The ADHD Entrepreneur’s Cycle: Starting Strong, Stalling at 60%

One of the most common patterns I’ve noticed—both in my own work and in conversations with ADHD entrepreneurs—is the tendency to start projects with great enthusiasm, push hard through the early stages, and then stall out somewhere between 60% and 80% done.

The cycle looks something like this:

Start a new project with excitement.
Get a dopamine boost from research and brainstorming.
Hit the initial dip where it feels harder than expected.
Push past the dip and enter hyperfocus mode.
Get the first draft or MVP done.
Hit a wall where finishing seems impossible.
Start a new project instead of finishing the old one.
Repeat. Collect many 60% done projects. :}

Sound familiar?

It makes sense when you understand how the ADHD brain works. Novelty gives us a big dopamine rush that gets us started, and hyperfocus helps push through the hard middle. But then—dopamine drops and perfectionism kicks in. Suddenly, finishing feels like an uphill battle.

How to Get from 60% Done to All the Way Done

Here’s how to break the cycle and actually finish projects.

1. Watch Out for Goal-Post Moving & Gold-Plating

ADHD brains love to tweak, optimize, and add "just one more thing." This subtle scope creep makes the finish line feel further away.

✅ Solution: Define a clear endpoint before you start.

Set "Good, Better, Best" outcomes and give yourself permission to stop at "Good."
Imperfect action sooner almost always beats perfect action later.

✅ Example: If you are creating a new version of something, MVP is replacement before adding on new capabilities. I ran into this moving my Focus Formula Co-Working Community from Skool to Go High Level.

2. Watch out for Unnecessary Dependencies

Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking we must complete one thing before moving forward with another. This creates artificial roadblocks.

✅ Example: Instead of waiting to have every email drafted before launching outreach, send the first few and adjust based on responses.

3. Plan for the 60% Barrier

You know it’s coming—so expect it. Acknowledge that your motivation will dip and plan recovery time accordingly. Sometimes taking a break is the right thing.

4. Use Co-Working or Body Doubling

External accountability can help push through the final 40%. A simple co-working session can make a huge difference in pushing past resistance.

5. Focus on Getting to 65% First

If finishing feels impossible, shift your goal from 100% to 65%. Sometimes just breaking past the initial stall point is enough to regain momentum.

The Bottom Line

If you keep stopping at 60%, hey, you’re not alone. Recognizing the pattern is the first step. By setting clear endpoints, eliminating fake roadblocks, and leveraging accountability, you can finally break through the ADHD entrepreneur’s cycle—and start finishing what you start.

Curious if you may have ADHD? Take my "Are You an ADHD Entrepreneur?" Quiz

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