The Mysterious Paradox of Being a High Achiever with ADHD

ADHD makes it harder to direct your own intentions, actions, and thoughts. Therefore, life outcomes tend to be less rosy. Statistics support the negative effects of ADHD on life outcomes – many not finishing high school, getting fired from jobs, greater frequency of drug abuse, poor health habits, money trouble, marriage problems, and more accidents.  

 

But, in my coaching practice, I work with very successful adults. You could call them high achievers. They all have high educational attainment (more than me, for example). Most are married and raising functioning families. They are effective in their jobs (even though they often don’t feel that way). They can manage their money. They think about their health.  

 

But with what we know about life outcomes and ADHD, how can it be that so many people with ADHD are such high achievers?