THE CREATIVE CURRENT

THE CREATIVE CURRENT
'Riding the Waves of ADHD to Turn Distraction into Direction'
Exclusive Interview with Nick Harauz
Featured in 'Innerviews'
Hosted by Allié McGuire

​Creativity isn’t always a straight line — sometimes it’s a storm, sometimes it’s a spark, and sometimes it’s both at once. Today I’m joined by someone who knows that tension well: Nick Harauz, a creative technologist, educator, and storyteller who has spent over two decades shaping the way we see and share ideas.

ALLIÉ: Before we dive into the mess and the magic of creativity, can you take us back a bit? Who is Nick? Not just the titles and the work you do, but the story of how you became the creative voice that you are today.

NICK: Wow. I like to consider myself an accidental creative. There were a few different flashpoints that led me on my creative journey. One was most notable after university. I was studying sociology and film studies and really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. At that point, I thought, You know what? I’m just going to apply for this internship in Canada.

There was an organization called the CFTPA where I could get a stipend to work with a company in Vancouver and study under them. They were a film production house, and I won. I was one of five people who got into this competition. I moved to Vancouver and lived there for three years. During that time, I was primarily helping with both pre-production and post-production. On the pre-production side, I was reading scripts, analyzing them, and then advising the executive producer on whether or not to pass them along. On the post side, I was cutting together a few projects in terms of video editing. And I just… I fell in love with it. I fell in love with video editing—cutting and putting things together. After the internship, I moved back home and continued along that journey.

ALLIÉ: So let’s dive in a little deeper. Many people see ADHD as a hurdle. But for you, how has it been both the challenge and the spark that’s shaped your creativity?

NICK: That’s such a great question. I think the superpower when it comes to creativity is hyperfocus. It’s the ability to just get into something. No matter how many distractions are around you, you can dive in and create something beautiful.

But in some ways, that’s also the disadvantage, because your concept of time doesn’t necessarily translate like it does for other people. Everyone struggles with time management, but ADHD especially so. It can be a struggle to implement systems that allow you to succeed, and to augment production, post work, and all types of content you want to put into the world.

ALLIÉ: So, both sides of it—the pros and the cons. Which is often the case with many things in life. But when your mind is racing in a dozen different directions, what helps you slow it down enough to turn scattered thoughts into something intentional and meaningful?

NICK: Such a great question. I’ll bring you back to a time where I felt overwhelmed, about seven or eight years ago. I was getting more seasoned in my career, taking on more projects, and saying yes to more than I should have. I felt overwhelmed.

I remember a doctor telling me, “Your cup is completely full. You need to bring that down to give yourself space and room to take things on.” But my brain didn’t know how to manage that. I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD at the time, but I suspected I had it. I saw a productivity coach to help me. The number one thing I learned then was to break things down into small steps.

Looking at projects from a bird’s-eye view can be overwhelming. You see all the small steps that need to be done, and if you see it as one giant whole, you get stuck in a procrastination loop. You think, I’ll never achieve this, so you don’t even start. And it just sits there in the background, burning up mental space.

You don’t need to tackle the entire project today. That mindset—I should already be further along—isn’t true. What’s true is that at any point in time, even just five or ten minutes of action can move something forward. Usually, there’s resistance to starting. But by tricking yourself into starting for a small period of time, you often do more and make more progress than expected.

ALLIÉ: Yes. And I think that’s true for so many of us. It’s so easy to give other people grace, but to give ourselves that grace—to say you don’t have to do it all right now, just do this one thing right now—that’s so hard.

NICK: Exactly. Breaking things down into smaller steps helps. On days when procrastination is strongest, it becomes a game of getting close to the work. Just committing 10 or 15 minutes. Moving yourself into the environment where you usually execute. Then setting a timer. And often, you surprise yourself by doing more.

Another practice that helps: I write down everything I need to do the day prior. Just two or three minutes at night clears my head. I use Notion, and I’ll prioritize a couple things, then list others I’d like to get to. If I can’t, I move them to the next day.

​ALLIÉ: I love that. There’s comfort in getting things out of your head and onto a page, where you can look at them objectively instead of trying to juggle them internally. So, as someone who bridges story and technology, are there other tools or practices that help you give your ADHD-driven creativity rhythm instead of chaos?

NICK: Oh, rhythm instead of chaos—that’s a great phrase. For me, it’s meditation. I don’t do it daily, but two or three times a week. I use Headspace. Even three to five minutes makes a difference.

It calms me… especially in stressful times. I discovered something from Andrew Huberman’s podcast that really resonated. Instead of guided focus meditation, there’s a practice called “open-minded meditation,” where for about 17 minutes you don’t focus on anything—you just notice where your thoughts go. For people with ADHD, it’s powerful.

Instead of fighting your mind to focus, you give it permission to wander. And that permission itself becomes relaxing and productive.

ALLIÉ: That’s fascinating. Allowing yourself to just be, instead of trying to strap down your thoughts.

NICK: Exactly.

ALLIÉ: For those listening who feel ADHD is holding them back, what’s one personal truth you could share about turning distraction into direction?

NICK: The trick with distraction is to notice it. Awareness practices help you see where your mind is going. And sometimes your brain actually needs distraction—it’s a creative playground.

So, I say: give yourself dedicated times to be fully distracted. Then, balance it with noticing when distraction is taking you away from your goals. Things live better in action than in stillness. Stillness often makes ADHD symptoms worse. Action—any movement—helps.

ALLIÉ: Yes. And I relate to that. Yesterday, I had way too much to do and was so behind. So I went for a run. Moving my body was the only way to process everything and come back to center.

NICK: That’s such a good example. There are really two creative states: one is focus and action, where you’re producing; the other is the wandering state—running, showering, staring out the window—where your brain forms connections. Both are essential.

​ALLIÉ: Yes! I always joke that I need a whiteboard in the shower, because that’s where the best ideas happen. But maybe that would defeat the purpose.

NICK: (laughs) Exactly. That nothing state—that’s where the magic happens.

ALLIÉ: I love this. It makes me want to reschedule my days and give myself more space for that balance. So, one last question: with everything you’ve learned and with your course Finding Creativity in Uncertain Times, what do you hope people take away about the link between struggle and creativity?

NICK: I think uncertainty, while uncomfortable, can actually be a strength. Some of the best art, films, and music have been born out of uncertainty. You can’t prevent it, but you can embrace it.

When you do, it not only fuels your creative work but also helps you connect more honestly with others. Because honesty is at the heart of uncertainty. Saying, I don’t know what comes next, is one of the most real things you can admit.

ALLIÉ: Yes. Honesty. Acknowledging uncertainty is honest. And when we can embrace uncertainty with honesty, that’s where creativity flourishes.

NICK: Exactly. Things can be uncertain and still be safe. Just because you can’t control it doesn’t mean it’s not okay. ∎

Find & follow Nick on Instagram:
​@nickharauz