ADHD doesn’t only affect children, but adults as well. And perhaps realtors, more than their assistants, might suffer from attention deficit and rightfully so. More entrepreneurial people who are successful in sales, as most realtors are, and are more creative thinkers have or are said to have ADHD. It’s definitely not as common in people whose focus is more administrative.

As an adult who suffers from ADHD, I can tell you that the struggle is real, but it is also that very same struggle that gives me my cutting edge. My brain seems to have a mind of its own, always pulling me in a new direction, with new thoughts and ideas.

I don’t believe that ADHD is a “deficiency”. It’s more like a hyperactive, hyper aware brain that is always thinking, creating, problem solving, imagining… you get the point.

So sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on one thing for more than 5 minutes. But despite my inability to stay focused, or stay in-tuned to conversations for a long period of time, I’ve learned to harness my “deficiency” into a powerhouse that allows me to achieve so much more than what seems possible. I call it my superpower. Here are a couple of other ADHD related superpowers that you might recognize:

  • Creativity—the ADHD brain lends itself more to creative thought processes, for reasons that aren’t completely understood. Very often, people with ADHD are visual learners and processors, which are both linked to creativity. There is a willingness by people with ADHD to think outside of the box and try something untested, often with great success.
  • Crisis management—perhaps because a person with ADHD tends to think outside the box and all over the place, they can function well in a crisis, where original solutions are sometimes required. A person who needs to think everything through logically and in some sort of order can be hampered by that same practicality, when it comes to a crisis. For those who are also affected by hyperactivity, the ability to just roll with the needs of others in a crisis is a simple thing. Sitting in a meeting for two hours straight? Not so much.
  • Doers, not planners—while it’s not always a good thing to jump into the fray with both feet, sometimes, it’s the only way to operate. Planning, planning and more planning are good too but there’s a time and a place. This goes back to crisis management in that people with ADHD tend to leap before they look and that can pay off handsomely in a tough situation.

And I’m not alone. Here’s a list of celebrities who also suffered with ADHD but managed to shine:

  • In the acting world, Channing Tatum as well as talented performers like Justin Timberlake, Adam Levine and Howie Mandel.
  • Journalist Lisa Ling, who discovered she had it at age 40 after struggling with it her whole life, while preparing a story on the disorder.
  • Sports stars like swimmer Michael Phelps, football superstar Terry Bradshaw and soccer great Tim Howard.
  • Astronaut Scott Kelly, who grew up without a diagnosis but didn’t let his inability to focus prevent him from achieving his dreams.

It can be frustrating to work with someone who suffers from ADHD. My partner will often gently remind me of things I’ve started and not finished because I’ve moved on to other things. In a real estate office, and particular as a manager of staff, it’s important to acknowledge your shortcomings and your superpowers, so that everyone knows what to expect. Never devalue your employer or employee because of such a disorder and instead try to see what they bring to the table. You might be surprised to discover that their skills and talents are ones that no one else is able to bring!