Think of your brain as a high-performance sports car. Under optimal conditions, it's capable of extraordinary feats – processing complex information, making strategic decisions, and navigating challenging situations with precision. But what happens when we push that engine to its limits? When deadlines loom, stakeholders demand attention, and the pressure mounts? Our executive function skills – the very abilities that got us to leadership positions – begin to falter.

A CEO might resist hiring an executive assistant, believing they should handle their own calendar. A CFO might struggle with presentations, thinking they should master PowerPoint themselves. The accommodation isn't just about capability - it's about optimizing time and energy for what truly matters.

Where in your life are you stuck because you think you should be able to do it yourself? What accommodation is hiding in plain sight? Sometimes the answers are simple once we give ourselves permission to see them. Ask yourself: What is my time worth? My sanity? My serenity?

This understanding led me to the GEM practice - a daily ritual that combines Gratitude, Excitement, and Manifestation. It takes traditional gratitude practices several steps further: We start by listing three things we're grateful for right now. Then we note three things we're excited about - what's already planned or coming up. Finally, we list three things we're manifesting - our deeper desires and hopes. But here's the key: we also explore the root of those desires. If we want a promotion, are we seeking recognition, financial security, respect, or perhaps just an office with better lighting?

As a Turbo Thinker© executive and coach, I have the pleasure of working with an amazing executive assistant (thanks Handed by Hayden) who understands neurodiversity. When I asked about their experiences supporting executives over the years, hoping to avoid common pitfalls, their observations struck a deep chord. Most challenges they described relate directly to patterns we Turbo Thinkers© often face. Below are their insights, gathered from 15 years in direct support roles, followed by my perspective as both a Turbo Thinker© and an ADHD coach.

As a coach for Turbo Thinkers©, I often see clients struggling to ask for what they need at work. Let me share Sarah's story - it might sound familiar.

Through our coaching process, we discovered what Sarah's brain needed to succeed. What does our unique brain need to succeed? How can we ask for that support? How might reviewing our history of success help us find the courage to take risks? What possibilities open up when we know, deep down, that we'll be okay?