Marta Skiba
Coach
Contemporary science is increasingly moving away from pathologizing language in describing phenomena related to the functioning of the human brain and adopting a perspective of neurodiversity. ADHD, traditionally described as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is not a disease or disorder in this view, but a natural variant of the diversity of the human mind. It is not a disorder of the system, but an alternative way of functioning.
The concept of neurodiversity assumes
that differences in brain function
(e.g., ADHD, autism, dyslexia)
are part of the natural spectrum
of human diversity,
just like differences in temperament,
learning styles, personality,
or right- and left-handedness.
In this view, ADHD is not something that needs to be “fixed,” but rather a phenomenon that needs to be understood and accepted, rather than forced normalization.
What may be perceived as “inattention” in a school environment may, in another context, turn out to be multitasking, the ability to connect seemingly unrelated facts, or a reaction to excessive stimuli.
Schools, offices, and grading systems often favor neurotypical people, i.e., those who are predictable and linear. In such a world, a person with ADHD experiences frustration, failure, and labels such as “lazy,” “rude,” or “scatterbrained.”
As a person with ADHD, you are likely to
think, learn, and act differently,
often reacting more quickly,
getting bored more easily,
but also being more creative,
resourceful, and resistant to routine.
A lack of understanding from those around them can lead to exclusion, guilt, and loneliness.
One of the less visible but very painful aspects of living with ADHD is the social consequences. Children and adults with ADHD are often perceived as lazy, irresponsible, or “talkative.”
Many adults with ADHD, especially those who were not diagnosed in childhood, talk about masking, i.e., the constant effort to hide their difficulties and fit in with the expectations and the world built for so-called typical people. This strategy, although understandable, often leads to burnout, anxiety, or depression.
ADHD is not just a set of symptoms,
it is the experience of being different
in a world full of expectations,
it is living in a world that is not adapted
to basic needs.
Although it brings real challenges, it can also be the beginning of deeper self-knowledge, developing self-awareness, and building a life in tune with your own rhythm.
This is already happening, a change in perspective where instead of the hurtful word “disorder” we talk about diversity. This allows us to better understand people with ADHD as different, with different characteristics. What the world needs is to create flexible educational, professional, and social environments that do not require people to adapt to the system, but adapt the system to people.
Now it's time to describe a few examples of people who have achieved great things, perhaps thanks to neuro-diversity such as ADHD ;)
Where an unusual approach to thinking was often the key to groundbreaking discoveries.
Sir Richard Branson British billionaire, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, founder of the Virgin Group, which includes over 400 companies from various industries (aviation, music, space tourism). Branson is open about having ADHD and dyslexia. He emphasizes that his impulsiveness and unconventional thinking have helped him succeed where others stuck to the beaten path. ADHD has been a source of courage for him to take risks and act quickly.
Michael Phelps American swimmer, winner of 23 Olympic gold medals, all-time record holder. He was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and had difficulty concentrating and controlling his energy. Sport became not only a way for him to cope with the symptoms of ADHD, but also a space where he could fully utilize his natural predispositions, speed, determination, and intensity. Today, he is also an active advocate for mental health.
Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, creator of the Theory of Relativity, which revolutionized our understanding of time, space, and gravity. He probably had dyslexia, ADHD, and was on the autism spectrum. He had delayed speech development and did not do well in school. He was considered a dreamer, but today many researchers believe that his neurodiversity may have fostered deep abstract thinking. Einstein received the Nobel Prize (1921) not for the theory of relativity (which was still controversial at the time), but for explaining the photoelectric effect, which was crucial for the development of quantum physics. This discovery laid the foundation for technologies such as solar panels and light sensors.
Thomas Edison, American inventor and entrepreneur. He invented the light bulb, the phonograph, the kinetoscope, and held over 1,000 patents. He probably had dyslexia and ADHD. He was expelled from school for lack of focus and unruliness. His mother began teaching him at home, which allowed him to develop at his own pace. His impulsiveness, curiosity, and perseverance, often considered difficulties in school, proved to be key to his inventiveness.
ADHD, although mainly associated with difficulties, is very often linked to unique strengths that can be a great asset in many areas of life.
And the difficulties often stem from a lack of understanding, preparation, and adaptation to the surrounding world and everyday realities.
As someone with ADHD, you may think faster than others, see solutions, and connect the dots before others have gathered the basic facts. You feel more intensely, as if your emotions are on a larger scale, and you act with a passion that can ignite like fire.
Here is a list of characteristics that may surprise many people. Read through this sample list of the most common characteristics found in people with ADHD. And for those who are skeptical, these characteristics have been confirmed by scientific research ;)
Boundless curiosity that needs no permission
Curiosity in ADHD does not ask if it can flow. That is why children and adults with ADHD do not just learn what they need to. They learn what interests them. And then they learn at lightning speed. But not because they have to. Only because something burns inside them. And although the world prefers stable interests in the core curriculum, ADHD curiosity does not ask if it is appropriate. It asks: what if? And then it goes to check it out.
