Money is one of the last taboos among high-achieving adults.
We equate being “good with money” with discipline, intelligence, even worth.
So when the numbers don’t add up, it doesn’t just feel inconvenient — it feels personal.
We quietly measure ourselves by our net worth, our savings, our investments… or the absence of them. And for adults with ADHD, those measurements can become a private source of shame. https://lyndahoffman.com/adhd-coaching-in-montreal/
That shame is powerful enough to keep even the most accomplished professionals silent.
Eve — a highly successful leader with ADHD — told me her financial struggles were lifelong. Not because she lacked intelligence or drive. But because each misstep chipped away at her sense of self.
It made no sense to her.
Brilliant. Analytical. Creative.
Earning an excellent income — yet living paycheck to paycheck.
She described herself as “financially illiterate.”
Despite awards. Despite leadership. Despite proof of her competence.
I see this every day in my practice: talented adults with ADHD who don’t feel like adults because money never seems to be there when they need it.
As Eve said,
“If you can’t manage $10, how do you manage $10,000?”
Eve knew she had ADHD. Not everyone does.
When you don’t understand your brain, you create stories to explain the struggle:
“I’m stupid.”
“I’ll never figure this out.”
“This is just who I am.”
But even the smartest person will struggle financially if their executive functions are under strain.
Executive functions are the brain-based skills that help you direct behaviour toward a goal. When they’re compromised, money becomes emotional. https://lyndahoffman.com/why-am-i-not-succeeding-4-steps-to-strengthen-your-executive-functioning-skills/
Impulse spending.
Using shopping to self-soothe.
Generosity that feels right in the moment but painful later.
Forgetting your best intentions the second something shiny appears.
This isn’t about knowledge. It’s about regulation.
Eve didn’t lack financial intelligence. She struggled with focus, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and follow-through.
Financial ability is a skill.
Executive functioning is a skill.
Skills can be strengthened.
If money has felt confusing,
inconsistent, or shame-inducing,
start here — with your brain.
Decide ahead what you want to create with your money and why.
Ask yourself:
When it comes to your money, working memory supports you in remembering your financial goals – in the moment. You’re holding in mind all the options you have available to you – before you spend.
Ask yourself:
Emotion regulation is the ability to control your emotions so they don’t run you.
When you’re feeling strong emotions, you may feel compelled to act on them regardless of your financial goals. This can look like choosing to spend your way out of a painful feeling or toward a fantastic one!
Ask yourself:
Inhibition puts the brake on your urges. It literally prevents you from crashing into the same spending patterns.
Ask yourself:
What is the best question to ask myself when I do pause before spending?
Self-monitoring is the ability to watch yourself in action. If you don’t see yourself from the outside, you‘ll act from the inside of an emotion.
Ask yourself:
Understand your executive functions, and money stops being a character flaw. It becomes a system you design.
You are not bad with money.
You just need a strategy that works with your brain.
Where do you want to begin?
Let’s have the conversation.
Money is one of the last taboos among high-achieving adults. We equate being “good with money” with discipline, intelligence, even worth. So when the numbers don’t add up, it doesn’t just feel inconvenient — it feels personal. We quietly measure ourselves by our net worth, our savings, our investments… or the absence of them. And …
Adult ADHD: Why Executive Functioning Is Your Greatest Financial AssetRead More
Do you feel you’ve lost your charisma? Your zing? Your zest? Your “je ne sais quoi”…? I work with many executives who exude natural charisma. And sometimes they come to me because they believe they’ve lost the very thing that makes them them. They talk about having lost the essence of who they are. They feel …
Diana had once been the rising star in her organization. Today, as she opened the door to her office for the first time after a year of maternity leave, she felt like a ghost. She didn’t recognize herself. She’d been respected and celebrated in her career before her maternity leave, but now she felt she …
The Executive Return: Navigating Fear, Identity, and Confidence After Maternity LeaveRead More
Do you have a talented executive who isn’t implementing your feedback – no matter how many times it’s delivered? Your executive may have ADHD. And that’s something that truly matters when you consider how to develop their leadership. Neurodiverse executives are creative. They’re forward thinking and they have a high tolerance for risk taking. They’re …
Executive Coaching for ADHD: How HR Can Empower Leaders to ThriveRead More
