The Goal Setting and Dopamine Connection for ADHD Brains

As an ADHD coach, one of the biggest objections I get from fellow ADHD brains is the resistance to set goals. So many of us have had poor experiences with goal setting in the past.

Perhaps we geared ourselves up and went all in, only to “fall off the wagon” a few days later. Or we share our plan with a friend, and they raise an eyebrow of skepticism, recalling our past failed attempts.

woman writing goals on post it notes

These experiences add up over time, and it’s easy to develop a belief that we’re “bad at goals” or “never follow through.” Many of us eventually avoid the process altogether.

However, in episode 239 of the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast, we challenge this perspective.

By looking at the fascinating dynamics between goal setting, dopamine, and ADHD brains, we’re learning how to set ADHD-friendly goals that fuel our commitment and pursuit of success.

You can listen to the episode above or stream it on your favorite podcasting app here.

Prefer to read? No problem! Keep scrolling for the entire podcast transcript.

In This Episode:

  • Explore the relationship between goal setting and dopamine
  • Discover the most important shift we must make when setting goals with ADHD 
  • Learn a 5 step process to setting ADHD-friendly goals

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Episode # 242: The Goal Setting and Dopamine Connection for ADHD Brains (Transcript)

What's the Goal Setting & Dopamine Connection for ADHD Adults?

Welcome to the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast with Paula Engebretson, episode number 239. 

In today’s episode, we dive into the fascinating intersection of goal setting and dopamine, particularly exploring how these concepts apply to individuals with ADHD. 

Let’s explore the dynamics of setting and pursuing goals, the role of dopamine in motivation, and how to leverage these insights to better support ADHD brains.

Goal Setting Definition

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a goal is an aim or desired result. Merriam-Webster describes it as an end toward which effort is directed. 

Both definitions give us valuable insights into the concept of goal setting. 

As individuals with ADHD, we are drawn to goal setting because it offers excitement, novelty, and the opportunity to learn and grow. 

However, we also carry baggage from past experiences, both from external sources and within ourselves, which can hinder our progress.

Our Love-Hate Relationship with Goal Setting

Let’s begin by dissecting the intricate relationship individuals with ADHD have with goal setting. While there’s often excitement and novelty associated with setting goals, many ADHDers also grapple with past experiences of unmet goals, leading to inner and outer baggage.

So if you’ve listened to the podcast for a while, you have probably heard me say that a lot of us ADHDers have this love-hate relationship with goal setting. And honestly, this makes sense.

Why We Love Goal Setting

We love goal setting because there is the excitement and the novelty that comes along with it. There is the possibility, the potential to learn new skills and learn new ideas and finding that just right level of challenge, right? 

We get to work towards something that we desire, that we want to have in our lives. So it makes sense that we tend to love the idea of goal setting, love the goal setting process. 

Why We Also Hate setting goals

It also makes sense why many of us have the hate side of the relationship or why many of us bounce back and forth between this love-hate relationship. 

In addition to why we love setting goals, a lot of us also carry quite a bit of baggage from the past with previous experiences when we’re setting goals. Both in terms of inner and outer baggage.

We carry this baggage from past experiences, both inner and outer baggage.

  • Inner: disappointment, self-doubt, skepticism.
  • Outer: embarrassment, comments from others, people counting on and doubting.

This baggage makes the goal-setting process daunting. Moreover, ADHD brains struggle with executive functioning, making it challenging to break down goals into actionable steps and prioritize them.

Challenges of Goal Setting for ADHD Brains

Regardless of how you feel about goals, whether you are tipping toward the love side of goals or the hate side of goals, or you bounce back and forth, I think it’s also important to acknowledge that working toward and mapping out goals is actually a significant hurdle for ADHDers because of our struggles with executive functioning.

It’s specifically challenging for us to:

  • Decide and clarify one goal
  • Breaking down goals into smaller steps
  • Prioritize and sequence steps
  • Find motivation to take the initial steps
  • Cope with intense emotions when attempting something new

We deal with really big emotions and think about taking those first steps, we feel insecurity and doubt, fear, confusion and overwhelm. These heavy emotions might all come up when we think about taking those first steps. Of course, that’s uncomfortable.

So, if we just put all of these obstacles in context, on a purely human level, whether you have ADHD or not, it makes sense that we experience these emotions when it comes to setting and working toward goals.

The Role of Dopamine in Goal Pursuit

Now, let’s shift our focus to dopamine, a neurotransmitter crucial for the brain’s reward system and motivation.

Now, I think most of us, when we hear about dopamine, we tend to associate it with pleasure and enjoyment. However, contrary to common belief, dopamine release is more closely tied to the anticipation of a reward rather than the reward itself.

This anticipation which leads to dopamine release fuels behaviors aimed at:

  • Associated with anticipation of rewards
  • Fuels behaviors aimed at seeking rewards
  • Primarily released during the pursuit of goals or rewards
  • More about the thrill of the chase than the enjoyment of the reward itself

Let me give you some examples to put this into context.

Playing the slot machine: When you used to pull down a lever, there’s anticipation. You pull the lever, and are you going to get the three cherries or the three sevens, etc. There’s this anticipation of whether or not you are going to win, and that is what fuels the behavior.

