Mapping a New Path: Finding Your Flow

A Personal Guide for Creatives & Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs

From someone who understands your unique brain by Amanda King

Unlocking Your Creative Potential: A Personal Guide for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs

The Importance of Mapping

I have had the pleasure of working with several highly creative, innovative masters in their fields, from master artisans to C-suite level leaders. I noticed some distinct patterns that set the successful apart from those simply aspirational.

• Awareness: These powerhouse creatives recognized who they were and where they came from, embracing both strengths and weaknesses with unapologetic authenticity.

  
  

• Acceptance: They accepted themselves fully. Each was pragmatic about their unique journeys and took necessary steps to achieve peace with their circumstances.

  
  

• Action: The actions they took were both decisive and intentional. They spent time learning about themselves and their environment, enabling confident movement forward.

  
  

If you're running a business with a creative or neurodivergent brain, you might ask yourself, “How do I get to that point?” You may struggle daily to locate your wallet, keys, or phone. Hearing persistent advice to "just follow a routine" or "get organized" might feel more frustrating than helpful. Meanwhile, peers may seem to effortlessly organize entire email campaigns in a single day. How are they doing it? Are they superhuman? No, they're simply working in alignment with how their brains function.

Understanding Structure and Scaffolding

Here's a crucial point: organization and routine can be beneficial, but only when tailored to harmonize with your unique way of thinking. Too often, the structure feels like a castle with stone walls, trapping creativity. The mere thought of a to-do list might send you into a frenzy, while someone else thrives on checking items off their list.

Let’s explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of incorporating more structure or scaffolding into your daily life.

Let’s Translate, Shall We

• Structure: This refers to predictable routines, time blocks, and workflows. They create a rhythm in your life.

  
  

• Scaffolding: External supports help delegate decision-making or mental effort. This includes tools like checklists, timers, or visual maps.

  
  

• Mapping: For Maven Coaching, this combines the best of both structure and scaffolding. A map guides your journey, allowing flexibility for side quests and breaks. Its essential goal is to establish orientation in time and space, helping you maintain a rhythm and minimize burnout.

  
  

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Raising Awareness: Benefits of Mapping

1. Easing Decision Fatigue

Neurodivergent brains process countless inputs daily. Implementing an energy map reduces the overwhelming cycles of “What should I do next?” that can lead to shutdowns.

Brain Science Note: Your executive function—the brain’s organization and planning system—has limited bandwidth. Understanding your unique cycle can relieve cognitive pressure, allowing you to focus better on your work.

2. Build Your Own Energy Savers

With AI automation and no-code solutions at your fingertips, you can automate tasks that drain your executive function battery. By doing so, reserve mental energy for creative tasks that generate revenue instead of causing burnout.

3. Managing Time Blindness

Time blindness often affects creatives, especially in flow states. This is where integrating 1-2 options into your map helps jog your memory without overwhelming your focus.

Real Example: I often use a post-it note on my laptop for crucial reminders. Others may favor pop-up alarms or clocks showing how many minutes remain on their task.

4. Supporting Follow-Through Without Shame

When your systems align with your natural instincts, completing tasks becomes easier. This isn’t due to newfound discipline, but rather, reduced friction points within your systems.

5. A Gentle Return After Setbacks

Life can be unpredictable. A flexible map allows gentle re-orientation, so you don’t have to start from scratch each time you experience a setback.

Where Does it All Go Wrong?

1. Too Many Boxes to Check

If merely engaging with a structure overwhelms you, it’s a sign that “this system isn’t for me.” Pay attention to those feelings and build your awareness accordingly.

Helpful Perspective: Modern life allows customization. Your day should reflect your priorities, not vice versa.

2. Fearing Failure

For some, maintaining rigid standards becomes a source of obligation, often harming both life and business. Remember, making mistakes is typical and human.

3. Needing Space to Breathe

Humans are not designed to live rushed lives. Without time for connection, rest, and community, our brains falter. Ensure you allow breathing room in your schedule.

4. Avoiding Generic Systems

Innovators thrive outside cookie-cutter frameworks. Your unique ideas challenge traditional systems.

For Instance: What works for one person may feel overwhelming to another. Elaborate bullet journaling could be liberating for some and utterly stifling for others.

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Taking Action: Your Next Steps

Now that you’ve built awareness around intentional mapping, embrace acceptance, and prepare to take action.

Next Steps:

1. Reflect: Spend 15 minutes journaling, video chatting, or voice messaging your strengths and weaknesses. Enlist an objective friend to review.

   
   

2. Identify Areas: Choose 1-2 attributes for deeper exploration. Thus, consider, for instance: "I excel at talking to customers, but struggle with email campaigns," or "My skills in crafting chairs are great, but my business suffers because I get lost in QuickBooks."

   
   

3. Make a Decisive Plan: Lean into your strengths while addressing weaknesses by mapping out your action steps.

   
   

Remember: You Are Not Alone on This Journey!

Want a customized template to create a structure that genuinely complements your brain? Just let me know—I'd be happy to map it out alongside you.