Harvard to Minimum Wage: How I Found Out I Had ADD
After getting into Harvard, my life took a 15-year nosedive of epic fails.
Not many people know this, but after getting into Harvard, my life took a 15-year nosedive of epic fails.
I was on the “6 year plan” to graduate, twice dropping out for a year. After that, I bombed in my first 6 jobs and businesses. And then I failed out of my first marriage.
At 32 years old, I was broke, divorced, and earning just above minimum wage.
But the last 7 years have been different.
Completely different.
In that time, I’ve built up a successful Fortune 500 career, gotten married to an amazing woman, and regained my confidence and power.
What changed?
Obviously, a lot.
But I’ve kept one of the most critical factors in my turnaround a secret.
Until now.
Here is my secret:
My turnaround would not have happened without treatment for previously-undiagnosed ADD.
Why share now?
I kept this diagnosis secret because there are high downsides — and few upsides — to disclosing it in Corporate America.
But recently, some people told me that others would benefit from hearing about my experience. That they would appreciate knowing the strategies I used to recover from 15 years of failure and to succeed as a Fortune 500 senior manager with ADD.
So I am starting to share. It will mostly be on my new YouTube channel, Hidden ADD. But in the spirit of sharing my story more broadly, I also wanted to disclose it here.
If you’re curious
The first question many people ask is, “How can someone with ADD get into Harvard?” I explain it in that video.
What’s your story…?
Were you diagnosed later in life like me? Have you found any coping strategies that work well in the corporate world?
