[adhdguy]

I think I'm like you. I'm usually the smartest guy in the room, a phenomenal problem solver and brainstormer, and a great engineer and lawyer. I'm currently doing great in a very easy and rewarding job I stumbled into, but it has a time limit. I tried stimulants years ago but it made me feel physically awful (jaw grinding, digestive problems, heart palpitations, exhaustion, etc.) and didn't actually help (I'd just get hyperfocused on distractions). Also tried guanfacine and had other negative reactions. I've actually been thinking of starting a business as a better match than a desk job before I saw all this ADHD founder talk. Reading these comments makes me feel so encouraged. Thank you.

[riwsky]

> I’m usually the smartest guy in the room

Taking you at your word, here: being the smartest in the room might be making things harder for you, not easier! If you’re regularly figuring stuff out in the first five minutes of a meeting to then watch others spend 25 (or, god forbid, 55) minutes reaching the same conclusions, you’re going to end up frustrated with meetings no matter what your dopamine chemistry is.

[josiahpeters]

I can relate to this. Spending the better half of the meeting catching people up to you can be exhausting sometimes.

[marketerinland]

Thanks. It has been an absolute grind in many ways but I’ve found my way forward.

In terms of being the smartest guy in the room.. I know the feeling but in my last role .. pretty much everyone there was highly intelligent. The only person I can think of who (probably) wasn’t would be the office manager.

In the end, while it was a bit of a weird moment to at first to no longer be ‘special’ in that regard, it was a lot more rewarding. (And how nice it is to be in meetings where everyone can keep up!)

Even then - people appreciated my creativity and ability to distill complex ideas into simple explanations.

The challenge has an ADHD person for me has been to recognise exactly where my limitations are and how to put people with the right skillsets into roles to balance me out.

Regarding drugs I tried Vyvanse and didn’t really like it but now am on Ritalin and despite stereotypes, for me it’s been great.