Most experts readily let you know the negative aspects of ADHD (attention deficit with hyperactivity). They discuss in detail the challenges that the ADHD personality faces with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity but rarely explore how much the ADHD personality may have to offer, in such areas as creativity. In this informational article titled “ADHD and Creativity I will attempt to give an overview of how creativity can manifest itself in a positive way. Let’s get started with a character you may or may not know named Bill.
Bill owns an advertising agency in a major metropolitan city. To his friends he is known simply as the “ad man”. He has dedicated his life to building this firm along with a number of accountant types who he hired early on. Bill always has ides, granted they may not stay in his head very long. Often times these ideas are bold and at times outlandish but most agree this is the single most important trait in his success. Occasionally the companies top idea people have brainstorming session where Bill has the uncanny ability to put different ideas together in a way that no one could imagine.
Generally it is hard for Bill to stay focus on a specific idea for very long but when he finds something that holds his attention he goes for it, sometimes working for days at a time to complete the project. The ad man hates structured environments, something about he never did very well in school because of them. No one really believes him because they see his brilliance and creativity on a daily basis. Some have even called him the mad advertising genius.
Do you know this man or someone like him?
The short story above is about Bill the ad man who was able to harness his creativity into a successful career by finding the perfect job that allowed him to utilize one of the advantages of the ADHD personality while hiring others to manage his weaknesses. Let’s face it we all have strengths and weaknesses and the key is managing them. Next, let’s isolate how Bill was able to find success through his creativity.
*Connecting the dots – The creative ADHD personality is a free flowing innovative thinker who is able to see the bigger picture when others many be thinking small. In some cases the more abstract and illogical the ideas the better their creativity becomes. This trait is linked to the primary ADHD symptoms of distractibility.
*Free flowing ideas – Highly creative people don’t discount unconventional ideas. Many of the most creative people in history have achieved success by allowing new and sometimes outlandish ideas to be considered, leading to amazing discoveries.
*The ADHD mind is working overtime – Those with ADHD have busy minds. If you have enough ideas eventually one of them will be pretty good.
*Endless energy level – If hyperactivity can be harnessed it can be a valuable asset.
ADHD is a biological disorder of the brain not a mental illness. The fact of the matter is that people with attention deficit disorder have brains that function differently. They are unique individuals who fit into structured society like a square peg in a round hole.
In closing, finding the perfect environment for the ADHD personality to overachieve is not an easy task. In some cases the key to this pursuit is finding ways to reduce the impact of problematic symptoms. For some the answer has been homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD have been shown to be very safe and effective in managing ADHD symptoms such as erratic behavior while not getting in the way of ones creativity.
R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate of alternative natural health products and supplements with over 10 years experience. To learn more about homeopathic natural health visit Purchase Remedies.com
4 Lessons in Creativity | Julie Burstein | TED Talks
Radio host Julie Burstein talks with creative people for a living — and shares four lessons about how to create in the face of challenge, self-doubt and loss. Hear insights from filmmaker Mira Nair, writer Richard Ford, sculptor Richard Serra and photographer Joel Meyerowitz.
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