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April 2023 | Book Stuff! Making a list of ADHD strengths! (Patreon)

Published:
2023-04-04 14:34:10
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Hello again everyone! 

We have some ideas of some strengths we may have due to ADHD, but we need help thinking of a lot more and would love to hear *your* ideas! 

What strengths do you have that you attribute to your ADHD? What strengths do you see in fellow neurodivergents that you appreciate due to their ADHD? 

What's a strength? 

Strengths can be a character trait or skill! They can include skills, talents, attributes, or even knowledge! (For example, Creative problem-solving is a strength!)

Let us know your answers below! We'd love to craft a list of about 20 strengths that people can refer to to help find their strengths. 😊

Comments

Vaesse (vie-ESS-uh)

The biggest strength is the ability to make connections in unique ways. This shows itself in creativity, being able to follow a rambling conversation, thinking outside the box, etc.

Joseph C Whitaker

I'm oddly cool under pressure because I am able to hyper focus, despite the chaos around me, on an issue at hand. I blame this on being able to focus on the issue while still taking in outside information.

Ellie Winters

Pattern recognition! It's been really useful in a number of workplaces. Plus deep interest in many things adding to this - non-neurodivergent humans don't have a lot of cross industry knowledge, so if you do then you have a leg up! Out of the workplace they're both useful, but also empathy and the ability to connect with others, and our drive to help when things aren't perfect.

Hanna Medyńska

Openness to new ideas and experiences, flexibility, strategic thinking (not in my case, due to ASC bottom-up thinking and attention to detail, but true about my friends), willingness to take risks which drive innovation.

Galli0

One of my biggest strengths is the ability to talk to anyone (everybody maybe don't want to talk to me tho😅) but any situation I can just jump into and figure it out as I go along 👌🤠

Jason Holstein

It's really hard for me to hold a grudge. With my memory, I can't remember why I was mad to stay mad long enough to hold a grudge against someone.

ADHD@64

My hyperactivity was very worrisome initially (Coles Note- ADHD went from very mild to severe following a head injury, so the reverse of what occurs normally as you age 😜). I have turned that into fixing the house up and keeping up with bills etc.

Jack Williams

Hello! Not quite sure if this is exactly what you're looking for but here are 20 strengths that I have encountered in my 41 years. Creativity: People with ADHD tend to think outside the box, leading to innovative ideas and solutions to problems. Hyperfocus: When interested in a task, individuals with ADHD can exhibit intense focus, allowing them to excel in their chosen activities. Adaptability: They are often comfortable with change and can quickly adjust to new situations. Spontaneity: Individuals with ADHD are inclined to be impulsive, which can result in novel experiences and opportunities. High energy: They often have a natural drive and enthusiasm that can be contagious and inspire others. Empathy: People with ADHD can be sensitive to the emotions of others, making them supportive friends or colleagues. Sense of humor: They often have a unique and engaging sense of humor that can help diffuse tense situations and create a positive atmosphere. Resilience: Individuals with ADHD have often faced challenges, developing a strong ability to bounce back from setbacks. Intuition: They can possess an innate sense of understanding people and situations, which can be valuable in decision-making. Enthusiasm: People with ADHD frequently display genuine passion for their interests, which can be motivating and inspiring to others. Curiosity: They often have a strong desire to learn and explore, leading them to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills. Rapid thinking: Individuals with ADHD can process information quickly, allowing them to make connections and see patterns others may miss. Multi-tasking ability: They are often skilled at juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, helping them to be productive in fast-paced environments. Strong problem-solving skills: People with ADHD can excel at identifying problems and generating solutions, often from unique perspectives. Resourcefulness: They have a knack for finding alternative ways to overcome obstacles or limitations, making the most of the resources available to them. Risk-taking: Individuals with ADHD may be more willing to take risks, leading to new experiences and opportunities for growth. Persistence: Despite the challenges they face, people with ADHD can demonstrate great determination and commitment to achieving their goals. Sense of adventure: They often have an innate desire to explore and experience new things, leading to a rich and varied life. Originality: Individuals with ADHD can bring unique perspectives to conversations, projects, and problem-solving. Emotional intelligence: They may have a heightened awareness of their own emotions and the emotions of others, leading to stronger interpersonal relationships and better understanding of social dynamics. These strengths can help individuals with ADHD excel in various aspects of life, including personal relationships, academic or professional pursuits, and creative endeavors. It is important to recognize and harness these strengths, as they can counterbalance some of the challenges that ADHD may present. By focusing on their natural abilities and using them to their advantage, people with ADHD can thrive in a wide range of settings. For instance, their creativity can make them valuable team members in brainstorming sessions or innovation-driven industries. Their ability to hyperfocus can lead to excellent results in tasks that truly capture their interest. In social situations, their empathy, sense of humor, and emotional intelligence can help them connect with others and build strong relationships. Moreover, their adaptability and willingness to embrace change can be an asset in today's fast-paced and ever-changing world. Their curiosity and enthusiasm can make them lifelong learners, always ready to explore new ideas and adapt to new technologies. In conclusion, people with ADHD possess a range of strengths that can be highly beneficial in day-to-day life. By embracing these strengths and leveraging them in personal and professional contexts, individuals with ADHD can lead fulfilling and successful lives, overcoming any challenges they may face. Unfortunately, each of these strengths have also created setbacks for me personally and professionally :(