People with ADHD often don't ask: what is it and what is it for, but instead, the question arises without restriction: what if I do it differently?
It is a wild curiosity, primal, alive like fire.
A curiosity that does not sit quietly in a classroom,
but stands up, asks questions, interrupts, walks away
and finds what no one has seen before.
An intense feeling that recognizes nuances where others see only the norm.
It's not just sensitivity, it's radar. Sensitivity tuned to the highest frequency. A person with ADHD doesn't feel a little bit of something, they feel everything at once, completely, to the core. It's as if the world's contrast and volume have been turned up to 200%.
Where a neurotypical mind passes by indifferently,
a person with ADHD notices a tremor in the tone of voice,
a change in gaze, and a shadow of thought in the air.
It's a bit like seeing emotions under a microscope,
which others only register when they scream.
Sometimes it's exhausting, because every grimace, every tension, every bit of energy in the room can cut like a razor blade. But it's also a great gift. Because this kind of sensitivity allows you to create deeply, listen with full presence, and connect with people on a level that most people don't reach. It is thanks to this hypersensitivity that people with ADHD tend to be great artists, therapists, creators, and leaders of empathy. They see what is not said. They feel what is not seen. This is what allows them to touch life more truly.
Except that in a world of muted emotions, intensity is often confused with exaggeration. But it is not exaggeration. It is fullness, and a neurotypical person will not understand that. And as a person with ADHD, you may not even realize that neurotypicals don't have it, don't see and don't feel the world the way you do. Once you understand this, you will know the power you have within you.
Hyperfocus, which can turn hours into minutes if the subject captures your heart
It's not concentration, but trance. It's a state in which the whole world disappears and only one task, thought, idea, or project remains, igniting the senses and drawing you in like a black hole. In hyperfocus, a person with ADHD doesn't work, they burn. They don't hear the phone, they don't feel hungry, and time ceases to exist. The body becomes an extension of the mind. It's as if a rocket engine suddenly fires up inside, powered only by passion.
In one night, they can do what takes others a month. Except that the key is not in consistency. It's in the spark. That's why people with ADHD can be brilliant in their fields if they find something that captivates them. Not because they are disciplined. Just because when something really interests them, they can go deeper than anyone else.
I repeat, not because they are disciplined ;) The system doesn't understand this because the system likes a reasonable pace and fixed working hours.
But ADHD doesn't work on a calendar,
it works on love for the subject,
on curiosity, on hunger, on flow.
Intuition that is two steps ahead of analysis
It's not a hunch, it's an internal GPS that works faster than logic can put on its shoes. While others fill out spreadsheets, do SWOT analyses, and wait for the green light, a person with ADHD already knows, already feels, already turns. It's not because they're unreasonable.
This is because her brain
processes thousands of stimuli simultaneously,
often unconsciously,
and based on them
makes quick,
surprisingly accurate decisions.
That's why they often know that something will work before they can justify it. That's why they can detect falsehood in a voice, predict another person's emotions, or come up with an idea that is ahead of its time.
ADHD intuition is a nonlinear compass. It doesn't show you how to get from point A to point B, but how to jump off the roof and land on sound. And while the world says wait, think it over, the person with ADHD is already acting, already seeing, already feeling, and is often right.
Creativity that doesn't fit within the lines of forms.
It's creativity that knows no boundaries and doesn't follow instructions. It doesn't paint pictures within frames or fill in boxes according to a template. It's a creative storm that spills over the edges of the page, shouts out ideas, mixes colors, and breaks the rules.
People with ADHD think outside the box because
their brains work like a kaleidoscope,
breaking reality down into infinite patterns
and rearranging them
into unexpected combinations.
This is what enables them to come up with solutions that seem impossible or crazy to others. Imagine trying to pack this creativity into a small square box – it's like trying to fit the ocean into a teacup. It's impossible, because the creativity of people with ADHD is a space without walls. This is what gives rise to innovations, works of art, and groundbreaking projects. That's why, when others see a problem, people with ADHD see a challenge to overcome and often come up with solutions that no one else has considered before.
We already know that ADHD should not be treated as a deficit, but as a different way of functioning of the brain, which is associated with a unique set of characteristics, needs, and abilities.
As a person with ADHD, you process information, respond to stimuli, and take action differently than neurotypical people, often with greater intensity, spontaneity, and creativity.
Instead of focusing solely on the difficulties, notice the unique energy, ability to adapt quickly to change, and non-standard problem-solving skills.
Your mind does not always follow a straight path,
but it can find hidden passages,
like water that bypasses obstacles
and flows where others see only rocks.
Coaching ADHD
Bibliography
Armstrong, T. (2010). The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain.
Sedgwick, J. A., Merwood, A., & Asherson, P. (2019). The positive aspects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a qualitative investigation of successful adults with ADHD. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders.
White, H. A., & Shah, P. (2006). Uninhibited imaginations: Creativity in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Personality and Individual Differences.
Watters C., Adamis D., McNicholas F., Gavin B. (2018). The impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood: a qualitative study.
Coaching ADHD
