
Episode 352: Always Starting Over with ADHD? The Spiral Staircase of Growth
From I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD by Paula Engebretson - ADHD Productivity Coach
April 27, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 352
About this episode
This episode discusses the non-linear nature of growth for individuals with ADHD and introduces the Spiral Staircase Model of growth.
Have you ever looked at a pattern you thought you'd "fixed" — maybe you fell back into all-or-nothing thinking, or perfectionism returned, or you found yourself avoiding the very thing you spent weeks building a habit around — and your ADHD brain quietly offers this thought: "Here we go again. After all this. I'm right back where I started." This episode has your name on it. Real ADHD growth rarely moves in a straight line, and understanding why changes everything. In Episode 352, You Will Discover: Why ADHD brains feel like they keep returning to the same patterns (and why you're not actually back at square one) The Spiral Staircase Model of growth and what it really means for your ADHD journey Three reflection questions to help you recognize and learn from the progress you've made Work With Me: Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) Learn more about private coaching here Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz! Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains More ADHD Resources: Discover my favorite ADHD resources Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome…
People in this episode
Host: Paula Engebretson
Topics covered
- ADHD
- personal growth
- all-or-nothing thinking
- perfectionism
- self-reflection
- coaching
Keywords
- ADHD
- growth
- habits
- self-improvement
- coaching
- reflection
- perfectionism
More episodes of I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD
- A Flexible Summer Strategy Your ADHD Brain Will Love · May 7, 2026 · 23 min
- Episode 353: ADHD Imposter Syndrome: Owning the Process That Works for You · May 4, 2026 · 35 min
- Episode 351: The Hidden Reason You Can't Turn Off | ADHD & Burnout · April 20, 2026 · 40 min
- Episode 350: The ADHD Productivity Framework: The One Thing Your ADHD Brain Needs to Get Unstuck · April 13, 2026 · 44 min
- Episode 349: The 20 Second Rule Your ADHD Brain Will Love · April 6, 2026 · 23 min
- Episode 348: 10 Years of ADHD Lessons in 35 Minutes · March 30, 2026 · 35 min
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