Entrepreneur, Meet ADHD

Article on Entrepreneurs and ADHD

I recently read an article by Jake Chapman who wrote, “Garret LoPorto cites Fortune Magazine claiming that people with ADHD are 300 percent more likely to start their own company than others.”

I had two thoughts. First, that makes sense.  Folks with ADHD are quite often, creative, socially engaging, curious, bright, highly energetic, enthusiastic risk takers who prefer to work out of the box.

And then I thought, Oh! Oh! There is going to be a large portion of those adventurous souls who are going to struggle and possibly fail, because adults with ADHD can also be impulsive, have difficulty prioritizing, and completing projects on time.  They are easily bored and distracted, prone to overestimating their ability to achieve a goal, or underestimating the time and effort required to reach that goal.  Stir in the additional burden of depression and anxiety that can tag along with ADHD and the mountain looms higher and higher. 

An entrepreneur must wear many hats and face a wide array of challenges:

·      Long and short-term planning

·      Resources identified, acquired and developed

·      Hiring, mentoring and supervising staff

·      Develop and implement business strategies

·      Cultivate and maintain critical business relationships

·      Fight daily fires

How do you do all that and maintain value in personal relationships?

Life is a balancing act and ADHD is an unbalancing state.  

ADHD can lead to new problems or aggravate existing ones. As a result, the entrepreneur may also experience emotional stress and discomfort.

There are many coping strategies that successful entrepreneurs employ. Some beneficial habits are:

·      Utilizing planning schedulers to identify and manage critical priorities.

·      Employing apps for organizing and time management.

·      Working with a coach or mentor.

·      Developing and maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits.

·      Scheduling breaks from a hectic work schedule.

·      Nurturing special interests and relationships.

·      Taking time to laugh, play and rest.

·      Having trusted confidantes to rely on.

·      Delegating rather than overextending time and effort.

These are self-care strategies that are vital to creating and sustaining a thriving business, and a healthy life.

On the flip side, there are hazardous behaviors that may emerge. Some will choose to wing it rather than plan it. They may overextend time, focus and work on stimulating or interesting tasks rather than on critical priorities. Overestimating abilities and resources, underestimating timelines, and impulsive decision-making can be a killer. Some may self-sooth through over eating, substance abuse, gambling, or thrill seeking behaviors. I would note that, many of these actions might produce negative and potentially dramatic consequences on relationships and personal lives.

Are entrepreneurs with ADHD doomed to a failed effort? I say, nay, nay!  In fact, there are many successful entrepreneurs who have reportedly been linked to the struggles of ADHD: Richard Branson, Bill Gates, David Neeleman, (Jet Blue founder), Paul Orfalea, (Kinko’s founder) and Walt Disney, are just a few.

There is a fine line between the entrepreneur who succeeds with ADHD and the one who does not. I would note that, this could also be true for entrepreneurs who do not have ADHD. The professional who succeeds will acknowledge and accept the difficulties their actions, habits and emotions create, and they will develop a plan of action to correct or manage their problems.

If you struggle with the strain and stress of starting and effectively operating your own business, I say, Don’t Try To Do It Alone. You are much more likely to achieve your objectives and surpass your competition when you acquire the correct battle plan and the skills to put it into action.

I admit that I have a bias, and I believe a coach is the ideal person to assist with the typical ADHD traits that will inhibit effective and sustainable habits. A coach provides supportive assistance to help you develop strategies, develop and enhance current skills, and provide accountability to your plan of action. If not a coach, then a mentor, a trusted and objective friend or business partner.

Just don’t struggle alone!

The easy part is knowing, or learning what to do. The hard part is doing it consistently and effectively.