“When you’ve got something to prove, there’s nothing greater than a challenge.”
Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw is one of my ultimate, all time heroes and I just recently discovered that he suffers from clinical depression and has ADHD. I did not know and I feel ashamed! I mean, I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan from way back and heck, I should have heard about this long ago… maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention!?!

With this new found knowledge of my hero, I went back and watched the 1974 NFL documentary about the Steelers and felt, for the very first time, a connection beyond anything I had ever imagined with the blond bomber. Watching the documentary, I felt a kinship to a man who has already been an idol of mine. Looking back and re-watching was very typical of hindsight and I realized the connection almost immediately.

~

What amazed and inspired me the most was that this man not only overcame his own inner adversities, but he did it on the national stage and with lives and careers which depended on him to come through – not to forget about a city that is known to be in love with its football team! Such pressure, such exposure, such vulnerability and such an awesome character… During that first Super Bowl Journey, Bradshaw was benched for several games in favor of another quarterback, he cried on the field, came back and was benched again due to inconsistency—he could have given up, instead he came back yet again and lead the Steelers to their first Super Bowl and then 3 more Super Bowls after that. He was the first quarterback to ever win 4 Super Bowls and he has ADHD! How many Quarterbacks without ADHD have led a team to the Super Bowl and win it 4 times? 1 = Joe Montana, and that’s pretty good company!

Terry Bradshaw has been through quite a bit and like many ADDers, people made fun of his intelligence and he is famous for saying that “I might be dumb, but I am not stupid”. Quite the contrary on both counts, despite being divorced 3 times, he is a very prolific worker, which really displays his multi-tasking ability and gives way to the lazy stamp many ADDers have. ADDers tend to seem lazy when challenged with an educational system that is regulated with set standards and therefore a serious challenge for folks with ADD or ADHD. The laziness stamp also comes from being in situations which require tedious work, which is boring to most ADDers. ADDers need excitement, challenge and incentive!

Bradshaw has found the excitement through challenge and challenges have always been his ultimate incentive. It didn’t matter if he seemingly showed his @ss, he maintained his passion and came through. He has been a Super Bowl winning champion 4 times, he is an NFL broadcaster, a motivational speaker, an author and he is a movie star and even has dabbled in preaching! There is so much more about this man than I ever realized and I am sure I have only scratched the surface.

“With a sharp strategic mind and a warm sense of humor, Bradshaw has become one of football’s most popular commentators.”  Biography.com

Terry Bradshaw, the man, the ADDer, the inspiration!

“You can’t dodge them all … I got hammered plenty of times through the years. But you just get up and keep playing. I can tell you from experience, though. Sometimes it hurts like hell.”
Terry Bradshaw

Spoken like a true ADDer!

~Bryan

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“I think a lot of actors have OCD. I think it’s part of being creative, whether your outlet is acting or science or maths. – Whatever it is it takes some sort of drive to get anywhere.”

Jessica Alba

No, Jessica Alba does not have ADHD; however, she did suffer from childhood OCD and seems to hint that she still has OCD in some of her comments about it. My point of using Jessica’s quotes in this week’s Adder Quote of the Week is that she says some amazing things, which we all could take a little positive reinforcement from.

Just like me she grew up as an Air Force brat, so pardon me if I feel a little personal connection. Being an Air Force brat means that you travel a lot and meet new people. You spend a childhood continuously making new friends and unfortunately, losing friends due to moves. And according to Wikipedia Alba’s early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies; she suffered collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia 4-5 times a year and a ruptured appendix.

Sometimes when we watch TV and Movies we see the actors as energetic and free spirits living a wonderful life of glory and fame. Maybe they are, but usually there is more to their story than just fun and games. They had to get there, they had to work to get there and many of them had to overcome disorders and situations which could have understandably held them back.

As with OCD, ADD and ADHD, perception and acceptance can have a significant impact with how one deals with the disorder. Both disorders can be, and usually is, very serious life affecting conditions. I think the following quote from Jessica is sincere, positive and a telling sign of her attitude: 

“So sure, I can be a little obsessive compulsive about things, but that just means that when I do things, I do them proficiently and I do them to the best of my ability.”

Jessica Alba

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“If you’ve got a big mouth and you’re controversial, you’re going to get attention.”

