Dealing with ADHD? Here's How to Turn Your Disorder Into a Superpower

If only I knew this when I was a boy

Image credit, very cool wife, Janice. My sister, my brother, and I are hanging out in Arizona

Let me tell you a story. It’s not just mine, but one that echoes the lives of many people with ADHD.

It starts like this: you're born with a fast brain in a slow world. You’re curious, intense, maybe a little wild. You feel deeply, think quickly, and often crash hard.

One minute, you light up with energy. Next, you're buried in shame because you forgot something important. Again.

School was a battlefield. You weren’t lazy. You are wired differently. You heard, “Why can’t you focus?” or “You have so much potential, if only…” more times than you care to remember.

You might feel broken or not normal

Maybe you’ve never felt comfortable being yourself. The reason I included the picture of my siblings and me is that everyone who knows us considers both of us “normal.” Somehow, I’ve always been different.

For most of my life, I’ve felt like damaged goods. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a warped sense of time and speed compared to most.

For example, I excelled at sports but struggled with school. Every classroom I sat in felt like a jail. The way I know this to be true is because I’ve been in jail more than once.

We pay a heavy price

There’s a price to pay for blowing through life too differently, defiantly, and fast. People judge us, and we do things that most won’t.

I used to ride motorcycles at terminal velocity, but the faster I hit my throttle, the slower time seemed to be.

Instead of fitting into the corporate realm, I had to build small businesses that I could call my own. Yes, I needed money and skills to build my businesses. But the primary capital has always been my purpose.

Without purpose, I quickly implode. A day without purpose is a day without life.

If you’re still with me, chances are we’re in the same class of people who see the world differently.

We are speed demons who run off course in the school of life.

The school of life blows by fast

Fast forward. You're older. The stakes are higher.

Bills. Deadlines. Expectations. Business. Relationships. Real life.

This is where the story could turn dark unless you find one thing that makes it all click: purpose.

Purpose is the North Star for people like us

Without it, life is chaos. Living becomes a swirl of distractions, forgotten appointments, half-finished projects, and internal beatdowns.

But with a purpose? Everything changes.

Because when someone with ADHD locks onto something they believe in, they transform. What used to be called a “disorder” becomes a superpower. That same restless energy that made classrooms hard to sit through?

It becomes a drive fueled by passion and fire

You wake up early with fire in your belly. It’s not because you have to, but because something bigger than yourself pulls you.

You don’t remember things because your memory magically improved, but because they matter to your mission.

Purpose organizes the chaos. It’s how we find order in a world gone mad.

You don’t need perfect focus

Perfection is a delusion. You need the right target. And when that target aligns with who you are, the distractions lose their grip.

That’s one reason you hate being fake, and small talk likely bores you to tears. With time and a connection with our highest purpose, we begin to see ourselves differently.

When that happens, you stop comparing yourself to others who seem more “together.” You realize they’re not wired like you. And that’s okay.

You’re okay. They’re okay. We’re all in this mess together

You’ve got something most people don’t: deep conviction, emotional clarity, and a brain that, when inspired, moves mountains.

That’s the business of life for those of us with ADHD. It’s not about fixing ourselves. It’s about channeling ourselves.

It’s about having a continual focus on our North Star, purpose.

End the struggle

So, if you’re still struggling, lost in the fog, try this: Don’t ask how to be more “productive.”

Ask what you’re here to do. Ask what breaks your heart. Ask what terrifies you most. Ask what lights you up.

Follow the light of curiosity. Let it lead you to what is purposeful. Because once you find your purpose, your ADHD isn’t a problem anymore.

It’s your superpower.

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I'm a writer, visual artist, and 30+ year solopreneur helping conscious solopreneurs, founders, and thought leaders build brand equity, accelerate sales, and earn six-figure incomes. Join me at www.CliffordJones.com.