I’ve been making very slow progress on reading David Amerland ‘s book, The Sniper Mind, but probably not for the reasons one might think. It’s a fairly easy read, in the sense that you don’t have wade through much technological jargon, and what there is, he does a good job of explaining in layman’s terms. Nor is it because you have to try to figure out how to apply the lessons that he draws from his discussions with snipers; David lays it all out for you, in easy-to-follow and easy-to-implement bullet lists and checklists of things to do.
No, the reason is because, while I like to think that David and I share quite a few interests and even personal characteristics, there is one crucial difference between him and me. That difference is that I’m ADHD (non-hyperactive type), and AFAIK David is not. Because of that difference, David possesses one key characteristic that I lack, and that is self-discipline.
That one trait, which he possesses, and which I lack, is also why I chose to put this post in this Collection, rather than the several others into which it would easily fit.
I’ve mostly been listening to the audiobook version on Audible during my morning and evening commutes, which unfortunately allows my mind the freedom to wander. Being ADHD, my mind is often connecting what David is writing about to some other book that I’ve read on business success, or martial arts training; or how it reminds me of a concept learned during a dental seminar or during martial arts training (that’s a frequent theme, as David and I share a passion for martial arts); or how I’ve been meaning to write a blog post on something similar; or perhaps how it is illustrated by something I’ve struggled with as a person with ADHD.
The part of the book to which I keep returning in my mind, is that in which David describes the 3 P’s: Purpose, Passion, & Persistence.
Of those 3, the one with which I struggle most, has always been persistence, aka self-discipline. Anyone with ADHD knows that struggle, even with coping skills and medication. I don’t mean to make ADHD a scapegoat or excuse; despite it, and even in some ways because of it, I have lived a rich and fulfilling life, and my dental practice is extremely successful (lots of that is due to my wife, too). But if there is one thing that is difficult for people with ADHD, it is maintaining self-discipline and persistent focus on one or more tasks, skills, or goals over extended periods of time. We get hung up on tasks easily, unable to move beyond them. For example, I haven’t been able to keep reading/listening to the book much for the last week, until I was able to figure out what I wanted to say about it thus far. Thankfully, that’s what I’m doing now, so hopefully, I can make progress on the book again. Although, there are at least 5 other topics that I would like to discuss, just from the first few chapters, and there’s no way to do all that here and now. Mostly because I desperately need to finish watching an online seminar on planning dental implant cases, and I have some free time to do that now.
Which of course, is another thing about ADHD – we often have way too many irons in the fire. LOL. But that will have to be a topic for another day. I’ve already read 300 pages of A Feast for Crows today, written this, so now I have to watch more of the course. When I get home, it’ll be time to cook dinner for tonight and the week, practice piano for 45 minutes, and watch Annie with my 11yo daughter.