ADHD Strengths
If you are late diagnosed ADHDer, you have probably spent a large portion of your life being told that what you are doing is wrong or perhaps more so the way you do things is wrong.
You will have had your “strengths” criticised. Your strengths, meaning the things you think are meant to be your strengths.
We have it drilled into us that strengths are essentially characteristics of ourselves that are valuable, mostly in the workplace. A trait that makes us more employable.
From a young age we are constantly told we need to be and act certain ways in order to be professional and successful. During school we have to dress a certain way and are punished if we detour from this strict code. We are assessed with tests that are not at all accessible for everyone, if you don’t pass these tests you are deemed “dumb”, and god forbid you learn in a different way to your peers, you will be forced to conform to the standard set in place.
This sets us up on a lifetime of feeling inadequate, and living through constant burn out from always having to push ourselves to fit into a box we don’t belong in.
Strengths we are taught are valuable;
Problem Solving
Communication skills
Teamwork
Flexibility
Time Management
Emotional Awareness
Organisational Skills
Attention to detail
But when you are adhd, our struggles come with 30% delay in executive functioning, meaning all these “strengths” are things we almost certainly struggle with.
We try so hard to fit into these strengths, and end up with low self esteem, and self doubt when we can’t.
Well, as a 30 year old who spent their life with crippling self doubt, and thought they had no strengths at all, i’m telling you, that you probably have a lot more strengths than you think.
Here are just a few strengths that many ADHDers have;
An ability to hyper-focus on a task you are passionate about
Hightened empathy for others
Inclusive and have respect for others regardless of background
Curious
Inquisitive
Unafraid to take risks which often have amazing pay off
Full of extraordinary ideas
Passionate
Brave enough to speak up
Outspoke and unafraid to speak your mind when you believe in something
Creative
An ability to connect with people on a deeper level
Have an approachable and friendly aura
Compassionate
Quick to think of new innovative solutions
Unique perspective
Open and honest with others
Forward thinking, always trying to come up with new and better ways to do things
Modest
Have humility
Don’t adhere to hierarchy, treat everyone as your equal regardless of position
Thoughtful and kind
Courageous
Spontaneous and adventurous
An ability to make people feel at ease around you
Resilient, you put your all into everything
your creativity sparks inventive ideas
Driven and dedicated
A sense of wonder
The ability to see the joy in little things
There are probably so many more that I am unable to think of right now, so please use the comment section to add any strengths you can think of too!
Just because the skills and strengths we have aren’t the ones that are on the abundance of google “top list of strengths to get that job” articles, doesn’t mean that our strengths are any less valuable.
Without people like us, with minds like ours, we wouldn’t have
The lightbulb - Thomas Edison had adhd
Disney - Walt Disney was thought to have adhd
Virgin Group - Richard Branson has adhd
Microsoft - Bill Gates was thought to have adhd
Maroon 5 - Adam Levine has adhd
Nirvana - Dave Grohl has adhd
One Direction - Zayn Malik has adhd
Saltburn - Barry Keoghan has adhd
Other famous people with (or thought to have had) adhd;
Albert Einstein
Mel B
Paris Hilton
Michael Phelps
Simone Biles
Jamie Oliver
Leonardo Da Vinci
Pablo Picasso
Salvador Dali
Vincent Van Gogh
Greta Gerwig
Mark Ruffalo
Busy Phillips
Will.I.Am
So the next time you feel like your skills aren’t transferable, valuable or you start to doubt yourself, remember that the strengths you have make you unique. We are needed for the world to function, people like us are valuable.
Make a list of your strengths and figure out ways to work with them, instead of against them, you dont need to fit into a box that was not designed for you.
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