I asked ChatGPT to help me find my ideal 'self-coaching voice type'. It did this by asking a series of questions and asking me to select the response I would respond best to. Note that the prompt specifically asked for exploring this from an ADHD perspective. ## Examples of questions asked: **1: Facing a Messy To-Do List**** *Scenario*: It’s 10:30 a.m. You’re staring at a long to-do list. You’ve done nothing but scroll or potter since 9:00. You feel under pressure but can't seem to _start_. There’s no crisis — just inertia. **2: After a Setback** *Scenario*: You made a plan last week to make real progress on something important — maybe a personal project, a work task, or a habit. But here you are a week later, and you barely touched it. You feel a mix of guilt, shame, and “why can’t I just do things?” **3: Making a Decision When You Feel Torn** *Scenario*: You have two competing options — both good, both viable, but choosing feels _mentally exhausting_. You've been going back and forth and are stuck in indecision, afraid of regret or getting it wrong. **Step 4: Getting Back on Track Mid-Afternoon** *Scenario*: It’s 3:30 p.m. You had a plan. It unravelled. You’re distracted, annoyed, and sliding toward a wasted afternoon. You _could_ get back on track — but only if something shifts. Right now, you’re scrolling and sighing. **Step 5: Feeling Overwhelmed by Too Many Ideas or Interests** *Scenario*: You're flooded with ideas. Projects, hobbies, new systems, business concepts — it’s all exciting, but also paralysing. You’re not sure what to start, what to drop, or whether you’re just avoiding something. You feel restless and mentally full. **6: You’re About to Give Up on a Goal** *Scenario*: You’ve been working toward something — a goal, a routine, a change — but progress has been slow. You’re now thinking: _“Maybe this just isn’t for me.”_ You’re tired, discouraged, and losing faith that it will ever feel worth it. **7: You’ve Just Had a Productive Morning** *Scenario*: You’ve actually had a great morning — you followed your plan, stayed focused, and finished something important. Now you’re in that rare ADHD moment of satisfaction. What kind of voice helps you transition well from that? **8: You’re Facing a Repetitive, Boring Task** *Scenario*: You’ve got to do something dull — admin, cleaning, data entry, whatever — and you’re putting it off. It’s not hard. It’s just _boring_. And your brain hates boring. **9: You’re Feeling Behind in Life** *Scenario*: You’ve started comparing yourself to others. Social media, peers, siblings — it all seems like they’re getting ahead while you’re… circling. You feel shame, self-doubt, and “I should be further along.” ## Choice given | Scenario / Question | Compassionate Challenger | Logical Analyst | Gentle Companion | Curious Explorer | Values Guide | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1. Messy to-do list | “Choose one thing — do 10 minutes, then rest if needed.” | “Let’s triage. Urgent vs not. Categorise to reduce panic.” | “You seem overwhelmed. Rest first? Tea, breath, then look.” | “If this were a story, what’s the stuck point? What happens next?” | “What one step today would move you toward your future self?” | | 2. After a setback | “Own the lapse. Fix the plan. Do something today.” | “What broke? Time? Energy? Fix the structure, not yourself.” | “You had good intentions. Want to talk through where it slipped?” | “What if your week was designed around curiosity instead of obligation?” | “This matters to you. How do you want to show up now?” | | 3. Decision-making when torn | “Pick one. You can’t optimise your way to perfect.” | “List pros, cons, outcomes. We need clarity, not emotion.” | “It’s OK not to know. Let’s trust that clarity will come.” | “Which choice would lead to the best story from your future self?” | “Which choice better reflects who you want to become?” | | 4. Afternoon re-engagement | “Give me 20 focused minutes — reclaim the day.” | “What’s still realistic? Rebuild a 90-min sprint.” | “You’ve had a hard day. Soften expectations. What went wrong?” | “What’s a tiny win you could create this hour?” | “What would your future self be proud of between now and bedtime?” | | 5. Idea flood / too many interests | “Pick one priority and table the rest — now.” | “Let’s list, cluster, score each idea. Which is viable?” | “Let’s hold space for your creative overflow and slow it down.” | “What’s the common thread in these ideas? What’s trying to emerge?” | “Which idea aligns with the life you’re called to build — not just your dopamine today?” | | 6. About to give up on a goal | “Before you abandon, re-enter. One small step.” | “Let’s diagnose friction: effort, boredom, fear?” | “It’s OK to rest. You’ve already learned something.” | “Is this redirection, not failure? What is your brain trying to say?” | “What’s the deeper why? Reconnect to the purpose behind this.” | | 7. After a productive morning | “Great. Let’s keep this going. What’s the next win?” | “Lock in what worked: time, prep, mindset. Capture the process.” | “Pause. Celebrate. You *did* it — mark the win.” | “How did that feel? Want to voice-note what was flowing?” | “What from this morning aligned with the life you want to build?” | | 8. Boring, repetitive task | “Let’s race it. Timer, music, 15-minute challenge.” | “Reduce friction. Break into steps. Remove distractions.” | “This isn’t your fault — it’s dopamine. Let’s not moralise.” | “What’s this task represent? What’s your relationship to effort?” | “You don’t have to love it. But you can still honour yourself with 5 minutes of care.” | | 9. Feeling behind in life | “Choose one thing today to start catching up.” | “What systems will focus your energy instead of your doubt?” | “You’re not broken — just tired. You don’t have to fix this today.” | “What would you say to a friend in this spiral? Say it to yourself.” | “Zoom out. What milestones matter to *you*? What honours the life you want?” | This resulted in [[My Coaching Tone Profile]] For more details of each self-coaching voice types, see [[Self-Coaching Voice Types]]