Many ADHD traits that are frequently thought of as hindrances can be seen as strengths in the right environment.  

It’s easy to look at some of the typical ADHD characteristics as drawbacks, and they can be in certain situations. However, when looked at through a lens designed to find the benefit, and in the right environment, these exact same traits can be viewed as strengths.

It is a personal goal of mine to help not only myself, but others around me, to see ADHD in a new and positive light.

Let’s break down some common characteristics and actions of those with ADHD and then build them back up as traits that are viewed as strengths.

You ask too many questions

Those of us with ADHD tend to see the bigger picture and therefore have many questions about what’s going on around us.  Often this can be treated as though we’re toddlers asking “but why” too many times.  Our questions can seem to irritate others because we often don’t have just one.  This stems from the fact that we have the ability to see the possibilities and eventualities that not everyone stops to look at.

In the right environment, this is curiosity that leads to lifelong learning.  Those of us with ADHD want to know ‘all the things’ about a subject, particularly subjects we are intrigued by or are curious about.  This often leads us to research and study to learn more about the subject.  Because our interests can change often, we’re frequently looking into and learning about new and different subjects.  This lifelong learning is not only a benefit in terms of knowledge, but it makes us very well-rounded with a lot of topics for conversation!  

You blurt out the answers

Those of us with ADHD have a tendency to blurt out the answers to things, finish people’s sentences, and generally get ahead of ourselves in our enthusiasm.  Personal experience says that many find this upsetting because we “speak out of turn”.  Our eagerness to participate or our need to speak before we forget can turn others off.

In the right environment, this is an eagerness to contribute.  Put this into a corporate job situation and our eagerness can actually be rewarding. While we do need to learn how to avoid cutting others off or interrupting anyone, we do want to contribute not only to a conversation but to the overall efforts being discussed.  Instead of being the one who always keeps quiet and doesn’t contribute to the conversation or actions, we can be the ones who bring an entirely different perspective to the situation.

Daydreaming in class or meetings

Have you been called a daydreamer or told that you’re spacey?  We often get lost in thought during important conversations, but that doesn’t mean we’re not paying attention.  Frequently something that is said during the conversation or meeting that will send us down a rabbit trail of thought. To others, this may appear to prove that we’re not paying attention.

In the right environment, this is imagination that fuels innovation.  There are several reasons why those with ADHD tend to be entrepreneurs, and our imagination is one of them.  Our imagination and creativity are benefits that help us thrive in the right space, and often that leads to new ventures or ideas.  That innovation has started some rather amazing businesses when you think about it. People like Will Smith took that ADHD imagination and became one of the most successful actors of our day.

Procrastinates until the last minute

Procrastination is a trait many people with ADHD struggle with.  We naturally tend to avoid those tasks and efforts that we’re not thrilled to have to do.  If it doesn’t interest us or falls under the category of mundane, we tend to put it off until the last possible moment.  Then we’re pushed by the impending deadline and we race to get it finished.

In the right environment, this means we’re great in a crisis.  Put us into a high-pressure situation, one in which the deadline is looming, and we can complete the task without a problem.  During a crisis, when there is a deadline or impending consequence of not having something done, those with ADHD can thrive.  We have the ability to gather everything we need at the last minute and rush it to completion.  While that’s far from the best way to work on a regular basis, it’s ideal during crunch times.

Don’t think things through

People with ADHD tend to be impulsive.  Our executive functioning doesn’t work like the neurotypical world and where many can stop and think through an action before taking it, we tend to act without a lot of thought.  This is why many people with ADHD have problems with shopping, and even with drugs and alcohol.  We’re looking for the quick fix without even realizing it.  This tends to make us feel really bad about ourselves.

In the right environment, this can be a willingness to take risks; be spontaneous.  I mentioned earlier that many ADHD individuals tend to be entrepreneurs.  There are multiple famous people who, like Richard Branson of Virgin (airlines, records, etc.), who took that willingness to take risks and turned it into an insanely successful business.  While it may often seem we’re acting impulsively, we just tend to take action early on instead of after hashing it out over and over.

Don’t follow directions

How many times have you been told you don’t follow directions?  Doing things your own way is frequently discouraged when you’ve been given a specific set of instructions for how to do it.  Often, those with ADHD tend to see a new or better way to go about things and that can be seen as rebelling against what we’ve been told.

In the right environment, this is an ability to forge new paths.  Thinking outside of the box has led to many new and wonderful ways to do things in life, and those things would never be discovered without the ability to forge new and different ways.  Because we can see a situation from many different perspectives, we’re often able to find a path that hasn’t been considered before.  This can lead to improvements at work or at home in the form of a new and better way to go about things. Thomas Edison, known around the world for his innovative work, also lived with ADHD.

At The Ambitious Assistant, we work primarily with those who live with ADHD. Our virtual assistants are educated and trained specifically for this purpose. If you would like help turning your frustrations into strengths, book a FREE Discovery Call with us here to find out how we can assist.