Simon Cowell

This week’s positive ADDer quote of the week goes to the one and only, American Idol’s, Simon Cowell! Simon Cowell? Well let’s see, my research shows that he was wild as a child, dropped out of high school at the age of 16. He started out with some mediocre jobs, but didn’t get along well with his co-workers and bosses.  Eventually his dad had to give him a job. Being Simon, he wanted more, so he tried his own company and it didn’t work out and at the age of 30 he had to move back in with his parents! I can just imagine his father shaking his head at this point.

Does Simon have ADD or ADHD? I have not found anything concrete to prove it, but man, he sure sounds familiar to me!

It’s easy to say that without the help of his dad, Simon would not have been successful. That could be very true and would have been a tragedy for the world as we know it. His wit, his charm and his criticism is something the world desperately needed. That’s on the surface – under the hood Simon is an Animal rights activist, against locking pets in cars. He also supports children from The Association of Children’s Hospices and invites them backstage to the screenings of The X Factor.

From what I have read Simon is actually a very, very nice person, but is so good at spotting talent and mentoring talent that he has created a persona of the ultimate critic. When you really judge Simon’s criticism, as harsh as it might be at times, we sometimes have to remember that the people competing in his shows are competing for over a Million $$$~! Take into account that his criticism is often correct and helps mold future entertainers who will earn millions. Think Westlife! Of course he is not perfect; he did pass up on the Spice Girls. Then again, before Carrie Underwood won the Idol contest Simon predicted, live on the show, that Carrie would win and go on to be the best selling Idol winner-ever! And his prediction was absolutely an unmitigated statement which came true!

Simon has a big mouth, he is controversial and he gets attention in the mega dose range! Fit any description you know of? Without all the social baggage he reminds me of Paris Hilton and we know for a fact she has ADD! He knows how to make things exciting and he can create theater between simple critical conversations, which he has made a fortune doing on his talent shows. He can turn an unmitigated disaster into precious jewels!

“I think you have to judge everything based on your personal taste. And if that means being critical, so be it. I hate political correctness. I absolutely loathe it.”

 

“Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don’t compromise.”

Simon Cowell

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“In the midst of all the chaos swirling through your brain, all the disorganization and impulsiveness, this condition (ADD) also seems to trigger a certain kind of creativity.”

David Neeleman

David G. Neeleman — chairman and CEO of JetBlue Airways has Attention Deficit Disorder and he has made it no secret. As a matter of fact, this man is a role model of what ADD ADHD can be for a person. I have often said ADD ADHD can be a gift and reading about David really brings home how true this statement really is!

David G. Neeleman is the chairman and CEO of JetBlue, yes, but let’s not forget that this man is the father and supporter of 9 children! That’s right 9 children!

JetBlue was created and launched by David Neeleman in January of 2000. He revolutionized the low fare air market by bringing luxury leather seats and direct TV. And this is with consideration to the fact JetBlue was created to be all economy class with low fares. Clearly, Neeleman’s ADD was having more influence than simply in drive alone. Creativity and Inventiveness are obvious in David’s behavior and are part of the gift of ADD ADHD.

Something very interesting and perhaps counterpointing the fact that many Adders have difficulty with the educational system David Neeleman dropped out of the University of Utah. Remember though, that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates also dropped out. We are talking about 3 of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time! But no, I do not recommend dropping out—just a very interesting coincidence –don’t you think?

 From Inc.com:

-Instead he (David Neeleman) chose to walk up and down the aisle talking to as many customers as he could. That takes commitment. I know from my own experience how hard it is to maintain direct contact with your customers as your company grows. Then again, look what he gets out of it–all of those wonderful ideas, to begin with. He told the guy across the aisle from me that JetBlue would soon be implementing one of them, Wi-Fi in its airport lounges, and that it was working on providing another, high-speed Internet connections on flights. “There are a lot of things we want to do,” Neeleman said.-

You can read the full article to the above excerpt here. It is a very insightful article and considering David and what ADD offers, I can’t say that I am overly surprised, but rather very impressed that David Neeleman is using his ADD to bring betterment to the world and reaches out and touches the people he meets! Who really does that these days? He does.

“Look at the positives and don’t get discouraged. Just keep thinking about the good side of ADD, the creativity and the originality it can stimulate.” 

 
“ Believe me, if I could take a magic pill to get rid of my ADD, I wouldn’t do it.”

David Neeleman

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”

“What’s right is what’s left if you do everything else wrong.”

