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I remember being in 2nd grade and my teacher had me take a hearing test because she thought I had a hearing problem. Well, listening problem would have been more accurate. I scored 100% on the test. I find every day things very boring. I even find myself wandering in my mind when someone is trying to have a conversation with me. This happens every day if not several times a day. I can hear the words they say, but they just go through my head as words not sentences or comprehensible conversation. Of course if it is something I am really interested in I am very focused. I will spend hours on something that is interesting to me. I could write for hours if I was allowed. But only on things of interest. I feel as though I am a good writer. I would love to write more, but then again, it's the whole focus thing...There are so many things that interest me, probably because I can't stay focused on one thing in particular for too long. I read an article recently written by Tim Kimmel. He is a speaker and author of several books and the founder of Family Matters, a ministry focused on keeping families together. He has the same tendencies as I do. I can really relate to him. He made an interesting point in his article--he started off saying he would love "clock" the person who came up with the diagnosis of ADD and adding the last "D" to include the word "disorder." He goes on to say that he was never good at learning and at schoolwork. I can relate. He finishes up his article pointing out that we are all created different for reasons. And the personality traits associated with ADD is simply one of those "molds," as I like to call them, that God made us fit into. I too, have a problem with the word "disorder." Just because someone learns in a different way than our government likes us to, they are labeled as a disfunctioning part of society. I guess I should just get over it as there really isn't anything that griping will do.
But my point is that I have been created in a way that makes me unique, more so than the majority I believe. I have posted before about the blog SleepyBearHollow and how the author of this blog connected ADD tendencies to some of the most successful (in the worlds terms) and most influential CEOs in the world. I think this is due to the extreme focus that occurs when attempting to achieve something that is of interest to the person. I have seen this in my oldest son, Gavin. He has a tough time when it comes to organized learning, but if he is given a task that he enjoys, he will do it until it is perfected (or nearly so). I am proud of the fact that my son has the same traits as me... I am able to understand better what he is going through and how he learns best. It is not a disorder, but a rare gift.
And speaking of focus, I found a killer video of the world's longest wave, a ripple in the middle of the Amazon river... check it out.
Big-Mac, Nicely done, weaving your through several points and of course ending up with surfing. Thanks for the "shout-out" for SBH. The surfing rats are kool, they surf better than I do.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your psot a thought came to mind about why ADD folks seem to do better in the secular world. I was wondering if it is because many churchs like to keep control of the direction of their ministries. Not that that is a bad thing, but ADD folks do better when they are let lose to create. I dont know, what do you think?
TB - Thanks for the kind comments! I do agree with you on the Church and ADD thing. Most of those people I know who startup ministries and secular businesses have ADD tendencies. They are usually very driven, but also those that keep thinking of a lot of ideas but can never accomplish all of them without help from others and need to delegate.
ReplyDeleteI think church leaders with these tendencies have a hard time. I can think of 3 former pastors I know that I would diagnose with ADD that were let go from their positions because of lack of administrative abilities. They are very driven people, but they are about the bigger picture. It's tough in a church in these situations because of the fact that churches are on limited budgets so they expect pastors to have all-encompassing qualities about them. This is usually NOT the case with ADD folks that I know, rather those administrative tasks bore them.
Very interesting idea here TB! I could write a whole blog on this! :)
Thanks for the insight and keep up the great work you do.