Before I was officially diagnosed with ADHD, I used a number of tricks to pay attention and get things done. They worked. I got the correct results. But I was not allowed to do it in the way that worked for me. “That’s not the way it’s done.”

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I can do things very well, but not in the way everyone else does. Like the boy who is an intuitive genius at math, gets all the right answers, but can’t show the steps he took to reach the answer, so he doesn’t get full marks. Worse, he may be accused of cheating!

For me, it was fidgeting with my pencil as I listened. (Doodling is another helpful habit.) It actually helped me focus, but the teacher assumed it meant I wasn’t listening.

When I got my first real job, I thought I was set. Finally, I can earn money and get by in the world. The job was boring, menial, and repetitive beyond belief. So I did things to make it bearable. And sure enough, “You can’t do that. It’s not how it’s done.” What they really meant was, “No one else can do that, so you’re not allowed to either.” Infuriating and disheartening.

You know, when you have ADHD, those routine tasks that average folks find boring but doable are for us a huge struggle.

They can be. For example, filing your taxes. Then there are the things that the neurotypical majority cannot do, but we find easy, even fun.

Some adders call it their superpower. For me, writing and performing hundreds of episodes of television, easy peasy.

However, doing the contracts, paperwork, and clearance forms, terrifying.

You’ve heard of stage fright. I had page fright.

If you’re new here, I’m Rick Green, comedian and co-creator of the PBS documentary ADD & Loving It?!

Now, because our ADD minds work differently, we find ways to do things differently. All too often though, the world discourages or even forbids us from using those unique abilities or unique paths that we’ve figured out.

That’s not how it’s done. Life is hard enough when I can’t finish the simple things most folks can, if I can even get started.

It’s more frustrating when I can do something that most folks cannot, but I’m not allowed to do it.

I ran headlong into this in my first real job, sorting the empty mailing containers that are used to send samples, medical samples to the main medical testing facility to be tested.

Sort these the six boxes, large, medium, small, tops, bottoms.

Hey, you got I got it. I master the task in about 8 seconds. And then after several hours, it dawns on me. I’m going to have to do this for four more months before university starts again.

Lid, top, bottom, medium, light.

Well, at the same time, I’m thinking up funny ideas for this comedy show that my friends and I are working on. And when I pause to write down my ideas, Agnes, the boss, says, “Hey, no writing. You here at the work.”

Anyway, a week later, I’m working away and as I am, I’m reading a pamphlet and then I start to realize I can read while I work.

Think how many novels I can read over the summer. Sci-fi novels about time travel and alien invasions and roaming the galaxy while sorting cans that are used to transport test tubes of blood, poop, and lord knows what else.

And it’s going great until Agnes walks by. Put the book away. No reading. You’re here to work.

Yeah, but look, I can read and I can No, no reading. It’s not allowed.

So frustrating.

Now, let’s time travel 30 years forward and I’ve gotten my ADHD diagnosis. I start to revisit some of those seemingly simple things that everybody else could manage that were like kryptonite to me.

Then eventually I started to appreciate there were some things that I can do and do well and even enjoy, things that most people dread.

You mean not everybody can write eight comedy skits in one day?

You mean everybody isn’t excited to get up in front of 500 people and do comedy?

This is such a profound moment for someone with ADHD.

I’m not a complete failure.

I’ve just been trying to, of course in many situations the modern world does not want us to capitalize on our quirky neurology and do things differently.

Follow the rules, fit in.

That’s not how it’s done.

The world is designed by and set up for the average neurotypical majority. And you can’t fight city hall or whatever that is.

Majority rules. What do you do about it? Well, I suggest seeking out situations where you’re allowed to use your superpower.

If you’re, say, a natural night owl who can hyperfocus when it’s quiet, maybe writing, programming, testing software, editing books.

If you talk too much, like me, especially about things that interest you, sales, or maybe teaching, or if you’re like many folks with ADHD, and you’re able to stay calm in high stress situations, well, first responder, military, athlete, comedian, and all of a sudden, your ADHD gives you an advantage.

Thanks for watching. I hope you got value out of this. And if you did, please comment, share, and even become a patron.

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ADHD Stole the Job You Were Born to Do

ADHD Stole the Job You Were Born to Do

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