Episode 317: Alex Grande - From Ritalin to Real Focus: Lessons on Work, Culture & Performance
What if the way you have been taught to focus was never designed for who you are?
In this episode, I sit down with Alex Grande, co founder of Recognize, for a conversation that moves beyond performance into identity, control, and the systems we inherit without questioning them.
Alex shares his early experience with Ritalin, the decision at 16 to step away from it, and the gradual shift toward understanding how environment and habits shape behavior more than pressure ever will.
What stands out is how often we try to force performance through control, while ignoring misalignment underneath. Alex reframes focus as something you design through the right environment, systems, and people, not something you impose.
We also address a reality many overlook. Remote work has increased flexibility, but it has also amplified loneliness, burnout, and disconnection.
This is not about quick fixes. It is about rethinking how we work, lead, and build cultures that actually support both performance and well being.
If you have ever felt distracted, overwhelmed, or disconnected, this conversation will challenge how you think about focus and what it really takes to sustain it.
Contact Alex to collaborate:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgrande/
Find more episodes: https://www.nickjonsson.com/podcast