ADHD & Careers? 💼💷

A bit about my background, career interests, goals and thoughts about what careers might suit those with ADD/ADHD. The struggle is REAL. For many people with ADHD, it's a challenge to thrive in the workplace, and even finding a suitable choice in the first place.

#AdhdCareers #AdultAdhd

[ADHDMastery]

Update: It took me 7 years to find a career. Videography!

[serious]

I can't even finish a degree because of boredom/Adhd

[Britinportugal]

I am an estate agent, it’s perfect for me because I never have to concentrate, I make phone calls, send a few short emails, leave the office to show people houses - nothing that requires concentration and being in & out of the office on appointments breaks the day up and you get to see inside loads of beautiful houses. I don’t think I’d be able to do any other job because of studying/concentration.

[milkiways]

I'm a scientist. I got fired/quit from every job I tried until age 32 (e.g. teaching, sales, administrative). Luckily, at 32 I had an opportunity to go to graduate school for a part-time Master's degree where I could take 1-2 courses per semester but studied full-time to get good grades. It helped me work on a small exploratory project as a volunteer. It captured my attention... I would spend in the lab 10+ hours/day and discovered a new concept. For the next 7 years, in my Ph.D. and postdoc research projects, I developed this discovery further and expanded numerous applications. Now I'm 39... my projects received over $1.5 million in funding and over 45 awards... and I continue to make advancements in this new scientific area that I started. Pros: I enjoy doing creative work, on my own schedule, and promoting the work by public speaking. Cons: Not productive in my work, very slow in publishing the work, hard to manage people, time, prioritizing, etc. My health was severely compromised and was hospitalized 3 times in the span of 2 years, and ended up with a lifelong stress-related physical illness. Although, slower pace becoming successful in my profession. I have been in therapy for 2+ years and trying to get on medications to manage the pressure/demand of work so that I can move up the career ladder and manage personal relationships better.

[adrim]

Its comforting when you say your late twenties were the development of who you are! From time to time i cry because I feel guilty and it feels like ive wasted so much time, but now im learning to recognise each skill ive learned <3 Thank you for sharing that!

[sl]

I'm 33 and have an existential crisis daily about this

[GodsavesTrump]

I'm 40 and I have struggled with inattentive add my whole life without knowing the cause until recently. Your videos have been such a blessing to me and to others so I want to thank you for taking the time to make these wonderful helpful videos, God bless.

[losabloomfield]

I just turned 30 and found out I have ADHD and had no idea. I always thought my thoughts were different to others. Hearing you speak I identify immensely.

[kelvinmadden]

I'm a long distance truck driver . I enjoy the time on my own & I enjoy not having to work hard on thinking about doing different tastes, if that make sense . I can drive for 12 hours a day & let my mind go . But I'm still in control & am a safe driver & have my mind on the job . I try & educate myself by listening to a lot of different subjects on YouTube as I'm driving . I'm dyslexic as well as having ADHD . So studying & reading is nearly impossible for me . So at the age of 53 with very limited education, long distance truck drivering seems to be a perfect carrier for me . I try to keep life simple .

[garylancelot]

40 yrs. young now and still don’t have an “established” career. Diagnosed at eight years old and have resented ADHD my whole life, to the point where I denied it being a real deficiency until I was about thirty and read about the symptoms of adult ADHD, which basically described my personality!

I’ve always provided well for my family by successfully finding something better. I’ve had to restart a couple times but always come out ahead.

That said, I still feel like a huge failure because I’ve tried college several times and only succeeded at obtaining a two-year web design certificate (via mega hyper-focus). I have never managed to get the bachelor’s degree. I don’t care that much about one but finding something better is growing increasingly difficult as so many places require that stupid piece of paper.

I am at a job that I detest, but it pays well. I also just plain hate working for someone else. I’ve always felt a deep burning desire to run my own business but have never been able to send my side hustles into high enough gear to replace my full time job.

I have two teenage kids and one preteen and yet here I sit, still feeling like a 23 year-old again without any solid direction in my life. Everything in my “career” path points back to ADHD.

