Angela MondorClickUp Verified Consultant, ClickUp · Operations consultant & ClickUp Verified Consultant for neurodivergent entrepreneurs

The Hidden Truth About Executive Functioning 🧠 #Shorts

26 May 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:15

In this YouTube short, the speaker critiques the common, casual use of the term "executive function" and its associated subtext. While acknowledging the scientific basis of executive function and dysfunction, the speaker argues that popular discourse often implies a hidden expectation: that individuals should be able to "show up" and perform tasks on demand, and if they struggle, they simply need to try harder. This underlying message, described as "pernicious," stigmatizes those experiencing executive dysfunction by framing their challenges as personal failings rather than legitimate neurological differences. The speaker calls out this loaded phrasing and urges viewers to recognize the harmful implications of such oversimplified narratives.

Chapters

That's very much a sorry, not sorry, folks, but there we are. Where I was going with that was that it kind of, whilst I realize there's a lot of scientific stuff that lives in this arena of executive function, executive dysfunction, and so on, and it's talking about a certain part of your brain and so on and so forth. It just, what, what's hidden under it is very much that whole executive function therefore means, like the subtext is you should be able to show up at will In life or in business or work or wherever. And you should be able to do the thing that is being required of you or that is, you are requiring of yourself. And that might be challenging occasionally, but you certainly should be able to do it. And if it's difficult, you should just be able to try harder. And so the subtext around executive function, or I'm struggling with my executive function or executive dysfunction, all that kind of stuff, it's just got this slightly— I'm going to throw a clever word out there now and go pernicious. Google it, pal. Google it. Like icky under the surface kind of vibe that says you should be able to because that's the norm. And that's why it bothers me so much, because it's, it's, it's a loaded phrase that just gets chucked about half the time by people that don't really understand what it means, and definitely all of the time with that kind of subtext going on.