Social media feeds work the same way. Think about how you pull down at the top of your feed to refresh your phone’s screen and see the newest updates, see who liked your post.

This release of dopamine acts as a signal that then reinforces and encourages us to keep doing that behavior.  It encourages us to keep seeking those potential rewards.

ADHD, Dopamine & Goal Setting: How Is This Connected?

Studies suggest that ADHD brains have fewer neurotransmitters, specifically dopamine and also norepinephrine, in our brain.

This means that as ADHD brains, we are constantly seeking additional dopamine because our brains are understimulated.

ADHD brains operate on an interest-based nervous system, where novelty, competition, and urgency drive focus and motivation. Consequently, pursuing activities that align with personal interests triggers dopamine release, enhancing motivation and engagement.

Interest. Competition. Novelty. Urgency. No wonder, as ADHD brains, we are always driven to the next new thing. The next new idea. The next new rabbit hole. We are driven by that interest and that, my friends, is when the dopamine is released the most.

To reiterate what we’ve learned about dopamine…

  • Dopamine is primarily released in the pursuit of something, working toward something that you ultimately desire
  • ADHD brains have less dopamine, which makes it harder for us to self motivate and maintain commitment
  • ADHDers have an interest-based nervous system that prioritizes novelty and excitement
  • Activities aligned with personal interests trigger dopamine release

Leveraging Goal Setting for ADHD

Why do so many ADHDers have such strong resistance to setting goals and working toward goals and reaching goals?

I want to suggest that we’re just not setting goals in a way that’s supportive of an ADHD brain. We are not working with our executive functions. We are not putting in the scaffolding that our brains need to work toward, stick with and follow through on that goal.

👉 If you want to take this work further and set supportive ADHD-friendly goals, you can stick with, join us in We’re Busy Being Awesome. This is my small group coaching program. We take all the tools and the concepts that we explore here on the podcast, and we combine them with real-time coaching so that you are implementing and learning, and problem solving and growing exponentially.

5 Strategies for ADHD-Friendly Goal Setting

goals list

To harness the benefits of goal setting for ADHD brains, it’s crucial to adopt supportive strategies tailored to your individual needs.

Here are five key approaches:

1. Set Genuine Goals:

Make sure that you genuinely desire your specific goal before you take any action on it. This desire and want is important to ensure you have the drive to forge ahead.

Ensure that goals align with personal desires and interests, fostering intrinsic motivation and engagement.

2. Focus on Behaviors:

Focus on the behavior or the goal that you want rather than the thing that you’re trying to stop doing or trying to change.

Okay, this is especially effective when we are setting habit-based goals. It’s a really powerful approach to help us fuel the fire and help us reinforce that desired result.

So, we want to shift our focus from stopping undesirable behaviors to cultivating positive habits and actions aligned with goals.

3. Break Goals into Small Steps:

Instead of overwhelming yourself with the entire goal, focus on the next smallest actionable step to maintain momentum.

You have heard me talk about breaking down the steps of a goal time and time again. Some of us resist this, some of us just don’t want to take the time, as it feels too challenging.

There are supports out there to help. You can use something like the Magic To Do app for assistance.

Additionally, some brains tend to get quite overwhelmed when we do break down all the steps. So, rather than thinking you have to break down every single step, or even if you do break them all down, I think what’s really powerful is to leave yourself the next tiniest action step forward that you know you can take the next day or the next time you return to the goal.

4. Celebrate & Track Your Progress:

As you keep taking those steps one by one closer to your final goal, be sure to actually recognize your progress.

This is hard for us to do, however we must acknowledge and celebrate each step forward, reinforcing positive behaviors and fueling motivation.

5. Change The Timeline (Not The Goal):

Many of us get quite discouraged if we don’t hit the initial timeline we set for our goal. We think to ourselves, you know what, I’m going to do this in two weeks, but it really takes six. – or longer.

Who cares if your goal took longer? It still happened. You made it happen. You stuck with it all the way through.

So, rather than changing goals, modify timelines to accommodate realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary pressure.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the dynamics of goal setting and dopamine can empower individuals with ADHD to navigate the pursuit of their aspirations more effectively.

By setting ADHD-friendly goals, celebrating progress, and leveraging dopamine release, ADHD brains can harness their unique strengths to achieve success.

Remember, goals are not a reflection of your worth as a person; they are simply stepping stones toward personal growth and fulfillment.

Embrace the journey, celebrate each step, and keep being awesome!

The March cohort of my group coaching program is almost here! So head to We’re Busy Being Awesome where you can learn more and sign up. If you are listening to this later on past March, no problem. Add your name to the wait list for the next cohort.


Join Our Group Coaching Program – We’re Busy Being Awesome!

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Paula Engebretson - ADHD Coach and Pdacster

About Paula Engebretson

ADHD COACH | PODCASTER

I spent the first 31 years of my life thinking I just needed to “try harder” while dealing with crushing self-doubt, perfectionism and imposter syndrome. Then I was diagnosed with ADHD.

Finally understanding the missing puzzle piece, I discovered how to work with my brain, build upon my strengths, and take back control of my life.

Now I help others with ADHD do the same. Learn more.


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