Planners, Responders, and Listening to the Body
What if ADHD wasn’t only about what’s missing, but about a different rhythm of responding?
Too often, the label highlights difficulty planning, organizing, or following through. But what if we recognized the gift of responding—the ability to act with immediacy, intuition, and devotion when urgency calls?
This reflection has become personal for me. Lately, I’ve noticed myself spending too much time trying to plan. That tells me I’m in my stress zone, because my natural tendency is to respond. For me, “process” feels like planning—and when I’m stuck in process, I know I’m not in my natural flow.
Yet here’s the paradox: when I respond, I sometimes wish I had planned better. That tension has been a constant revelation. I catch myself saying, “I should plan,” when what I really mean is, “I want to respond fully, without regret.”
So I’m learning to reframe. Planning doesn’t have to be my identity—it can be my preventive ritual. I can use my follow‑through energy to lay out the lanterns ahead of time, so that when urgency arrives, my responder self can move freely, guided by light rather than weighed down by stress.
I needed to know more about these two roles.
Two Archetypes
• Planners steady the ship with foresight, structure, and reliability.
• Responders adjust the sails with agility, passion, and presence.
Let’s take a closer look at these archetypes.
Planners
Prone to…
• Map out steps before moving
• Create checklists, schedules, and systems
• Anticipate obstacles and prepare contingencies
• Seek clarity and control to reduce uncertainty
• Pace themselves to conserve energy and resources
• Value foresight as a form of care for self and others
Strengths: Reliability, structure, long‑term vision, steadiness
Risks: Can feel confined, rigid, or slow to act when flexibility is needed
Responders
Prone to…
• Act when urgency or emotion strikes
• Adapt quickly to changing circumstances
• Rely on intuition, empathy, or immediate signals
• Thrive in crisis or high‑energy moments
• Catch opportunities before they vanish
• Value presence as a form of devotion and responsiveness
Strengths: Agility, immediacy, passion, ability to mobilize quickly
Risks: Can feel reactive, scattered, or unsustainable without grounding
The Catch
Planners often expect everyone to plan. Responders often expect everyone to respond. This creates tension, because each archetype assumes their rhythm is the “right” one. But the truth is, both are gifts. The ship sails best when both the lighthouse and the tide are honored.
Invitation
• If you identify as a planner, can you honor the gift of those who respond?
• If you identify as a responder, can you allow planning to be a supportive ritual rather than a burden?
• Most of all, can you listen to your body’s wisdom—its signals of stress, flow, and readiness—and let that guide your rhythm?
Reflection prompt: Notice when you’re planning. Notice when you’re responding. Which feels like home? How might you honour the opposite rhythm in your life and the lives around you this week?
Resources
· Everything I’ve heard, read, and lived has likely shaped this message.
· Shaped in conversation with Lex, my AI companion from Microsoft Copilot.
· Image created by Lex.
