

✅ Finish

✅ Felt good

自信

This is Jishin.

It means confidence in Japanese

Ji means self

Shin means trust

Once you rebuild trust in yourself to do tasks, you will increase your confidence which will help you complete more tasks.

Challenge Vs Urgency

Urgency

Most people use urgency to get shit done.

They will procrastinate to the last minute (metaphorically speaking) and then do all-nighters (if required) to get their shit done.

This works.

But you will be chronically stressed and anxious as you are out of control.

Challenges

Challenges leverage healthy dopamine that taps into your motivation and competitive spirit.

Set the challenge

Take action

Reward yourself

And feel good about yourself

This turns it into a game. You will not feel anxious as you are in control.

Challenges create more certainty, and urgency creates more anxiety.

Both of them will get shit done, but only one will make you feel good about yourself.

A Closer Look at the Five Motivating Factors for ADHD

So, how does INCUP work in real-world situations? Each of the five factors that make up this acronym can potentially serve as motivation for someone with ADHD.

Interest

People with ADHD have trouble finding motivation to do things that they're uninterested in. This is largely attributed to ADHDers having lower levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is connected with feelings of pleasure and happiness.

Because they're low on dopamine, people with ADHD often seek it out more. When they find something interesting, they're much more likely to pursue it because it helps to boost their levels of dopamine.

Novelty

Something new usually feels more exciting and interesting than something you've done a hundred times. ADHD brains are especially drawn toward novel things, and the unfamiliar can serve as a major motivating factor for someone with the disorder. It triggers a desire to explore and engage, making it a great incentive for starting up a project or task.

Unfortunately, people with ADHD often struggle to stick with something once they lose that novel feeling. They might start a project but leave it unfinished or take up a new hobby every few months. For this reason, novelty alone may not be a sufficient motivator for certain tasks that require a significant time investment.

Challenge

A task that is challenging can be more enticing to someone with ADHD. There's a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from completing challenging tasks that might not result from other types of activities. That feeling of satisfaction can also be a source of dopamine for the ADHD brain.

The payoff may not be as motivating for someone with ADHD if it takes a long time to achieve. However, a good way to manufacture challenges along the way is to break tasks up into smaller steps that are easier to accomplish in shorter periods of time.

Urgency

While the importance of a task might not be as motivating to someone with an interest-based nervous system, its urgency may help to trigger action. This can be a common motivator for someone with ADHD who tends to procrastinate on things until the last minute. Once there's an urgency to the task, they may finally feel ready to tackle it.

One way to create a sense of urgency around a particular activity is to use timers. For example, the Pomodoro technique can be helpful for someone with ADHD who has trouble sustaining attention for long periods of time.

Passion

Most people are aware that ADHD can make it harder for someone to stay focused. But that doesn't mean that those with the disorder are always distracted. In fact, many experience periods of hyperfocusing in which they become intensely engaged in something they're passionate about. When they find that passion, it can be a significant motivator for them.