Unlocking Motivation with ADHD: The INCUP Framework for High-Functioning ADHD Minds
- Sara Tookey, PhD
- Mar 22
- 9 min read
Written by Dr Sara Tookey
For ADHD adults, finding motivation can sometimes feel like searching for a hidden switch that mysteriously activates only under certain conditions. If you've ever wondered why you can focus intensely on certain activities whilst struggling to begin others, you're not alone.
This inconsistency in motivation is a fundamental aspect of how the ADHD brain works—and understanding it can transform how you approach daily tasks and long-term goals.
Key Learning Points:
Interest-Based vs. Importance-Based: Adults with ADHD typically operate with an interest-based nervous system rather than the importance-based system most productivity advice assumes.
INCUP Framework: Interest, Novelty, Challenge, Urgency, and Passion are the five key motivational triggers for the ADHD brain.
Interest: Activities that naturally spark interest provide essential dopamine, making engagement possible or even effortless for ADHD minds.
Novelty: The ADHD brain responds strongly to what's new and different; changing environments or approaches can boost motivation.
Challenge: The right level of challenge creates flow states that bypass typical ADHD attention difficulties.
Urgency: Time pressure often triggers intense focus in ADHD minds; creating artificial urgency through timers can help initiate tasks.
Passion: Connecting tasks to core values and larger purpose provides sustained motivation beyond immediate interest.
Self-Compassion: Understanding your ADHD motivational patterns as different (not deficient) is key to developing effective strategies.
Environmental Design: Intentionally create spaces and routines that incorporate INCUP elements whilst minimising unhelpful distractions.
Working with Your Brain: Success with ADHD isn't about forcing neurotypical approaches, but leveraging your unique motivational profile.
Read more about ADHD in adulthood and learn strategies that can help you thrive with your unique mind. See our related articles:
The Interest-Based Nervous System and High-Functioning ADHD
Traditional approaches to productivity often assume everyone operates with an importance-based nervous system—one that responds reliably to deadlines, consequences, and obligations. However, many ADHD adults function primarily through an interest-based nervous system, which responds to entirely different motivational factors (Volkow et al., 2011).
This difference isn't about willpower or character; it's about neurobiology. The ADHD brain typically has altered dopamine functioning, which affects how we experience motivation, reward, and the ability to initiate and sustain attention (Volkow et al., 2009; Hoogman et al., 2017).
Introducing INCUP: The Five Motivational Keys for ADHD Minds
Psychologist Dr William Dodson proposed the INCUP framework to describe the five primary factors that effectively motivate the ADHD brain (Dodson, 2021). Understanding these can help you work with your neurobiology rather than against it.
Interest
For the ADHD brain, genuine interest is perhaps the most powerful motivator. When something captures your interest, your brain releases dopamine—the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, reward, and attention—allowing you to engage more fully.
Why it matters: People with ADHD typically have lower baseline levels of dopamine. Activities that naturally spark interest provide that crucial dopamine boost, making engagement possible and sometimes even effortless (Luman et al., 2010; Sonuga-Barke, 2005).
Practical application: Look for aspects of necessary tasks that genuinely interest you. Can you approach a work project from an angle that engages your curiosity? Can you connect routine responsibilities to larger interests or values that matter to you?
Novelty
The ADHD brain is particularly responsive to what's new and different. Novel experiences and approaches can trigger dopamine release, making it easier to engage with tasks that might otherwise feel mundane.
Why it matters: The pursuit of novelty isn't merely preference—it's a neurobiological response that can significantly impact your ability to focus and engage (Kooij et al., 2019; Tegelbeckers et al., 2016).
Practical application: Introduce new elements to routine tasks. Work in different environments, use different tools, or approach familiar tasks from new angles. Even small changes can stimulate the novelty response.
Challenge
Many adults with ADHD find themselves remarkably focused when facing the right kind of challenge. When a task requires problem-solving and stretches your abilities (without overwhelming them), it can become intrinsically motivating.
Why it matters: The right level of challenge creates a state of flow and engagement that can bypass typical attention difficulties (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Østergaard et al., 2021).
Practical application: Break larger tasks into smaller challenges with clear completion points. Set challenges for yourself with meaningful rewards. Remember that the challenge should be sufficient to engage your problem-solving abilities without triggering avoidance.
Urgency
The approaching deadline, the last-minute preparation—these scenarios often trigger intense focus and productivity in ADHD minds. While this isn't always the healthiest motivation pattern, understanding it can help harness its power more effectively.
Why it matters: The urgency response often creates what many with ADHD describe as "11th-hour clarity"—a sudden ability to focus intensely when time pressure becomes real (Rubia et al., 2009; Toplak et al., 2013).
Practical application: Create artificial urgency through timers, accountability systems, or breaking work into smaller "urgent" segments. The Pomodoro Technique (working in focused 25-minute intervals) can be particularly effective for creating manageable urgency.
Passion
When something deeply matters to you—when it connects to your values, identity, or vision—the motivation often follows. Passion can create sustained interest that overcomes typical ADHD barriers to engagement.
Why it matters: Passion creates meaning, and meaningful activities are more likely to sustain attention even through difficult aspects of the work (Sedgwick et al., 2019; Hupfeld et al., 2019).
Practical application: Connect tasks to your core values and larger purpose whenever possible. Look for ways your work or responsibilities contribute to what matters most to you.
Beyond Understanding: Creating INCUP-Friendly Environments
Understanding these motivation factors is only the beginning. The next step is intentionally designing your life and work to incorporate them:
Environmental design: Create spaces and routines that naturally incorporate novelty and interest whilst minimising distractions that don't serve you.
Task restructuring: Break larger responsibilities into smaller, more challenge-oriented components with clear completion points.
Motivation mapping: Identify which INCUP factors work best for different types of tasks. Some may respond better to urgency, whilst others might need a passion connection.
Self-compassion practice: Recognise that your motivational patterns are different, not deficient. Working with your neurobiology rather than against it is both more effective and kinder to yourself.
The Role of ADHD Treatment
Whilst understanding and applying the INCUP framework can significantly improve your relationship with motivation, effective ADHD management often requires a comprehensive approach. ADHD medications work directly on dopamine systems, helping to address the neurobiological factors that affect motivation (Faraone et al., 2021; Cortese et al., 2018).
Therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and coaching can also provide valuable strategies for implementing INCUP principles in daily life (Young et al., 2020; Lopez et al., 2018). At True North Psychology, we take a holistic approach to ADHD support, combining medication management (where appropriate) with psychological strategies tailored to your unique brain.
Conclusion: Working With Your Brain, Not Against It
Living successfully with ADHD isn't about forcing yourself to operate like a neurotypical brain. It's about understanding your unique motivational profile and creating environments where you can thrive.
The INCUP framework offers a compassionate and effective way to approach productivity and engagement. Rather than seeing inconsistent motivation as a personal failing, recognise it as valuable information about how your brain works best.
By intentionally incorporating interest, novelty, challenge, urgency, and passion into your life and work, you can unlock motivation patterns that feel more natural and sustainable. This isn't just about getting things done—it's about honouring your neurodiversity whilst creating a life that works with your brain rather than against it.
Final Point: What Everybody Needs to Know About Neurodivergence
Whether diagnosed or not, neurodivergent individuals often face systemic barriers and vulnerabilities. Whether professionally diagnosed or self-identified, it's crucial to remember that being neurodivergent is not a choice. For those who self-diagnose later in life, traits may become more apparent as they feel safer to be themselves. Supporting individuals on their journey of self-discovery, regardless of their diagnostic status, is essential for their well-being and self-acceptance.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified mental health professional for personalised guidance.
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