ADHD, Ambition and Unfulfilled Potential

There are many stories of people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are ambitious but feel that they struggle to reach their potential. I regularly feel a gap between what I want or believe is possible and what I actually achieve. I’ve also heard complaints from people with ADHD that they spread themselves too thin and never get really good at one thing. Not everyone can follow their passion, and it takes a lot of energy for those with ADHD to work towards their sometimes lofty goals.

ADHDers Are Often Ambitious

Perhaps because our brains are so often firing off, many ADHDers are very ambitious.¹ Dr. Russell Barkley speaks powerfully on ADHD and motivation by noting that most people with the condition are unable to attain their dreams because they struggle with sustaining action towards a future goal.² In the video below, I elaborate a little more on ADHD and ambition.

In the above video, I note that many ADHDers have enjoyed success, but Barkley's statement very much rings true for me. I have started countless projects before losing interest and moving on to something else. I want to write more, but I struggle with organizing my thoughts and slogging through the sometimes tedious aspects of writing. The concept of working on the same project day after day bores and intimidates me.

Why ADHDers Struggle to Reach Their Potential

I often feel that I do not have the “attention span” or “self-discipline” to do what I want, which is common in ADHDers. Because of how certain neurotransmitters in our brain work, we do not have the baseline of contentment that allows us to persist at dull or overwhelming tasks. Our brain seeks excitement, sometimes in the smallest things, such as thinking or noticing something new. On top of that, plenty of us are sensitive and wrestle with perfectionism and the fear of failure.

Are There Any Solutions for Ambitious ADHDers?

I am still figuring out how to be more productive and goal-driven. Here are a few suggestions:

• Take appropriate medication for ADHD and work on certain tasks while that medication is active.
• Meet with professionals, including psychiatrists, therapists, and coaches.
• Join communities of people with ADHD or who are interested in achieving the same goals, online or in person.
• Get to know yourself. Examine the big questions, such as what you want out of life, and smaller issues, like how many hours you spend on certain activities.
• Incorporate self-care and lots of rewards into long tasks. As always, break projects into smaller pieces.
• Write down or record what is in your brain. This can help clarify emotions, thoughts, and plans.

I am interested in hearing whether you become frustrated by thwarted ambitions or if your experience with ambition and success are very different. Feel free to add other words of advice, and thank you for reading.

1. Reddit, "High Ambition as An ADHD Trait and How to Explain It to Non-Ambitious People?" April 2018.
2. CorePathway, "Dr. Russell Barkley -- ADHD Motivation Deficit Disorder." YouTube, March 2013.