ADHD, Creativity, and Structure

If you have an endless stream of thoughts on a diverse range of topics, well, it’s natural to assume you are endlessly creative. But creativity implies something gets created. It can be great fun to play about inside a torrent of wild, brilliant, innovative ideas. But what if these wonderful ideas don’t lead to something being created?

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My ADHD ensures I am never short of intriguing ideas about, well, everything. And that’s the problem. When I’ve managed to harness my creativity and produce a finished script, a completed episode of television, or a memorable family vacation, it’s because I’ve had to work through limitations. Boundaries. Here are three ‘restrictions’ that rouse me from my usual torpor to actually create something. Or make something happen.

It may sound ironic that limitations would make someone more productive. However, even the simplest comedy script is limited by budget, cast, and venue. Is it for radio? Television? Stage? Having limits forces one to come up with creative solutions. Bit by bit you develop the idea into something solid.

Working through the limitations, or even making the most of the limitations, takes time. But without it, all I’m doing is watching a parade of ephemeral possibilities.