I am truly a Jack of all trades and master of none, but I am far better than most who are masters of one! 😁 Problem is that it doesn’t sell. I see others in fields where I am somewhat skilled but I know that I don’t even come close to their level, despite others telling me how good I am at x, y, and z.

I’m suppose I am just ranting now. I am just so tired of not “fitting in” to this world. I want to find success and fulfillment in what I do, but I feel like I’m never quite enough because I just can’t quite do what the successful people do long enough for it to stick!

I digress. I very much enjoy your content and love witnessing your mind jumó around like mine does even as you present in your videos. Keep up the great work!

[Smackedup]

I found myself in event management around 20 odd years ago. Changed my life. Event work is flat out and over very quickly, then it rolls into the next one. It fed every aspect of my ADHD. I become very successful very quickly. I’m now coming out the other end due to age. I now sit back and watch the young ADHD people come through with a huge smile as I know this will change their lives.

[Rita-cuiv]

I’m in Med school, 2nd year finals week actually. It’s quite difficult, I’m constantly struggling but I try and push through it... I found out on my late teens/early adulthood, I’m still trying to find a way to live a balanced life with not much success... There’s still a lot of stigma, ignorance and toxic positivity which is incredibly negative for our mental health and evolution, it only hinders ourselves further... this is not a choice... I have a lovely family but they don’t believe this is a reality they have always seen it as an excuse... None of my parents actually supported my decision to pursue this career until recently, they often remind me there are easier ways... Find a purpose - I want to help people in anyway I can so they can have an easier life... Set a goal no one needs to see it just you, be consistent and hardworking, self loving and forgiving, allow yourself to have moments of chaos... Be resilient, it’s possible!

[wzupppp]

im struggling to finish watching one video and not click on the other recommended.

[MangetsuLullaby]

I'm 25 and I've just started investigating ADHD in adults, I always thought there was something "wrong"/different with me and couldn't put my finger on it. The more I investigate, the more I become aware of myself and convinced this is it, I've found the answer to the way that my mind works, it's scary but at the same time I'm so happy. What you describe about work and careers and passion is exactly how I've been feeling all my life. I'm so thankful for this video, can't wait to learn more about myself <3 Thank you!!

[engineergod]

I’m 30 and was just diagnosed with inattentive ADHD. My ADHD must be fairly mild because I actually had no problems education. I’m a mechanical engineer but I’ve been procrastinating getting licensed because I’m afraid of the new responsibilities it will entail. Most of my problems focus on keeping my desk clean, losing important information and social dynamics.

[RileyWilliams]

You’re saying everything that I think???? You know me so well!

[Stoitism]

Awaiting my diagnosis at 41 years old. Spent my entire life walking out of or being fired from so many unrelated jobs that thinking about it makes my head spin. It's only recently that I realised that I've been somewhat hyperfocused on health and nutrition for some years (now I know hyperfocus is a thing), and with all that I've learned from books and podcasts etc, i have an excellent knowledge base with which to help people. So i'm almost finished a health coaching qualification and will be starting my own business.

Learning that I have adhd halfway through my health coaching course hasn't been easy but its enabled me to learn how to work with my adhd brain, rather than trying to carry on and do things as a neurotypical person (which I of course now know I am not). Given how terribly I done at school (because of the undiagnosed adhd) I'm so happy that I've managed to get as far through my coaching course as I have. I hope when I receive my diagnosis that life gets a little easier.

I'm optimistic about the future for the first time in my life.

[myong]

just got diagnosed at 25. was a good student in primary and secondary school so my behaviours were never called into question. however i completely fell apart in university, commuting to a school i didn’t want to but had to because of financial reasons, not having structure, discipline, friends and a major i chose because of practicality since i had no idea what to do with my life at 18. tried going to a community college, same thing. so many failed attempts. and all peers i grew up with and studied with are ahead of me and successful and i feel like i’m in a bottomless pit, freefalling.

[stzhercod]

My career is gonna be a magician because I want to continue my father legacy

[GodKing]

OMG dude! I’ve recently started taking the possibility seriously! I’m at a job now that requires a lot of attention to detail. I just started and I already hate it! Im a musician and could spend HOURS on one part of a song. But I have to constantly get up at work and walk around, because my thoughts wander constantly. That’s been an issue for me since childhood. Wow!