Ash W

I've found that being multidisciplinary, having many odd skills, and being able to come up with a ton of ideas (or divergent thinking) are both 1) really common in people with ADHD and 2) really valued by employers and college application boards. You've gotta use a little of that patented ADHD hyperfocus to start a research project and a little ADHD thinking to come up with a unique insight, so even though editing is a pain in the ass, I've always found that my best essays are the ones where I lose myself a little in those rabbit holes.

Ellorgast

My job requires me to jump around between watching, listening to, and reading lots of different media. I find this rapid focus switching really invigorating rather than overwhelming. Also, the "out of sight, out of mind" aspect of ADHD means that if I see a lot of upsetting news that day, I can usually forget about it by the time I get home. Becoming a jack of all trades because of hyperfixations on so many different hobbies and interests. Sure, I don't have a passion for cosplay like I did ten years ago, but I can impress friends by throwing together an awesome halloween costume on the fly.

Kae(NWPA)

I like to use inexpensive items or things already in my possession to create solutions. I also know how to laugh at myself when I do something that does not work! (semi-anonymous).

Phylicia

I'm able to enjoy things as if they were new to me again after enough time because of how little my working memory usually gets to store to my long term memory

Selphis

I'm a software developer so creative problem-solving is my job. I can re-read the same book or re-watch a movie 100 times and still discover new details (or ones I've forgotten) to enjoy. Also keeping cool in a crisis: my brain is already used to working at the speed of light so quick thinking when it matters is easier. Hyperfocus, while draining, can get an incredible amount of work done in no time. Great for deadlines or impressing your boss. Wonder: I can walk around the most boring landscape and still see interesting things everywhere.

Mike Gruber

In addition to everything else said here already: I sometimes feel like I think/remember in 5 senses, which is frequently useful when I am trying to remember where I got off track (why did I come to this room, why did I start this story, where am I going?) Similarly, I feel like I have a very flexible mind, which is great for breaking apart ideas (or numbers, or words) and reassembling them in a different order or with different connections. Vibe sensors. I find that people with ADHD have an attunement to various small inputs that get aggregated into "vibes are off." Some people use this power to make incredible sales people (what vibes is the customer putting off, how does my pitch change these vibes). I grew up in a not great situation, so I can feel a fight/violence in the air before it starts or that it happened before I arrived. I've seen other people use this same thing in art or music. My curious mind gives me a broad knowledge base, and my relational memory allows me to use this broad base to make connections others don't. Musashi said "know the way broadly and see it in all things," sometimes I feel like "know many things and see the connections broadly" is also true (for me at least). Finally, I work hard. Sometimes problematically so. Some of it comes from adult diagnosis (i.e. I always thought I was just lazy and unorganized). Some of it is hyperfocus. Some of it is not wanting to be bored ever. These powers combine to form Captain Planet...wait, no, hard worker!

How to ADHD

These are so great! I love reading the answers y'all answer with. The variety! The similarities! Ahhhhhhh! This is so cool!

Kristyn Kay

Staying calm in a crisis. Also - I think adults with ADHD tend to avoid drama. Our brains are already a whirling vortex of information - adding additional, unneeded and avoidable, drama just gets overwhelming.

