In 2009, Ron and June worked with their oldest grandson, Trey, to add structure into his life that would allow him to control the negative characteristics of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) including distractibility, inattention, impulsivity, and restlessness. While researching ADD, Ron was introduced to the positive characteristic of, "HYPERFOCUS". This allows people with ADD to focus intently, with passion, creativity, and enthusiasm on things they are interested in. Ron also realized that the tools and structure he has spent his entire career teaching to others were all based on the same principles needed by people with ADD. They require permanent structure, and perhaps medication, to overcome the negative characteristics and benefit from the positive characteristic of Hyperfocus and creativity: Setting long-term goals for 15-years out. Breaking these goals down into 3-year increments. Setting goals for the current year by months. Preparing a calendar for the current month. Preparing a "To Do" list for what has to be done today. Becoming motivated and focused on the "To Do" list, in order of priority, knowing that you will be successful in reaching your life goals and dreams.

HYPERFOCUS

By Ron Travis Sr.

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Ron Travis Sr.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-9524-6

Contents

About The Author.......................................vPreface................................................xi1. Public Education....................................12. Hyperfocus..........................................153. Trey And Poppy......................................254. Depression..........................................435. Attention Deficit Disorders.........................556. Oppositional De ant Disorder........................757. Conduct Disorder....................................998. Long-Term Intervention..............................1159. Short-Term Therapeutic Programs.....................13310. Life Cycles And Mood Swings........................14711. Adolescence........................................16312. Golf...............................................185Epilogue...............................................215

Chapter One

PUBLIC EDUCATION

"Build on prior knowledge and practice lifelong learning"

"The potential for public education is unlimited when the students, teachers, counselors, and parents work as a team"

Attention De cit Disorder (ADD) can be a curse or a blessing, depending on how you structure you life to control the negative characteristics and benefit from the positive ones. I have learned a great deal by surfing the Web for articles and presentations by doctors and teachers at leading research hospitals and universities around the country. This book contains my conclusions after a year of study, talking to counselors, and analyzing the trial and error process of trying to find the best guidance for Trey.

The beauty of my conclusions, for the best approach to treating ADD and related disorders, is that the procedures will work exceptionally well for all children. The precise diagnose and treatment for mental and emotional disorders is dif cult at best, and involves a lot of guess work. You can rest assured that the recommendations in this book will assist you as you work with your doctors and counselors to arrive at the best diagnose and treatment plan. Just tell them what you have learned from this book and be sure they are in agreement. I would be very surprised if you find any professional who will disagree that these are not great recommendations. Let me know if you do.

During the past 45 years, my career has been centered on designing management systems and training employees of my clients, or companies acquired by my two primary employers: Kane-Miller Corp. in Tarrytown, New York, and then McWane, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama. June and I used many of these same principles to work with high-school seniors and beginning couples during the past 40 years. I used the same process to work with my grandson, Trey, in teaching him to organize and compensate for the negative characteristics of ADD and to benefit from the positive characteristic to Hyperfocus on things he was interested in.

While working with Trey and the public school system in Hoover, Alabama, I discovered a similar paradox to that involved in most consultant projects, "The systems and daily conduct of employees are often different from the written policy and procedure manuals".

This first chapter is therefore directed to all parents, teachers, administrators, and politicians. I am convinced if these groups will catch a glimpse of the principles taught here, many of the students in the bottom third of their class academically could be advanced immediately to at least the middle third, and some to the top third of the student body.

It is always amazing to me how simple the solutions are for resolving complex problems. We imperfect, and sometimes well meaning adults, get in the way more often than not. Please try these suggestions in the life of your children, classes, and school system. One advantage in specializing in the area of goal setting and management control systems for 45 years, and teaching these same principles to teenagers and beginning couples, is that you know what works.

PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEMS HAVE UNLIMITED POTENTIAL

The practices and procedures that have been conceived for our public education system are adequate to provide 95 percent of our young people the opportunity, motivation, and assistance they need to receive their high-school degree.

The current problem is the divergence in what managers and educators think is happening in their entities and what is actually happening. My job as a consultant is a simple process of:

Flowcharting the actual procedures being used and comparing them to the stated policies and procedures. Making recommendations to tweak the procedures for, "Best practices" being used by similar successful operations. Bringing the actual practices into alignment with the written flowcharts and written procedures. Training the employees using the new approved procedures. Developing feedback reports feeding up the organization to top management and superintendents. Teaching the user of the feedback reports to take corrective action for results that fall outside of a predetermined standard. Revaluating the procedures, controls, and checks and balances periodically, to determine if any changes need to be made in the procedures, or in the training of all people involved in the success of the entity.

I believe in providing all of our children with the opportunity to receive an outstanding public education. My three boys received excellent public educations and graduate degrees in the public-school systems of Alabama. They are all Certified Public Accountants with successful and satisfying careers. Some of my grandchildren attend private schools and others are in the public school system. I really do not see any difference in the results, as long as there is an active partnership between the students, their parents, and the school system.

My concern is for the lower third of the students in school, especially those that have tremendous potential, but lack the support of their parents, or have an attention or other problem that is not properly compensated for. Their entire lives are affected by events happening before they are 19-years old.

I have learned so very much about this group while working with my grandson, and talking to the parents of other teenagers who are having problems in school. Therefore, before getting into the chapters talking about depression, attention de cit disorder, and oppositional de ant disorder, this chapter will address the students in the bottom third of their class academically, regardless of the cause. In fact, all of the recommendations in this book, and my first book, "The Synergistic Life Style", will assist all students to move up dramatically from the bottom third of their class, and to move toward the top five percent in every area of their lives.

POLITICIANS APPROACH TO THE DROPOUT PROBLEM

The great problems in our country, and in our school systems, are hard to resolve in the political arena. Their approach to most problems is to blame everyone in the past and say they alone have the answer. Then they present a ten-year plan to resolve the issue.

The resolutions to most problems are just not that hard, and certainly do not take ten years to resolve. There are usually guiding principles that, when followed, would turn the situation around immediately. The politicians just need to...