What do many creative people have in common? ADHD.
The monthly dispatch from Design Better. This issue is free!
In this issue of The Brief:
ADHD and the creative mind
Job opportunities
Things to watch, read, and explore
Editor’s note: This is a free edition of The Brief, highlighting some of the job opportunities we’ve unearthed as part of our talent and job directory.
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ADHD and the creative mind
by Aarron Walter
Over the past seven-plus years of interviewing creative people—designers, writers, musicians, filmmakers, architects, fashion designers, and artists—there’s a theme that keeps popping up: ADHD.
ADHD is perceived as a disorder. It’s in the name: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But nearly 7% of the global population has been diagnosed with ADHD according to a study by the NIH, a number that I suspect is low as so many go undiagnosed their entire life.
I have two sons who have ADHD minds, and I see many more kids in their schools whose brains operate similarly. I’m no scientist, but I can’t help but think that if such a large part of our population has ADHD, maybe this isn’t a disorder. It’s a feature, not a bug.
Those with ADHD often find their brains running fast, fluttering from perch to perch, rarely still. Operational and executive tasks like planning, following directions, and staying tuned in during meetings are a struggle. This gives the impression that those with ADHD have limited attention. But I see the opposite. ADHD thinkers have plenty of attention; it’s just not paid out to uninteresting tasks.
In fact, many high-achieving creative thinkers with ADHD find success because they can’t help but pour all their attention into their work. When an ADHD mind finds a topic of interest, its grip is relentless. Every detail and angle are examined. Impediments like interruptions or insufficient skills are frustrating. As psychiatrist and ADHD expert Dr. Edward Hallowell describes the ADHD mind: “ADHD is like having a Ferrari engine for a brain, but with bicycle brakes.”
“People with ADHD often feel like they're driven by a motor. They may switch directions frequently, trying to find the ‘right’ industry or subject, which can lead to burnout cycles.”
A mind like this, forced to march in time with operational thinkers who thrive in an economic environment shaped by industrialization, is bound to struggle. Though the struggle is real for ADHD thinkers, there are upsides we should acknowledge.
“There’s no concrete evidence that ADHD leads to creativity. But there are a few studies that suggest ADHD challenges can have an upside. The same qualities that make it hard to take turns or follow directions, for instance, may promote creative thinking.”
The upside of ADHD
The world can feel like a foreign land for the ADHD mind—that is, until the superpowers it offers are recognized.
Creativity and ADHD are deeply connected. As it flits from topic to topic, an ADHD mind tends to cross-pollinate ideas, sometimes in ways that amaze. Historians and psychologists suspect Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí all had ADHD minds, each of them masters at discovering novel concepts by connecting seemingly disconnected ideas. Bill Gates, Greta Gerwig, Justin Timberlake, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Carrey, Trevor Noah, Dav Pilkey, and Dave Grohl have all been officially diagnosed, and for many of them, their ADHD is central to their success. For them, ADHD has been a superpower, helping them obsessively pursue their interests.
“We do know from the research that we [ADHD thinkers] are good at creative thinking, creative problem solving, and original thinking. That kind of space is very ADHD. We're good at saying, ‘If you take this idea and this idea and put them together, you come up with something completely different.’”
Reframing ADHD
ADHD seems like a misnomer. Is it a disorder? Sometimes it can feel that way, especially when it’s acute. But many see it as an integral part of their creative process. Creative ADHD thinkers are able to pour all of their attention into a singular passion and let anything incidental pass on by, like tiny pebbles through a sieve.
It’s a superpower—and must have been for millennia, or evolution would have weeded out this trait from our population.
If you’ve spent your life feeling shame and confusion about your ADHD mind, you should know that nearly 7% of the world is like you—probably a lot more. It’s normal and even amazing if you channel it effectively.
Far more than 7% of the 150+ guests on Design Better have ADHD minds, and they’re doing inspiring work. Instead of pathologizing ADHD, perhaps we should celebrate it as a different—and often extraordinary—way of engaging with the world. When given the right tools and environments, ADHD thinkers can shape our culture and industries in transformative ways.
Job opportunities
Recently submitted to the Design Better job pool, these job opportunities promise inspiring work. If you’re looking for work, submit your profile here. If you have a job opportunity to share, we’d love to help you spread the word.
Design Operations Manager at Doctolib, international
Senior Service Designer at Homeward Health, San Francisco Bay Area
Update: We’ve got an additional opportunity here courtesy of design recruiter Danny Roberts:
DrumWave is looking for a new head of product design, building a truly visionary product that is defining a marketplace with novel ideas, empowering individuals the world over with ownership and monetization of personal data. This one is for those who love an enormous challenge and want to solve for a future that does not yet exist. Hybrid in Mountainview. Email your resume and portfolio to danny@producthiringhouse.com to learn more.
Fun things to watch, read, and explore
Watch: Former guests on the show, OK Go, have an amazing new video out. Still can’t figure out how they made it!
Read: Gareth Hinds’ graphic novel adaptation of The Iliad is beautiful. Stay tuned for our interview with him coming out soon.
Read: Former guest Kevin Bethune is out with a new book called Nonlinear:
Navigating Design with Curiosity and Conviction. It’s available for pre-order now, and keep an ear out for our new episode with him coming in February.
Read: During our interview with Kevin he mentioned being a fan of Haruki Murakami, and we chatted about his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, a fun read if you are into writing and/or running.
Explore: Our pal Brad Frost has a fantastic new design systems course called Subatomic, The Complete Guide To Design Tokens
Explore: A fascinating collection of interaction design patterns for the AI age.
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