
If You’ve Ever Thought “Why Can’t I Just Do the Thing?" — Listen to This
From Something Shiny: ADHD! by David Kessler & Isabelle Richards
December 17, 2025 · 20 min · Season 4 · Episode 113
About this episode
In this episode, David and Isabelle discuss the challenges of motivation and accountability in living with ADHD, featuring guest Russ Jones.
You know what to do. You’ve made the list, downloaded the app, maybe even set a timer. But when it’s time to actually do the thing, your brain shuts down. And instead of momentum, you get a wall of shame. In this episode of Something Shiny: ADHD, David and Isabelle are joined by Russ Jones, creator of ADHD Big Brother, wellness coach, and no-BS accountability pro. Russ brings a unique humor and honesty to one of the hardest parts of living with ADHD—knowing what to do but still not being able to do it. This conversation dives into: The motivation myth (and what actually helps ADHD brains move) Why “just try harder” never works The role of accountability—especially when it’s designed for you How shame becomes invisible architecture in your daily life The shift that happens when someone believes in your ability to change Russ isn’t here to hand out hacks—he’s here to name what’s real, what’s hard, and what might help. Because sometimes the most useful tool is someone showing you that you’re not broken, you’ve just been using the wrong blueprint. Want more from Russ? Visit ADHDBigBrother.com and check out the ADHD Big Brother Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧 Follow…
People in this episode
Hosts: David Kessler, Isabelle Richards
Guest: Russ Jones
Topics covered
- ADHD
- motivation
- accountability
- shame
- self-improvement
Keywords
- ADHD
- motivation myth
- accountability
- shame
- wellness coach
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ADHD Big Brother, ADHD Big Brother Podcast
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- What Happens When You Don’t Have to Mask So Hard? · April 22, 2026 · 23 min
- When “You’re Fine” Feels Like the Worst Thing to Hear · April 8, 2026 · 24 min
- Why “Good Change” Still Feels Overwhelming When You Have ADHD · March 25, 2026 · 18 min
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