Before You Set New Year Goals, Consider This: Could ADHD Be Holding You Back?

The new year brings a wave of motivation. Think: fresh planners, big dreams, and a brand new set of New Year's resolutions. 

But if you find yourself setting the same goals year after year and struggling to follow through, it’s easy to assume you’re “not disciplined enough” or “just need to try harder.”

But what if the issue isn’t effort? What if the real barrier is undiagnosed or unmanaged attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

ADHD isn’t just about hyperactivity or distraction. In adults, it often shows up as difficulty with planning, prioritizing, organization, emotional regulation, and consistency, all skills that directly impact your ability to make sustained progress on goals. 

Our team sees it all the time in the ADHD testing center at Body & Mind Consulting in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

So, before you write your New Year’s resolutions, review these signs that ADHD could be part of the story.

1. You make ambitious plans…but struggle to start

ADHD often makes it hard to initiate tasks, even the ones you’re excited about. You have the vision. You know what you want. But getting into motion feels strangely hard, not because you aren’t motivated, but because your brain’s executive functions are working overtime just to get going.

2. You start strong, then lose momentum

You may begin the year with energy, even hyperfocus. Hyperfocus can last hours or even days. Then, suddenly, it’s like the spark disappears.

You feel frustrated, confused, or ashamed, yet this cycle is a hallmark ADHD pattern rooted in activation and working-memory challenges, not laziness.

3. Everyday life eats your bandwidth

For many people with ADHD, the hidden challenge isn’t the goal itself. The challenging part is often managing the day-to-day tasks and micro-decisions that come before the goal. 

When your brain is overwhelmed by managing time, staying organized, or keeping routines, big-picture goals naturally fall off the radar.

4. You feel like you ‘know what to do’… but can’t seem to do it

This is one of the most misunderstood signs of ADHD. You understand the strategy. You’ve read the tips. You’ve even written out the plan. But translating intention into action feels like pushing through mud.

That gap between knowing and doing is often neurological, not a character flaw.

5. You’re hard on yourself every December

If your year-end reflections feel like a highlight reel of “failures,” it may be because you’re evaluating yourself without understanding how your brain actually works. Self-criticism becomes the soundtrack, even though your challenges are rooted in wiring, not willpower.

Before you set new goals, try this instead

If any of these patterns resonate, consider shifting your approach:

Swap willpower for self-understanding

Recognizing ADHD patterns instantly reframes your struggles and opens the door to strategies that actually work for your brain.

Focus on systems, not sheer effort

People with ADHD thrive with structure, scaffolding, visual cues, and accountability, not vague goals or motivation alone.

Ditch the vague goals

Write your goals as SMART goals so they’re specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. This formula turns vague goals into more achievable ones.

Get curious, not judgmental

You’re not broken. You’re not “bad at goals.” Your brain just needs a different road map.

How can we help you achieve your goals in 2026?

If you suspect ADHD may be influencing your day-to-day functioning, your stress levels, or your ability to follow through on goals, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Psychologists Dr. Lisa Webb and Dr. Ken Robins and counselors Richard Bagley and Margaret Anne Anderson offer specialized support to help you understand your patterns and move forward with confidence.

We can:

• Get you set up with an ADHD assessment 
• Conduct additional assessments to confirm or rule out any co-occurring conditions 
• Create a personalized ADHD treatment plan that includes therapy and behavioral modifications
• Provide science-backed guidance for ADHD, executive functioning, stress, and emotional regulation
• Build practical systems that support the way your brain works
• Recommend workshops to help improve communications and/or relationships

Before you set your goals, get to know the mind behind them. Call us at 615-310-1491 or click here to schedule an ADHD evaluation with our team today.