Executive Function
Definition
“The term executive function describes a set of cognitive abilities that control and regulate other abilities and behaviors. Executive functions are necessary for goal-directed behavior. They include the ability to initiate and stop actions, to monitor and change behavior as needed, and to plan future behavior when faced with novel tasks and situations. Executive functions allow us to anticipate outcomes and adapt to changing situations. The ability to form concepts and think abstractly are often considered components of executive function.”
This is another epiphany for me… a new term, or perhaps a new-age term, Executive Function. I became aware of this term while researching internet marketing. One of the gurus out there claimed that Executive Function is one of the vital elements for beginning a successful internet marketing business. I started to look a bit deeper into the term to make sure that the guru hadn’t merely made it up.
It seems that Executive Function is like a branch of ADD, particularly the adult flavor. When I started to read about EF, just as when I first discovered ADD, it was like a light went on for me. Executive functions allow people to initiate and complete tasks and to persevere in the face of challenges. This has always been my downfall, and at age 50, I have really begun to wonder if it always will be. Of the many ideas that I have had in my life, and I am sure many of those ideas could have grown into something of significance had I perservered, what always happens is that at the first sign of a roadblock, I simply give up. Some element of the project requires a bit of unpleasant work, and that’s enough for me to abandon it. It’s a disorder, and now I know what it is called. It’s called EF impairment. Or maybe it’s merely laziness, but I don’t think so.
It definitely helps to know that name of this disorder. Everytime I think of some important task that I must cope with, I almost always give up before I begin, as I start to consider the difficulty of the steps that need to be taken. Most of life’s big decisions require a plan. I’ve never had a plan, I’ve always been proudly spontaneous. I guess it’s time to develop one, and to stick with it! Not easy to do, but it might be easier if I just say the words, “is this good executive functioning?”
