Narrator: Imagine having only two weeks to write an entire book. The research is done, but the words won't come. For most, this would be a time for panic and caffeine-fueled all-nighters. But entrepreneur Peter Shankman, facing this exact deadline for his book Zombie Loyalists, made a bizarre decision. He bought a round-trip, business-class ticket to Tokyo, a city he had no reason to visit. He boarded the plane, and for the fourteen-hour flight, he wrote. He landed, walked through the airport, and immediately boarded the same plane for the thirteen-hour flight home. During that return trip, he finished the book. Thirty hours after taking off, he landed with a completed manuscript that would become a bestseller. This seemingly insane act wasn't a stunt; it was a calculated strategy to create a perfect, distraction-free environment for his unique brain.

In his book, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain, Peter Shankman argues that this is the key to unlocking the potential of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s not about fixing a flaw, but about understanding and building a world that caters to a brain that operates on a completely different, and often faster, wavelength.

Narrator: The core message of the book is a radical reframing of ADHD. Shankman insists it’s not a disease, a defect, or a sign of being broken. Instead, he describes it as a gift—a unique brain configuration that processes information differently. For years, Shankman was a successful entrepreneur who was also chronically late, impulsive, and unable to maintain long-term relationships. He didn't understand why.

The turning point came after a painful breakup. His girlfriend, Joan, explained that even when he was physically present, he was mentally a million miles away, more engaged with his phone than with her. Heartbroken, Shankman sought help from his therapist, who promptly threw a book at him: Delivered from Distraction. Reading it was an epiphany. Shankman realized his lifelong struggles weren't character flaws; they were symptoms of an undiagnosed "operating system." This discovery didn't just give him a label; it gave him a manual. He learned that the ADHD brain, with its lower baseline levels of dopamine and serotonin, is constantly seeking stimulation. This can lead to distraction, but it can also fuel incredible creativity, problem-solving, and hyperfocus when channeled correctly.

Narrator: Shankman argues that for a person with ADHD, absolute freedom is a trap. The impulsivity and constant search for dopamine can lead to poor decisions. Therefore, the secret to harnessing the ADHD brain is not to let it run wild, but to build a strict set of rules to contain its power. He outlines four "Undeniable Life Rules" that form the foundation of his system.

First, eliminate choice whenever possible. Decision fatigue is a real drain, so he automates mundane choices. He wears the same few outfits, eats the same meals, and even sleeps in his gym clothes to remove the morning decision of whether or not to work out. Second and third are to eat well and sleep well, as nutrition and rest are critical for managing brain chemistry.

The fourth rule is to exercise, preferably outside. But the most powerful illustration of this principle is his "Vegas Rider." When booked for a speaking gig in Las Vegas, a city designed for impulsive behavior, Shankman includes a special clause in his contract. It stipulates that his time on the ground cannot exceed eight hours. He flies in, gives his speech, and flies out, completely removing the temptation to get sidetracked. By creating these rigid boundaries, he doesn't limit his freedom; he protects it, ensuring his energy is directed toward what truly matters.

Narrator: The ADHD brain can be easily derailed by triggers—people, places, or situations that send it spiraling. A key part of Shankman's system is identifying these triggers and proactively managing them. He tells the story of Mark, a salesman with ADHD who was on the verge of being fired. Mark was brilliant with people but terrible at preparation, often forgetting key client details and blowing major sales calls. After a diagnosis, he didn't just rely on medication; he created a new ritual. Every single day, he dedicated one hour to meticulously preparing for the next day's meetings. This simple, non-negotiable routine eliminated the trigger of being unprepared. His performance skyrocketed, and he became the top salesperson in his company.

This principle extends to the physical environment. Shankman argues that for the ADHD brain, "clutter is just distractions waiting to happen." A messy desk or a cluttered room isn't just untidy; it's a constant, low-level drain on focus. He shares the story of George, a business owner whose cluttered bathroom vanity made him feel like a failure every morning. By simply clearing it out and keeping only the five items he actually used, he removed a significant source of daily stress and mental friction. Simplifying one's environment allows the brain to devote all its resources to the task at hand.

Narrator: Shankman is a firm believer in a simple truth: you don't have to do everything yourself. Acknowledging your weaknesses and outsourcing them is a sign of strength, not failure. He tells a cautionary tale from before he had an assistant. Invited to speak in Singapore, he mistakenly booked his own flight to Shanghai. He didn't realize the error until he was at the check-in counter, a mistake that cost him thousands of dollars and nearly his entire speaking fee. Now, an assistant handles all his travel.

This concept applies to life as well as business. He shares the story of Audra, an entrepreneur and mother who was drowning in laundry. The constant, overwhelming chore was crippling her ability to focus on her home business. Her solution was to hire a high school student to do the family's laundry twice a week. The small expense was immediately offset by her massive increase in productivity, effectively paying for itself. By delegating a task that drained her mental energy, she freed herself to excel in her areas of strength. This, combined with using digital tools for everything from password management to cloud storage, creates a life-support system that handles the small stuff, so the ADHD brain can focus on the big picture.

Narrator: Ultimately, all the rules, tools, and strategies are in service of one final, crucial step: fully embracing that being different is what makes you great. Shankman illustrates this with a powerful story from his childhood. When he was twelve, his grandfather passed away. According to Jewish tradition, his father needed to recite a prayer, the Kaddish, every day for a year, which required a minyan—a group of ten Jewish men. While traveling on a train, his father lamented that he wouldn't be able to say the prayer that day.

Without a moment's hesitation, twelve-year-old Peter saw a problem and a solution. He walked the entire length of the Amtrak train, asking every man he saw, "Excuse me, sir, are you Jewish?" He gathered nine men and led them back to his father, who was stunned into silence. For Shankman, it wasn't an act of bravery; it was just the most logical thing to do. His "faster than normal" brain didn't get bogged down by social anxiety or the fear of rejection. It saw the goal and the most direct path to achieving it. This is the ADHD superpower in its purest form: the ability to cut through the noise, see solutions others miss, and act decisively.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Faster Than Normal is that managing ADHD is not about becoming "normal." It is about the radical act of self-acceptance and the strategic construction of a life designed to support your unique brain. It’s about building a system of rules, tools, and routines that act as a launchpad, not a cage, allowing the incredible power of hyperfocus, creativity, and rapid problem-solving to take flight.

The book challenges us to look at what society often labels a disorder and see it instead as a high-performance engine that simply requires a different kind of fuel and a more skilled driver. The question it leaves us with is profound, not just for those with ADHD but for everyone: what untapped potential could we all unleash if we stopped trying to fix our perceived weaknesses and started building our lives around our greatest, most unique strengths?