The ADHD Monkey Mind: How It Hindered and Helped My Career
As an adult with ADHD and Dyslexia, my monkey mind is always on the go. It swings from one thought to the next, making it hard for me to focus on anything for long. In addition, I also have strong Influence (i.e. Yellow) & Dominance (i.e. Red) personality traits according to DISC, which means that I am driven & optimistic on my best days but am often perceived as erratic & haphazard by others.
As a young student in the 80s, my ADHD, dyslexia & inherent personality were often misunderstood by the people around me. At that time there was limited information about those topics hence I had often been labeled "stupid" by teachers due to my learning differences.
But I didn't let that stop me. In fact, it drove me to work even harder. I was determined to prove them wrong, to show that my monkey mind was a strength, not a weakness.
To be honest, it has always been very hard to talk about my struggles & be vulnerable & open. It's not easy admitting that you have trouble, reading & writing, to focus or that you're easily distracted by the next shiny object. But I learned that vulnerability is a strength & that it's okay to ask for help.
So I started experimenting with different strategies to help me focus. I broke my work into smaller chunks & set a timer for each task, & I cleaned my desk as it looked like a wild pack of monkeys had lived there. I created a designated workspace free from distractions. I learned to be kind to myself when my monkey mind got the best of me. I even joked that my monkey mind was like a pet, always running around but ultimately loyal to me.
As I gained more experience, I discovered that my monkey mind was also a strength. It helped me think outside the box, be creative, & see things from multiple perspectives. And when I embraced my ADHD & Dyslexia & used it to my advantage, I found myself excelling in my career.
Eventually, I became a successful leader in the corporate world & moved from the UK to Singapore. But I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to help others who struggled with their own monkey minds. So I became a life & leadership coach, using my experience to guide and inspire others.
Through my struggles & successes, I've learned the power of self-awareness & embracing your unique strengths & weaknesses. I've also learned the importance of being kind to yourself & not giving up when the going gets tough.
I hope this will relate to a few people, so if you're struggling with your own monkey mind, know that you're not alone. With the right strategies & mindset, you too can turn your struggles into strengths & find success in your career & personal life.
What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you because of your monkey mind? And how did you use that moment to your advantage?