Rulliane Gonçalves

Thriving in caos, resilience (oh, the resilience...), creativity, being open-minded :)

Lenore Hoyt

Like Mike Gruber--being interested in MANY things leads to being able to make connections that others may have missed--expanding on that, it also helps me make analogies to explain things to other people. I'm a teacher, so being able to explain things many different ways is a huge asset!

Lenore Hoyt

I *really* miss reading--I used to spend entire days engrossed in a book, and now there are other people around who need stuff from me ALL THE TIME. So...I've started to listen to audiobooks. I can listen to audiobooks basically all day, whatever else I'm doing with my hands & eyes, because I have the attention to spare. Audiobooks (or podcasts) help me when I have to stay engaged in boring tasks. I've heard other people say they can't listen to audiobooks or podcasts except when they aren't doing anything else, and it always seemed weird--I'm just this moment really putting together the connection to my ADHD.

Lenore Hoyt

+1 to all the comments referencing empathy & the ability (innate and practiced!) to see things from others' point of view.

Jordan Contreras

The comments aren't loading for me for whatever reason, but I feel like two strengths I have are empathy and making connections. More so than seeing from someone else's perspective, it's almost like I'm seeing things from an outside perspective. Like a narrator in a third person story. A lot of my friends seem very grateful when I can put pieces together of why they behave a certain way that they don't like or why other people behave certain ways toward them. I'm often the advice person because of it, but I like it that way. Also, there's no one in the world quite as funny as an ADHDer, and my sense of humor is probably my biggest selling point when I meet new people 🤣

Matt C.

Damage Control - Because whatever happened is "Not Now" I have a really easy time saying "Whatever happened, happened" We can't change the past. So lets just focus on now and how to learn from the situation or fix whatever was broken as a result of whatever happened.

K Johnson

1. As a consultant and speaker, ADHD was a super power. It enabled me to have a very exact reading of the room; in other words the patterns of emotion and cognition of the group and many of the people - all of the people - in it. That rapid pattern recognition developed into an intuitive sense of where to take the group next in terms of content and experiences. In similar fashion, it made group facilitation easy, so to speak, in particular when topics were complex or emotional. When the topics were hot, it was important to stay clear and not get emotionally hooked (e.g., avoid the kryptonite). 2. I was not diagnosed until age 63 after a concussion and eye injury. Having known about the condition earlier in life would have made things much easier and I could have been even more effective in both personal and professional life. 3. I have been able to work in complex organizations and effectively make new projects/ideas come to life. The ability to be interested in “everything” was absolutely critical in harnessing the organizational/customer support needed. It was also a critical ability that enabled me to see (or sense) many factors/people/events that seemed unrelated but, if ignored, could have easily evolved into road blocks that would stall or stop projects/goals. 4. In retrospect, many of the people I found were most interesting and easy to be with likely had ADHD. Other peoples’ brains just seemed to move too slow. I learned patience certainly but there’s a cognitive cost to that as well. Looking to the future I will certainly seek out others with ADHD knowing there’s lots more to learn/discover from other fast thinkers.

Jana Asher

My hyperfocus means I have superpowers like: writing well very quickly (in 1/10th to 1/100th the time of my colleagues), ability to accomplish a lot in a short time.... I'm really good in an emergency; where other people go into flight/fight mode I get things done. I'm really creative. I think this is all due to ADHD.

Squiggle

Empathy, compassion and understanding are strengths that I really value in myself and my neurodivergent friends.

Jennyusagi

Thinking outside the box - creatively.

Laurasauras

The first thing I think of is creativity. I'm a writer, so multiple strengths go into that--the different perspective, the wacky connections I can make between ideas, the sensitivity for sentences that aren't quite right or could be better, and *definitely* the empathy. I often think I was drawn to reading and then writing out of my obsession for understanding what the hell the neurotypicals were thinking/feeling to make them act in ways so different from me. I'm also a personal assistant for my day job, which sounds insane for someone with ADHD because when I was reading the job criteria it was *basically* identical to reading a list of challenges for ADHDers (organisation, multi-tasking, time management etc). But a combination of my heightened empathy and I think the trauma of RSD over my life means that I have never been more occupationally fulfilled than in roles where my job is literally "make someone's life easier". I use a lot of alarms, notes and other strategies in my job, and sometimes it's difficult or boring and sometimes I make mistakes that I can attribute to my ADHD, but I know that my being there makes my boss's life less stressful and gives him the freedom to do work that really matters, and that feels really good. I also really value in both myself and friends with ADHD the tendency to try out a bunch of different hobbies, because I think the world is nicer when it's full of art and music, even if we don't always progress past beginner levels. And, I don't know, I think there's something charming and sincere about beginner level art.

