The 40% Rule and ADHD
I got out of bed at 5 a.m., went to the gym, and ran. I ran further than usual because I learned about the 40% more rule and the Navy Seals. I was also listening to a book on self-discipline, which I’m sure helped. My run was definitely better than my previous treadmill runs. So, for the past couple of days, I’ve been pondering how the 40% rule works with ADHD and money.
What is the 40% rule, and what does it have to do with the Navy Seals?
The United States’ supreme elite military is the Navy Seals. I’ll bet you have heard of them. They have superpowers and can continue to be in high-stress situations, physically exhausted, and still do the job that needs to be done. It is amazing. But how do they do it?
They learned and applied the 40% rule, which states that when we first give up, we still have 60% left to give mentally and/or physically. We’ve just hit a mental block that we need to push through. We give up and in too soon, at not even half of our capacity. We still have that 60% we need to put somewhere!
When I felt like giving up on my run today, I said five more minutes. I was able to continue for longer than those pesky five minutes. I just had to believe in my ability to do more and push past that mental block.
40% Rule and ADHD
My question to my husband was, how can I apply this to my ADHD? I can apply it to my working out pretty quickly. But when I’m distracted, bored, or in ADHD paralysis, how does it apply? We talked it out, which I’m trying to implement.
My attention wanes. Everyone with ADHD has this issue. We get distracted a lot. Shiny things, squirrelly things, green things, purple things, all the things distract us. To me, it isn’t enjoyable. But what if I can now push past that urge to go do something else and stay focused on the original task? If I only reach 40% of my focus capacity, I still have 60% more focus in me. And I can build on what I can already do, just like I’m doing with my running time. Just focus for five more minutes. Put in 5 more minutes worth of effort. I can build this focus muscle.
Procrastination is another challenging symptom of ADHD. How can I apply the 40% rule to this problem? (like writing this blog post Anyway…) I can begin working on something I don’t want to do for a short period of time. I have to fight that initial resistance to doing something I don’t want to do. I have to push myself. I have to start a 5-minute timer. I can work on most things for 5 minutes. Since just starting is the trouble, I tell myself, “Just five minutes, then you can stop.” I can get a lot done in 5 minutes, especially if my task is broken down into smaller steps. A lot of times, I go beyond the timer.
40% Rule and Money
The 40% rule, though rooted in physical endurance, has powerful applications to your financial life. You might wonder: Does applying 60% more effort mean I have 60% more to spend? I wish! But, pushing yourself to go beyond your comfort zone financially can lead to tremendous benefits.
Here’s how it works: When it feels like you’re already doing everything you can—saving as much as possible, paying off debt steadily, or sticking to a budget—you might be operating at only 40% of your actual capacity. The 40% rule encourages you to dig deeper.
What does that look like in practice?
Saving More: You might think you’re saving the most you can, but applying the 40% rule means challenging yourself to find creative ways to set aside even more. That could mean reducing non-essential spending, putting windfalls like tax refunds or bonuses directly into savings, or automating your savings so you’re forced to adapt to living on less.
Paying Off Debt Faster: Imagine if you could double or triple your debt payments by cutting more from your budget or increasing your income. This doesn’t mean living without joy, but it does involve pushing beyond what feels comfortable. By paying off debt faster, you’ll save thousands in interest and gain financial freedom more quickly.
Growing Financial Knowledge: The 40% rule also applies to how much you think you know about money. Often, we stop learning once we feel we’ve “got it down.” But there’s always more to learn about investing, managing your money, and planning for the future. The more knowledge you acquire, the better decisions you’ll make—and that knowledge compounds just like interest.
In short, applying the 40% rule to your finances can motivate you to save more, pay off debt faster, and grow your financial knowledge. Realizing you’re capable of much more, even when you think you’ve hit your limit, can lead to actual financial transformation.
Bonus Tip: Push Yourself to Save More for Retirement
An easy way to push yourself beyond that 40% financially is to increase your 401(k) or retirement contributions by just 1%. Chances are, you won’t even notice the difference in your paycheck! Doing this a few times a year will make you invest more for your future without feeling like you’ve made a huge sacrifice. Boom—more savings, growth, and financial security, all while nudging yourself beyond your perceived limits.