Robin Williams

After learning yesterday from Dana’s Blog that Robin Williams has ADHD I decided to look up some of what Robin Williams has said and what he stands for. Oh my! Robin is a very interesting person to say the least and he holds opinions like flags waving high in the wind. And you know what? If you take a closer look into what he really says and what he really means, you get the idea that this man wants to change the world for the better and if comedy helps do that, well then, so much the better!

I can’t help but wonder how early Robin realized he was different than other people around him. As a young man he was very shy and quiet. He did not really come out of his shell until he joined the drama class of his high school and even then he was voted “the most likely not to succeed”! Hey, they gave him an award for that, but even so, you’ve got to imagine that when you are being recognized for something as ridiculous as that, you are still be recognized—you made people notice you, they even stopped whatever they were doing and voted for you! Who’s the laugh on now? –Adders get noticed, it can be an advantage, but it can also be hurtful.

Robin, I think, was given a little more spark of madness than your average Adder, but hey, you’re going to lose it if you don’t use it! Well, maybe not with ADD ADHD… You see ADD and ADHD can be a gift, a gift that can change things, make the world a better place and more importantly a gift which can be used to make people feel good and laugh. Why not—what is so wrong with that? The problem is that modern society is in such denial about ADD ADHD and so strictly structured that it’s hard to be an Adder, even one that stands out, takes the hits and makes others laugh! Can you imagine how it must feel to be voted as someone not to succeed, no sorry, someone the least likely to succeed? Even if it is in jest, it sucks! Adders are sensitive people, we have enough problems without others taking advantage of our traits and pushing us down even further into an abyss of solitude, fear and depression.

Sometimes having ADD ADHD can seem like everything you do and say is wrong and therefore everything else must be right. I don’t know if I buy that fully. I think society determines what is right and that doesn’t necessarily make the traits and doings of Adders wrong. But there are a lot of other traits that come along with being an Adder and sometimes those traits do come off as arrogance and even narcissism, but hey, if you’re wrong anyway… I think it will be a great day when society recognizes that Adders have feelings and what we do isn’t against the system and isn’t an excuse, it’s just another way which isn’t accepted by today’s standards and due to standards becoming more strict and more encompassing, more Adders are being diagnosed each and every day!

Don’t give in—don’t lose your touch of ADD ADHD – your gift – your supposed madness, because that’s why stages were built, for people like you and me! Adders!

“Comedy is acting out optimism.”

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

Robin Williams

Spoken like a true Adder~

~Bryan

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“I’ve always been very hopeful which I guess isn’t strange coming from me. I don’t want to call myself an optimist. I want to say that I’ve always been full of hope. I’ve never lost that. I have a lot of hope for this country and for the entire world. . .”

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg. I don’t know where to start. He is an amazing man, he is a pioneer, he is a dreamer and he is a dream giver! In looking up people with ADHD, I keep finding Steven Spielberg’s name. It would not surprise me in the least if it is true that he is an Adder. No name in Hollywood is as well known as Spielberg’s. The man sure dreams and creates like one of us! However, I must say something as I write these Adder quotes: In using quotes from individuals I do not mean to confirm or deny that these people have ADD or ADHD. With that said, isn’t it inspiring to read their words, because with certainty all the people I have quoted due indeed display characteristics of Adders.

Steven Spielberg’s said he has always been very hopeful. I can personally vouch that being hopeful is extremely constructive and positive for one’s mindset. Whenever I want something, anything—I hope for it! Somehow just being hopeful is therapeutic to me, it gives me the feeling that things are possible, it fills me with positive vibrations and ever so important enthusiasm. Yes, hope brings to me enthusiasm and optimism. I guess, if you wanted to, you could call hope my form of prayer. When we pray, we ask and with faith we are filled with hope, belief and a calmness of reassurance. That’s what I believe. No matter how farfetched or seemingly ridiculous something might be I always utter the words “I hope.” And you know what—it works. Things don’t always come out the way I expect or originally wanted, but they do always come out for the best! That’s what I believe, that’s what I have learned to hope for with every fiber of my being.

Steve Spielberg started dreaming at a very early age and made amateur movies with his friends. This goes to show that it is very important for an Adder to follow his or her talents, creative ideas and allow the dreams to come alive. Some might say dreaming is for kids and that Steven Spielberg never grew up! I have read countless times that even adult Adder’s have a presence about them that is immature and childlike—what’s wrong with that? I don’t ever want to grow up; I want to keep dreaming, creating and keep my hopes alive!

“I dream for a living.”

