The Invisible Barrier

Have you ever stared at a simple task (one you know you can do, one that might take 15 minutes) and felt completely unable to start? As if an invisible force field stood between you and the work?

This isn't laziness. It isn't a lack of discipline. It's what ADHD expert Brendan Mahan calls the "Wall of Awful."

How the Wall Gets Built

Brick by Brick

The Wall of Awful is constructed from:

• Past Failures: Every time a similar task went badly
• Criticism Received: Comments about being lazy, careless, or unreliable
• Shame and Embarrassment: The feeling of "I should be able to do this"
• Frustrated Expectations: Disappointment from others and yourself
• Accumulated Negative Emotions: Anxiety, dread, and self-doubt

Why Some Tasks Have Higher Walls

Tasks that have caused repeated problems develop the tallest walls:

• Administrative work (taxes, paperwork, filing)
• Communication (emails, difficult conversations)
• Organization (cleaning, filing, systems)
• Follow-through (finishing projects, honoring commitments)

Tasks associated with your worst ADHD moments become the hardest to start.

Recognizing Your Walls

Signs You're Facing a Wall:

• Feeling paralyzed despite wanting to act
• Intense avoidance that seems irrational
• Physical symptoms (tension, dread) when approaching the task
• Finding yourself doing anything else to avoid starting
• Feeling worse about yourself the longer you avoid

Common Wall Triggers:

• Tasks where you've previously failed
• Activities tied to criticism or shame
• Work requiring executive functions that are challenging for you
• Anything that reminds you of past negative experiences

Getting Over the Wall

You can't demolish the wall through willpower. It was built over years; it won't disappear through determination. Instead, you need strategies to climb over, tunnel under, or reduce its height.

1. Acknowledge the Wall

The first step is recognizing what's happening. Instead of "I'm so lazy, why can't I just start?" try:

"I'm facing my Wall of Awful right now. This task has accumulated negative associations that make starting difficult. That's a brain thing, not a character flaw."

2. Reduce the Wall's Height

Address Past Wounds:

• Process past failures with self-compassion
• Recognize that previous struggles were ADHD, not laziness
• Separate your worth from your task completion

Rewrite the Narrative:

• "I've struggled with this before" → "I'm learning better strategies"
• "I always fail at this" → "I'm developing new approaches"
• "I'm terrible at follow-through" → "I'm building systems that support me"

3. Build Ladders Over the Wall

Lower the Stakes:

• Start with a tiny action (open the document, nothing more)
• Give yourself permission to stop after 5 minutes
• Remove pressure for perfect outcomes

Add Positive Elements:

• Pair dreaded tasks with enjoyable activities
• Work in a favorite location
• Add music, coffee, or other dopamine boosters

Use External Support:

• Body doubling (someone present while you work)
• Accountability partner for check-ins
• Scheduled time with clear start/end

4. Prevent New Bricks

Celebrate Attempts, Not Just Completions:

• "I tried to start that email. That counts"
• Acknowledge effort, not just results
• Build positive associations with the task

Create Buffer Systems:

• Build margins so small failures don't cascade
• Design systems that catch mistakes early
• Reduce the stakes of any single attempt

Practice Self-Compassion:

• Treat yourself like you'd treat a friend
• Recognize that struggle is part of ADHD
• Replace self-criticism with problem-solving

The Entrepreneur's Wall

For ADHD entrepreneurs, certain business tasks often develop the highest walls:

Financial Tasks

Built from: Forgotten invoices, tax disasters, bounced checks, money shame

Ladder Strategy: Automate everything possible, hire bookkeeping help, create simple weekly money rituals

Sales and Marketing

Built from: Rejections, RSD triggers, feeling "salesy," past embarrassments

Ladder Strategy: Reframe as helping people, create low-pressure approaches, celebrate attempts not just wins

Administrative Work

Built from: Piles of unfiled papers, missed deadlines, audit anxieties

Ladder Strategy: Extreme simplification, batch processing, virtual assistant support

Client Communication

Built from: Overdue responses, forgotten promises, damaged relationships

Ladder Strategy: Templates, scheduled response times, accountability for follow-through

Self-Assessment: Your Wall of Awful

Identify Your Walls

For each category, rate the "wall height" (1 = Easy to Start, 5 = Feels Impossible):

• Email and messages
• Financial tasks (invoicing, bookkeeping, taxes)
• Administrative paperwork
• Sales and marketing
• Difficult conversations
• Project completion
• Organization and filing
• Health-related tasks

Tasks rated 4-5 need specific "ladder strategies" to overcome the accumulated emotional barriers.

Questions for Reflection

• Which tasks have you failed at repeatedly?
• Where do you receive the most criticism?
• What do you feel most shame about avoiding?
• Which tasks trigger physical symptoms of dread?

Summary

• The Wall of Awful is an emotional barrier built from accumulated negative experiences
• It's not laziness. It's a real neurological and emotional obstacle.
• You can't power through with willpower; you need strategies
• Acknowledging the wall removes shame and enables problem-solving
• Ladders include: lowering stakes, adding positive elements, using external support
• Preventing new bricks through self-compassion reduces future walls
• Understanding your personal walls helps you design targeted interventions