Exceptionalist…

After another night of racing thoughts and restlessness, you awaken from only a few hours of deep sleep.

After spending half an hour in bed, struggling not to drift back to sleep, slipping in and out of dream worlds, you finally get up and start your day

You stumble to the kitchen and prepare the usual for breakfast, as the anxiety for what the day will bring and what you have to do starts to brew in the background of your mind. 

After breakfast and some screen paralysis, while checking social media and messages, you snap back to reality, get up, and prepare for the day.

Once you're prepared, you assess your to-do list for the day.

As you survey the tasks ahead, your chest starts to tighten, your breath shortens, and a sense of overwhelm begins to seep in.

After assessing your list, you spend another half hour just figuring out where to start.

By the time you finally start, the day is almost half over, and you barely have enough time to tackle your first and most important task before lunch.

You feel like giving up before you’ve even begun.

You reluctantly start working, constantly distracted by the pings, dings of your electronic devices and the pervasive & impulsive thoughts that constantly traffic your mind.

By the time lunch rolls around, you find yourself hyper-fixating on something you happen to find on YouTube while you’re eating, you suddenly feel like this is worth giving all of your attention to. 

The time blindness begins.

Several hours pass, then, you look up from your screen and suddenly realize “ shit I need to make dinner “.

Your previous to-do list has been deleted from consciousness. 

You make dinner quickly, something easy, and then urgently return to your hyper fixation. 

You lie in bed near bedtime, struggling to sleep, desperately needing to reach the next big epiphany of info in your hyper-fixation.

You try to sleep, but your mind is flooded with thoughts of what you fixated on all day.

You struggle to sleep, tossing and turning just trying to turn down the volume of your mind enough to drift off. 

The cycle continues. 

This series of negative outcomes is something I think is commonly spoken of for ADHD’ers, we all know what it’s like to deal with the harsh realities of a dysfunctional mind. 

But what about the positives? 

What about the things that make us ADHD’ers unique, powerful, and full of potential that if harnessed, can make us exceptional?

Today, I want to share a few insights, either to remind you of what you already know or to help you discover something untapped within you that can help you thrive with ADD/ADHD.

Here Are 3 Unspoken Superpowers Of ADHD That I Think Deserve More Recognition

( I added some superhero resemblances to make it more fun )

Superman - Sensitivity & Compassion

Superman came to mind because of his genuine love and dedication to helping people, his humanity in doing so, and his commitment to making the world a better place through these characteristics.

Sensitivity, I think, is one of the most powerful things we ADD/ADHD’ers possess. When I say sensitivity, I primarily mean emotional sensitivity.

When I was a younger man, I believed that my emotional sensitivity was a weakness—something that made me soft and fragile.

I worked relentlessly to repress and hide this side of me, thinking it was the proper path to manliness, the way to a stoic type of strength.

I felt that, as a result, I would be more accepted by my male peers and more admired by the women in my life.

After spending over a year meticulously crafting what many would call an “alpha male” persona, I found myself in situations and relationships that eventually exposed the core of my authentic self, crushing me, destroying my ego, and forcing me to rebuild.

This time though, I chose to do so with more solid, long-lasting materials, crafted from the most honest and true parts of my psychology through a deep and comprehensive self-reflection and analysis.

This came from a radical and painful acceptance of my true emotional sensitivity. I realized it would only be a weakness if my perspective continued to claim it.

If instead I changed my perspective, realized the paradoxical power of my sensitivity, and used it effectively through full self-awareness, I could dramatically improve the quality of my self-image and relationships.

Since doing so, I’ve significantly improved the quality of my social life and mental health. The people closest to me accept and love my sensitivity, and they rely on my ability to express deep empathy to help them navigate their own lives when needed.

I’ve become a better coach than ever, using my sensitivity to listen closely to my clients' stories, wants, and needs. I can put myself in their shoes almost exactly and see the world from their perspective.

My romantic relationships now have a depth never seen before. Rather than repelling women, as I once feared, my sensitivity—when used carefully—provides a sense of security and understanding that helps them relax both mentally and physically, opening their hearts to more genuine intimacy.

If you’re struggling with understanding and accepting your sensitivity, feeling that it’s something beyond your control that makes you feel frail and at the mercy of emotional chaos, I’m here to tell you that strength can be found in accepting this deeply human side of you.

Once accepted, it can be harnessed with more productive perspectives and goals.

Everything is about perspective. 

Night Crawler - Ability To Thrive In New Environments

Another thing I’ve found to be a superpower for ADHD’ers is the ability to thrive in new environments, despite the struggle we face when making big transitions. Another sort of contradicting paradox.

From my experience, and from witnessing and reading about others, ADHD’ers have a level of tenacity and perseverance that is truly heroic.

Any situation we’re thrown into, even though from the outside looking in we can seem disorganized, random, and driven by anxiety (which may be true 😂), we still manage to take care of business. Somehow, some way, we always find a way. 

Like the Marvel hero Nightcrawler we can " teleport " anywhere and be ready for anything.

