The ADHD brain possesses some incredible innate characteristics commonly shared with entrepreneurs. For example, adults with ADHD are 300% more likely to start their own business1. Yep. Surprising, yet true…
As an adult with ADHD, my mind is always looking for ideas. Like other ADHDers, my interests are constantly changing, and with each change of interests comes ideas on how to capitalize on those interests. Of course, very few ideas actually make it past my Evernote “Million Dollar Ideas” notebook. Those that do stick with me like the plague until I find a way to act on them. I’m sure you’ve heard of several millionaires out there like Richard Branson (actually a billionaire) of Virgin Airlines, and David Neeleman, CEO and founder of JetBlue Airways. How about former UFC champion Forrest Griffin? Did you know they have ADHD as well and found ways to capitalize on it?
Much of the success of these ADHD millionaires (and billionaires) can be attributed to two of of the many predisposed genetic characteristics associated with ADHD: creativity and intuition.
In my IT career, I’ve seen evidence of both, on a regular basis. Creativity and “outside of the box” thinking were prevalent when it came to troubleshooting, one of my strengths as an IT professional and why I was often labeled as a “go to” guy when it came to fixing complex issues. Application not working? Call Jerry. VPN tunnel to Vendor A broken? Call Jerry.
Of course, this also explains my interest in network design and network security design, both of which often require a certain degree of creativity and intuition at times. The funny thing about this trait is that when I figure out how to fix or design something, the challenge is gone and I often need something better or more challenging to get the same feeling. If you’re an adult with ADHD, I’m sure you know the feeling!
Many entrepreneurs and inventors share these traits as well. This is because they know the value of innovation, and they know that innovation requires creativity. Just look at all the crazy technology we use today. Smart watches, smartphones, tablets, 3D TV, drones… None of it would be possible without innovation. It’s the lifeblood of many companies and what keeps them coming around year after year.
Let’s not forget about intuition, though, the cousin to creativity. Ideas can come and go, but unless they’re acted upon, they’re useless. Intuition, or your gut instinct, simplifies this process by allowing you to make decisions that are congruent with who you are. We can choose to act on an idea or stick with the status quo. We can even be forced to choose between what seems like two equally awesome ideas. By following our intuition, we’re basically choosing to act upon the choice that the “little voice inside” thinks is best.
(…my little voice saying, “Don’t look down!!”)
The awesome thing about following your intuition is that even if you make the wrong choice, you can still learn something from it (at least what not to do). In creating the light bulb, Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
With creativity and intuition, the possibilities are endless. ADHDers know this. The problem is that for many of us, the ideas never come to fruition. They hit us like a bolt of lightning one day and then we tell ourselves that it’s crazy or it’ll never work. These limiting beliefs are just the first issue. The second is that even if we know we can do it, we may not know how to go about it, and without knowing how, many of us become stuck.
That’s exactly what happened to me when I bought my first car at the age of 19. I was in the Marines learning my trade and wanted a way to get on and off base. So, I decided to buy a cool-looking Civic with a stick shift, even though I had no idea how to drive stick. In fact, a buddy of mine, a fellow Marine, had to test drive it for me while I sat shotgun checking out the interior. Even still, I bought the car, which was pretty much the first one I found, and then had to learn how to drive it that day just to get back to base. In hindsight, it may have been a bit impulsive, but I learned a lot from that experience – auto financing lingo, how to drive a manual, patience, the value of a good buddy, all of which have helped me later in life.
Do you have a creative idea that you’d like to get off the ground? What’s holding you back?
1The Da Vinci Method, Garret LoPorto