Kirsten

I have two nieces, one has ADHD & Dyslexia. Their mum was saying to me the other day that her ADHD child, while being the younger, is always amazing in a crisis - if something happens and the girls are along, she’ll be the one directing who does what, goes where etc. I put it down at least partly to the focussing effects of Adrenalin for someone with ADHD.

Melissa O

In learning that I have ADHD I spent a LOT of time googling -Why do I do (THING)?- and realized all these difficulties I never could seem to overcome where because I had ADHD combined with neurotypical solutions. Thinking of it now I owe my adventurous spirit to my ADHD, and I owe my being a Jack-of-all-trades to it as well. When I was young I did gymnastics, karate, and loved running around the neighborhood with my friends playing make believe heavily based on the dungeons and dragons. As I got older I transitioned into painting Warhammer miniatures to the point of putting pupils in the irises of the inch tall miniature, of course regularly purchasing new paintbrushes or paint colors. I also had a tv/dvd player that usually had a musical playing. Around Highschool I began expanding into art, woodworking, and cooking. With each I delved into researching them in depth, buying tools, supplies, and ingredients for each. In college (For Culinary) I took up rock climbing with friends, geo cashing, and even managed some camping. More recently I've learned about construction, cows, gardening, chickens, welding, canning, and seed saving (Did you know you could grow potatoes from seeds instead of old potatoes!?) all this to say ADHD seems to have made me flexible and adept/adaptable.

Peter Frambach

Ability to see subtle patterns and relationships between seemingly dispirit things.

Paul

My need for novelty has been a challenge when it comes to consistency, but I love the strengths that come with it. At work I've found it can translate into a drive to improve the status quo and find new ways to do things. My favorite job was for a startup nonprofit because of that - there were all the hats to wear and always something new every day. Outside of work it gets me to try new fun things! I've gotten into rock climbing and photography over the past few years. And I really enjoy getting outside in nature! Also agreed with everything else here! My experience as a kid gave me more empathy for others who are going through hard times or feel excluded. And it also led me on my current career path helping under-served communities.

Vicki Kolman-Novak

I am newly diagnosed at 50 and have a good career. The things that I am most frequently complimented on are "ability to see everything at once and find patterns and connections others don't", "ability to work with a wide variety of people because I can read them and understand how they tick, ND or NT" and "ability to talk others off the ledge". I don't know if the last one is ADHD related or not but it's sure come up a lot! I also love solving puzzles and figuring out how to get information or redo a process. However, I want to do it and then pass it to someone else as I hate owning it and doing it forever week after week.

Todd Holdsworth

Artistic Entertainingly random Less judgemental Understanding Helpful / willing to serve Young at heart / lighter mood / not too serious Fun

roadyandroo

I have a unique ability of creating more efficient and effective systems at work where there either were none or they were ineffective

roadyandroo

I love hard and I am fiercely loyal and dedicated to those who have been with me.

(I agree with so much of what's already been posted.) Thinking outside the box. Frequently I don't even realize there is one. Making huge leaps of logic because my brain considers some of the 'steps' to be so obvious they don't need to happen. Maybe this is a form of pattern recognition? Creative (lots of Ingenuity). I'm a poet and went to college for a design degree. My longest stay at a job was a craft store. Diving deep into a passion project and having extensive knowledge of it (that I forget half of later, but that's another story). Always trying to break down complex systems into the simplest parts. Streamlining, if you will. I always figured if it's too complicated for me, it can be made easier for everyone. Enthusiasm!!! I'm such a kid when I get the chance. A deep level of compassion and empathy. I feel like this extends to a deep appreciation for nature. Making up words when I can't think of the 'known' word. I take people off guard so much with this and it can be hilarious. I've been told I'm very articulate. Even if it's frustrating sometimes, I love how changeable I can be. It spurs me to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. I love to rethink and question what's 'accepted'. 'Why?' might be my favorite word.

Christina Cl

I feel like a lot of us have more general knowledge than the rest of the population. We are deeply curious people that always want to try new things and learn about different topics, which makes us great generalists and also great at understanding people and situations.