Negotiating Under Pressure: How to Win When the Clock (and Your ADHD) Is Against You

There are plenty of stressful situations in life.

🚗 Driving through Central London during rush hour.
🏡 Trying to assemble IKEA furniture without having a breakdown.
📞 Calling customer support and getting passed around like a game of human ping-pong.

But if you want to experience a uniquely awful kind of stress, try negotiating under pressure—when you have ADHD.

Because when time is against you, and the other side knows it, they will use every dirty trick in the book to squeeze you for every penny, every concession, and every ounce of patience you have left.

Which brings me to Frederick and the Car-Buying Catastrophe.

Frederick’s Race Against Time

Frederick was in trouble.

His car had died a tragic death, and in four days’ time, he was supposed to take his wife, Danielle the Destructor, and their two kids, Chaos (age 7) and Anarchy (age 5), on a camping holiday.

The stakes? High.

Because Danielle had made it very clear:

“Sort this, Frederick. Do not come home without a car.”

Translation:

“If you fail, you will be exiled from this family, and I will let the children feast on your remains.”

So off he went to find a replacement car.

And that’s where he met Barry.

Barry: The Human Shark in a Suit

Barry was a classic car salesman—all charm, fast talk, and unnaturally white teeth that suggested either a high-powered dentist or a deal with the devil.

Barry took one look at Frederick, read the panic in his eyes, and pounced.

He knew.

🚗 Frederick needed a car by the weekend.
⏳ Frederick was negotiating under pressure.
💰 Frederick was vulnerable.

So Barry did what all seasoned negotiators do when they smell desperation—he pressed down hard.

“This car’s got a lot of interest, mate.”
“End of the month coming up—if you want a deal, it has to be today.”
“I’ve got another bloke looking at this exact model.”

And because Frederick has ADHD, his brain wasn’t handling negotiating under pressure well.

• His mind was racing.
• His emotions were firing up.
• His instinct was to just say yes to make the stress stop.

Barry had him.

Or at least, he thought he did.

Because Frederick did something Barry wasn’t expecting.

Step 1: Recognise When You’re Dysregulated

Frederick realised he was spiralling. His brain was not making good decisions.

🚨 Warning signs:

• He was sweating (not because it was hot, but because his brain was on fire).
• He felt cornered, like he had no real choice but to agree.
• His ADHD urgency was making him want to escape—not negotiate.

So, he did the one thing Barry wasn’t expecting.

✅ He took a break.
✅ He walked out of the dealership, took a lap around the block, and reset.
✅ He reminded himself: “I have more power than I feel right now.”

Step 2: Take Control of the Structure

Barry had set the pace of the negotiation—fast, relentless, pushing Frederick towards a snap decision.

So Frederick slowed it down.

✅ He reset the conversation. “Before we go any further, let’s talk about what I actually need.”
✅ He set a budget. No negotiations outside it.
✅ He stopped reacting and started leading.

Step 3: Walk Away If It’s a Win-Lose Situation

Here’s the golden rule:

🔥 If the other side is pushing a win-lose deal, you walk.

Barry knew Frederick was negotiating under pressure, so he thought he could force him into a bad deal.

But Frederick did what Barry least expected.

🚀 He walked away.

Nothing says “I’m not playing your game” like actually standing up, shaking hands, and leaving the dealership.

And guess what?

📞 Two hours later, Barry called him.

Because suddenly, there was a better deal on the table.

Step 4: Trust Your Gut (Before It’s Too Late)

Frederick knew from the start that Barry was pushing him too hard.

But ADHD brains ignore gut instincts when under pressure.

🚨 The new rule?

✅ If it feels wrong, it is wrong.
✅ If a deal feels rushed, pressured, or one-sided, step back.
✅ If a deal needs “immediate commitment,” it’s probably a trap.

Step 5: Use Silence as a Weapon

ADHD brains struggle with silence—so sales negotiators exploit that weakness.

Barry kept talking, talking, talking—because he knew that if he kept the pressure on, Frederick would break.

So Frederick flipped it.

✅ He stopped responding immediately.
✅ He let Barry feel the silence.
✅ He forced Barry to work harder.

And suddenly? Barry was the one chasing him.

The Final Result? A Better Deal.

🚗 Frederick got a better car, at a better price, with zero regrets.
🚀 He left knowing he had controlled the negotiation, rather than being controlled by it.
🏕️ And most importantly—he didn’t have to tell Danielle the Destructor that they were going camping on foot.

Final Thoughts: How to Win Negotiations when Negotiating Under Pressure

If you have ADHD, negotiating under pressure is difficult—but not impossible.

🔥 Recognise when you’re emotionally overwhelmed.
🔥 Take back control of the conversation.
🔥 Walk away from bad deals.
🔥 Trust your gut.
🔥 Use silence to shift the power dynamic.

And if you struggle with negotiating under pressure, setting boundaries, or handling high-pressure situations, ADHD coaching can help.

📅 Book a free ADHD Coaching Discovery Session today because learning to say no is how you start winning.