“When I grow up… I still want to be a director.”
Steve Spielberg

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs

Is Steve Jobs an Adder? I don’t know, but his words often sound as if he has lived the life of an Adder—and doing a damn fine job of it! Steve Jobs dropped out of college and then hung around to learn from specific classes he was interested in and today he is one of the most successful people in the world. He did not abide by the “dogma”, he did not allow the rules of the educational system to hinder him and very few people on earth, who have followed the “dogma”, have done better in the business and creative world than Steve Jobs.

To me, there are two things about Steve Jobs which stands out and speaks to me: He did not follow the “dogma”, he followed his interest and talent and he is a creative genius beyond comparison. Those two things together are brilliant. I do not have to list anything Steve Jobs has created or is creating, the world already knows and industries take pause whenever this man speaks! Maybe we all should:

“I want to put a ding in the universe.”

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

Steve Jobs 

Oh my, oh my – Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“As long as I can remember I feel I have had this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater than faith, greater than ambition, greater than confidence, greater than determination, greater than vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which I hold in my hand.”
Bruce Lee

Was Bruce Lee an Adder? I don’t know—I don’t even know if it has been speculated and yet when I read his writings and read what people have said about Bruce Lee, it certainly seems that he may have been an Adder. One thing is for certain: Bruce Lee was absolutely Hyper-Focused on his Martial Arts. It has been said that when Bruce was not practicing Martial Arts, then he was thinking about Martial Arts and if he was asleep, well then he was dreaming about Martial Arts.

I find the above quote to be very familiar to my Adder mind and that’s why it is the Adder quote of the week. Many Adders claim the same scenario—the feeling of something special as Bruce Lee describes as “creative and spiritual force within” him. This quote might be the most important quote I have posted to date, because we Adders have amazing talents and yet too often, we do very little with our talents. We often talk about the desire to do something very special, but can’t quite put our fingers on what it is.

There are many reasons why we might not be able to explore our talents and the main being because we often do poor in school and are hence restricted from extracurricular activates. Or, there simply isn’t the time for getting deeply involved in a talent at a young age in today’s fast paced world. Fortunately, Bruce Lee was able to fully explore his desire and talent in Martial Arts. Actually, he really didn’t have too much of a choice as a youth, because he was often bullied and in fights. 

I have a what if question: What if Adder children were allowed and even supported in following their talents from a young age? In this respect ADD ADHD therapy would still be needed, but the child’s natural talent would not be threatened or restricted, even when doing poorly in other areas. Here’s a quote from Chuck Norris concerning Bruce Lee: “It was a real experience to see Bruce Lee who was far ahead of every body else in that field. He had a vision that was years ahead of everyone.”

What if Bruce Lee had been restricted from his talent and had not been allowed to follow his inner spiritual force, at least until he was out of school? It has only been in the last couple centuries that children have been crippled with an educational system which has very little room for talents to be developed. By the time a person can really work on a talent, to develop it, they must be graduated from school and by that time it’s usually too late and time to enter the work force. Maybe, just maybe, kids are inattentive or hyperactive because their primal instinctive talents are being inhibited? Just some questions to think about.

 “When there is freedom from mechanical conditioning, there is simplicity. The classical man is just a bundle of routine, ideas and tradition. If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow – you are not understanding yourself.”

  
“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”

Bruce Lee

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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“You should live everyday like it’s your birthday.”Paris Hilton

There is no question about it, Paris Hilton is an Adder! No matter what anyone thinks of her or what critics say about her, she is right: “Live everyday like it’s your birthday!”

What does a birthday represent?

Birthday= Life, love, joy, happiness, a new start and celebration. How about some more= Dancing, smiling, jumping for joy, shouting in happiness, congratulating, paying respects, and being a part of something. The list goes on!

There is a lot more to Paris’s quote than meets the eye. With 8 simple words she says it all.

Paris can be criticized all day long, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is right. She is an Adder and:

“I’m an actress, a brand, a business woman. I’m all kinds of stuff.”

“Life is too short to blend in.”

Paris Hilton

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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  _______

  “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving he can outwit nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority”

E. B. White
Author of Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan.

E. B. White might not have been an Adder; however, this particular quote struck me as fitting for us Adders. We can either see and use ADD ADHD as a gift of our nature or we can spend our lives trying to find ways to circumvent our inherent nature. Life is short and there is no cure for ADD ADHD and yet our gift has many aspects which we can and should use to our advantage and benefit.

“Genius is more often found in a cracked pot than a whole one”

E. B. White

Spoken like a true Adder!

~Bryan

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