Broc Hoggan

Paper vs. Pixels: Rethinking How I Process Ideas in a Digital World open.substack.com/pub/broc/p/pap…

New post scheduled for this afternoon - this one is all about the alignment prep I've done for this last quarter

Song stuck in my head: Heather on the Hill (bagpipes!) by Nathan Evans. Celtic anthems stay in my playlist forever.

After 1.5 years, I’m writing again. Why I still love the name ‘Mindscape Memoirs’… buff.ly/u0BsiHY

3 months ago I wrote my mission statement. Already feels outdated. How often do you update yours?

I'm getting back into writing on my Substack account in my publication titled "Mindscape Memoirs" This post describes how I'm planning on moving forward, and what keeps me up at night, besides China Sign up with my bio link to get notified tomorrow

Sick days is for Napoleon documentaries + deep dive on his political advisors. How do you spend recovery time?

The last 2 weeks: deep dive into China’s demographics, GDP, religion, geopolitics, tourism… the mindscape never sleeps.

@CognitivCompass Both, honestly. But when I pause to reflect on my values before a big decision, I make the choice from a grounded place. That always feels steadier.

@antimimetics @JonhernandezIA @withdelphi Best solution out there rn

@JonhernandezIA What about @withdelphi?

📁 Matthew McConaughey says he wants a private LLM, fed only with his books, notes, journals, and aspirations, so he can ask it questions and get answers based solely on that information, without any outside influence.

I just launched my Cognitive Compass site This decision-making, clarity-bringing system includes: 1. A micro-learning course on decision making frameworks 2. An alignment tracker with values and mission statement 3. The Cognitive Compass Assistant for quick alignment

Tim Cook after seeing OpenAI acquire Jony Ive’s startup io for $6.4B in an all-stock deal to make a family of AI devices with a team of Apple alumni while Siri is still unable to set a simple 9am alarm wake-up call.

None of the task management apps feel like they're made for me. So I'm building my own. Simple, fast, and packed with the features I actually need. The AI agent in Replit makes implementing my vision too easy. It’s the start of a better way to work for me, and maybe for you too

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) in ADHD 💔😢🔥- When Even Tiny Rejections Feel Like the End of the World 🌪️ What is RSD? RSD is a super intense emotional reaction to feeling rejected, criticized, or like you’re not good enough — even when that feeling might not be based on reality. It’s like: 🌟 Feeling crushed by one tiny comment 💬💥 ⚡ Spiraling when someone doesn’t reply right away 📵 😔 Thinking “I’m such a failure” after a minor mistake 💔🧠 🏃‍♂️ Wanting to disappear after feeling judged 🙈🚪 And it hits fast and hard — like a flash flood of emotion 🌊💥. 🧠 Why Does RSD Happen in ADHD? People with ADHD often struggle with emotional regulation ⚖️. Our brains react quicker and more intensely to social threats — like rejection or criticism. Here’s why: 💔 We often have low dopamine — so we crave validation 🧃 🔴 We've often been misunderstood or criticized for being “too much” 🗣️❌ ⚡ Our brains are wired to go from “I’m fine” to “Everything is ruined” in 2 seconds flat 🚨💣 So that tiny moment that someone else brushes off? For us, it can feel like the world is ending 🌍🔥. What RSD Feels Like: 😱 Sudden panic 😳 Intense shame 💢 Emotional pain in your chest ❤️ 🏃‍♀️ Wanting to run away, lash out, or never talk again 🥺 Thinking “They hate me” after one awkward moment Even if no one actually rejected us, the feeling is real. And it hurts. A lot. 🛟 Coping With RSD Here are some tools to help ride the wave 🌊 instead of getting pulled under: 🌸 1. Name It 🏷️ Say to yourself: “This is probably RSD.” Just naming it can give you power over it. ⏸️ 2. Pause Before Reacting Don’t quit the group chat. Don’t send the angry message. Wait. Let the feeling cool down ❄️. 🧘‍♀️ 3. Soothe Your Nervous System 🌬️ Deep breaths 🌀 Fidgets 🛏️ Weighted blankets 🎶 Calming music 🕺 Stretching or movement 4. Reality-Check Your Thoughts Ask: 🤔 “Did they really mean that?” 📅 “Could they just be busy?” 🕵️ “What else might be going on?” 🫂 5. Find Safe People Talk to someone who gets it. You don’t have to explain RSD to the right people — they’ll just know. 🧸 6. Be Ridiculously Kind to Yourself You’re not overreacting. You’re reacting deeply. And that’s okay. Give yourself the love you wish others would give you ❤️🌈 🌟 You Are Not “Too Sensitive” — You’re Human With a Sensitive Heart Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria can feel like a curse — but it also means you care deeply 🥹. You want to be loved, accepted, and understood. That’s beautiful. If this is you, please know: ✅ You are not broken 🌍 You are not alone ❌ You are not a failure ❤️ You are enough — even when your brain says otherwise You are just wired differently — and that wiring is powerful, beautiful, and worthy of compassion. Let your sensitivity be your strength!

Autistic and Non-Autistic People Communicate Equally Effectively A new study challenges the stereotype that autistic people struggle with communication by showing they are just as effective as non-autistic individuals at conveying information. In a storytelling task involving over 300 participants, researchers found no difference in how much information was retained and passed on between autistic-only, non-autistic-only, and mixed groups. This suggests that communication difficulties often stem from differences in style rather than ability. Autistic participants preferred interacting with other autistic individuals, while non-autistic people favored their own neurotype, underscoring a mutual mismatch rather than a deficit. The findings reinforce the idea that autistic communication is different, not impaired. Researchers hope the results will help reduce stigma and support more inclusive communication practices.

@ChaosAfterCalm Glad to hear we're like minded! And thanks for the encouragement! I actually used AI to generate the instrumentals that I couldn't produce myself which worked better than I thought it would! Then I put it all together in Bandlab's DAW

@HogganBroc Nice!!! Defo finish the album Broc. Big Ancient Rome fan here always looking for vocal free sounds to focus. Did you use any particular VSTs or sample packs to make this?

After 2 weeks + 47 scrapped drafts, I finally made a focus track that actually works for my ADHD brain. ⚔️ Via Appia – 8 min Roman-inspired, cinematic focus music 🎧 buff.ly/feFFnIP 80 BPM tempo Gentle, low-drift melody No vocals, no surprises. Made for us, not algorithms. Should I finish the album?

@DopaminePlsMe Thank you!! I know I feel like I'm the main character while cleaning my room 😂 thanks for the support!

@HogganBroc @sens0ryoverl0ad @s3ns0ry0verl0ad @ADHDForReal @AutisticCoach_ @HowtoADHD @NoNonsenseND I love epic music like this. I usually trash listen to one of these and feel like a superhero. Definitely need to make an album.

@sens0ryoverl0ad @s3ns0ry0verl0ad @ADHDForReal @AutisticCoach_ @HowtoADHD @NoNonsenseND @DopaminePlsMe Thank you, I appreciate the encouragement! 🙏🏼

@HogganBroc @s3ns0ry0verl0ad @ADHDForReal @AutisticCoach_ @HowtoADHD @NoNonsenseND @DopaminePlsMe Lovin' it! The answer is always keep building out the album 😎🤘