My Neurodiverance

Having ADHD, from a young age, I have struggled with the notion that I needed to change myself. Being creative and innovative, my mind operates like a 24/7 idea generator. The flip side of that is when it came to schoolwork, constant chatter wasn't always conducive to a formal classroom setting.

Based on stigma and fear of falling behind, I rewired myself by putting my head down and adopting a workhorse mentality. I did what all the best students did by prioritizing, learning effective time management, setting achievable goals, getting extra help, and, most notably, focusing only on the task at hand. Doing so worked; I kept up, got the best grades, got awards, got into one of the best universities in the UK, and got real-world work experiences in global corporations.

It wasn't until my recent mentor provided me with feedback about this mentality that I saw this in a negative light. During interviews, I would be asked to make me a good candidate for the position. My answer was filled with the typical response I thought they were looking for; my excellent time-management skills, ability to work under pressure, past work experience, love for entrepreneurship, etc.… but the nuanced truth was missing. My mentor later gave me the pivotal feedback that everything I had mentioned wasn't unique to me. What makes me stand out is that I offer a unique perspective that can be a valuable addition to many aspects of work. Based on this personal feedback, I have shifted my mindset about having ADHD from having to overcome it to now working with it, valuing the diversity of thought and creativity that emerges when I let my ideas work for me. I have learned to manage and excel despite a different thinking style. Embracing my creativity unlocks innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, which is why I love marketing so much. The creative and analytic sides are often in constant separation in my academics, but within a diverse marketing role, I find them seamlessly working together.