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If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that happy ADHD adults, all have one thing in common: they choose jobs and careers that lights them up, that fuels their interest, that keeps them waking up every morning wanting to do more. It doesn’t mean that they’re perfect at it (or even good at it), but they love the work enough to be crappy at it (at first).
If you’re struggling to find your purpose, your calling, that thing that you were meant to do, the thing you were supposed to do when you grow up, and you still haven’t figured it out, even though you’re 73, that’s what we’re gonna talk about. So stick around. Let’s get to this.
When it comes to determining what it is that you want to do for the rest of your life, whether again, you’re 22 or 72, I think that there are three main things that you need to consider….
Rule #1 About ADHD Jobs – The Work is More Compelling Than the Rewards
If you want to find the right work for your brain, it needs to be something that you love to do (not just a job you’d like to have). This is especially important as an ADHDer because we don’t always have control of where our attention goes. It goes to whatever we think is most interesting. So let’s not fight that! Find the thing that you’re interested in doing (repeatedly) and keep doing more and more of that.
It has to be something that you enjoy the process of doing. Many of my clients come to me and they say, “I want to be an entrepreneur.” And when I ask them, why, they tell me it’s because they want time freedom and they want to work from home and they want to work their own hours. But that’s just focusing on the rewards of entrepreneurship. Many ADHDers don’t consider the amount of work, self-determination and drive it takes to run the day-to-day business. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t be entrepreneurs. ADHDers make great entrepreneurs for many reasons. However – we have to have the right reasons for starting a business, because it’s not easy!
Rule #2 About ADHD Jobs – Be Willing to Do It Badly (at First)
The best job for you will be something that you love doing enough that you’re willing to do it badly at first. So many ADHDers are afraid to fail or look stupid, so they don’t want to put themselves out there or try. But if you love something and you want it badly enough, you will be willing to be imperfect until eventually, you get good at the thing.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, anxiety and emotional dysregulation are very real roadblocks for people with ADHD. So you might need more support, or time to get yourself in the grove of whatever it is you want to do, but please don’t let those things limit you. With the right support and practice – you can do amazing things.
Which brings me to my next point….
Rule #3 About ADHD Jobs – You Must Cultivate Self-Trust
No matter what your track record has been to date, I want you to have the self-trust and self-belief that you can and will figure it out. Very often ADHDers don’t finish things or quit because they truly aren’t interested in what they’re doing. But when you are interested, that’s often enough to propel you forward.
The reality is that we all cycle through things. We all try things and we discover whether or not they are something that we want to continue doing or not. And sometimes people with ADHD, because we have such fast, busy brains, we cycle through things a lot faster than the average bear.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that the idea you have today is going to be “the thing”, but with self-trust and a growth mindset, you can start with your most authentic interest and see where it takes you.
Final thoughts on The Best Jobs for ADHDers
Finding work that fuels your passion is not easy, and it may take some time to figure out what it is you truly love doing. But it’s worth the effort. When you find the thing that you’re passionate about, it won’t feel like work. You’ll enjoy the process of doing it, even when it’s hard.
So don’t give up on finding your calling. Keep exploring, keep trying new things, and most importantly, keep believing in yourself. You will find your way to work that fuels your passion and fulfills your purpose.
Next Steps
To wrap things up, here’s a few action items you can take from this article to help you get closer to the work you were meant to do….
- Think about the things that you loved doing as a kid. These may be indications of how your soul wants to express itself creatively.
- Connect the dots of the things that have always interested you and the things that light you up. It may take time to figure out how they all fit together, but keep pushing forward and trust your inner knowing that you are going in the right direction.
- Get curious about the things that you love and light you up. Make sure it is something that you enjoy the process of doing.
- Give yourself the self-trust and permission to explore and know that some things may not be for you and that is okay.
- Pursue what you love, but remember that it is a journey. It may not be perfect, but when you wake up every day and do something that engages you and aligns with who you are, it gives your life a deeper sense of purpose that benefits the people and spaces around you.
Remember, finding what you love requires patience, self-exploration, and self-trust. It may take time to figure out what you really want to do, but don’t be discouraged. Keep pushing forward and trust that you will eventually figure it out.
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