When I came out to Southeast Asia after living in the United States my entire life, I was certainly worried about an infinitude of unknowns, but something within me also had the confidence to know I’d figure things out, no matter how crazy things got.

That confidence came from all the other situations in my life that I managed to get through and thrive afterward.

And that’s exactly what happened. I came out here, and even though I faced a ton of minor obstacles to get settled, I got settled. I’ve even formed a better routine for myself than I had back home.

The sheer intensity of the mental stimulus that comes from being forced to act in new environments is so exciting and scrupulous that it forces us, I think, to act with ferocity.

A level of clarity that results in the absolute obliteration of anything in the world that isn’t the immediate goal.

When the time comes for us to display this side of ourselves, we’re unstoppable.

Cyclops - Hyperfocus 

Hyperfocus, I believe, is one of the most underutilized legitimate superpowers that people without ADHD/ADD simply do not have.

As I mentioned earlier in the opening story, hyperfocus is often directed toward counterproductive habits (such as binging YouTube, which, though relatively harmless compared to others, is still a distraction).

But I think that if channeled properly, like Cyclops from the Marvel universe, you can laser through and annihilate cognitively demanding tasks that move the needle forward dramatically toward your most meaningful goals. 

But there’s one BIG caveat here…

We have to like that shit first 😂 Like ALOT!

I think one of the hardest parts of having ADHD is finding something we love, that can make money, and sticking with it long enough for it to succeed without getting distracted by impulses and shiny object syndrome.

If you want more tips on how I manage these challenges and stay committed long-term while coping with ADHD, check out my last email on the subject: “How I Stick to Things That Matter Most While Coping With ADHD.”

When we can focus our laser-like attention on something meaningful, it not only dramatically improves our progress in that area but can also be profoundly productive for our self-image.

We often feel like we suck at most things so when we find something we are or can be good at it’s like seeing the light in what feels sometimes like an infinite tunnel of darkness. 

With a meaningful mission, you can dedicate yourself to creating a routine that allows you to harness hyperfocus at will. Once you master this, it truly feels like a REAL superpower!

If you haven’t read my previous email ( which you should! WTF 😤 ) you’re probably asking in your head, “well how the hell do I do this?” 

Here are some quick practical tips to maximize your ability to hyperfocus and control it like a superhero, building on the strategies mentioned in my last email...

Take Cold Showers 

Cold showers (preferably in the morning, but anytime works) are one of the most natural and reliable ways to drastically boost your dopamine levels at will.

Since dopamine is something our ADHD/ADD brains often lack, increasing it can enhance your interest and excitement about your work, helping you focus intensely.

Cold showers might suck at first, but they become more bearable over time. Embrace the discomfort—I promise it’s worth it.

Eat Right

It’s a no-brainer, but it bears repeating: if you don’t eat right and provide your brain with the nutrients it needs, you won’t be able to focus effectively, no matter how excited you are about the task at hand.

Here are some foods to include in your diet to maximize focus:

• Healthy fats: eggs, oils, fish
• Fruits: blueberries, bananas, citrus
• Good proteins: chicken, beef, tofu (for you vegans out there)

These foods help optimize brain function and keep you full throughout the day, reducing mindless eating that can spike your blood sugar and destroy your focus.

Exercise & Sleep 

Another no-brainer: Exercise dramatically reduces ADD/ADHD symptoms and helps with focus. Sleep arguably has an even greater impact.

Want to exercise without the pain and suffering of figuring out what’s right for you and your specific needs?

Reply to this email with the word “coaching,” and we can discuss how to get it right the first time.

Looking to improve your sleep?

Pick a day when you have nothing scheduled, stay up all night before that day, and stay awake all day. You’ll be exhausted and more likely to fall asleep at your preferred time the following night.

Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night, 8 is best. Whatever you do your priority I think should be to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. 

Conclusion:

When people talk about ADD/ADHD, including those of us who have it, the conversation often focuses on the negative aspects—how we struggle with everyday tasks and how much harder we have to work to achieve what others might consider "normal," let alone exceptional.

But I’d argue that with enough time invested in ourselves, we can shift this perspective, focusing less on the negatives and more on the positives.

This isn’t about denying the negatives—they will be present whether we accept them or not. Instead, it’s about gaining a sense of control over our destiny and ensuring our life story isn’t defined solely by what we "can’t" do.

If we constantly believe we can’t do things, we won’t accomplish anything.

Our reality is shaped by the internal dialogue we maintain.

If that dialogue is positive and productive, we will be more positive and productive.

If it’s counterproductive and steeped in victimhood, we’ll be a product of our own limiting beliefs.

I hope this email helps you recognize and embrace your superpowers today.

You have unique talents and skills that can transform your life for the better. Don’t sleep on them!

Your friendly neighborhood Spiderman approves this message!

Thanks for reading!

Weekly Wisdom

Share this quote in your IG story and tag me @levelupwithleon for a shoutout!

Be exceptional,

Leon