How ADHD Became My Superpower as a Speaker Coach

For much of my life, I viewed ADHD as a barrier. It made focusing hard, following instructions difficult, and left me feeling scattered in a world that seemed built for other people. But over time, I realised something powerful: ADHD wasn’t a weakness. It was my greatest strength. Today, it’s the very thing that makes me a better speaker and coach.

In this post, I’m going to share how I turned ADHD from something that once held me back into the superpower that drives my success—and how you can use your own challenges to unlock your potential.

Living with ADHD – The Early Struggles

Before I was diagnosed with ADHD, life often felt like chaos. I’d sit in classrooms or meetings, my mind racing, unable to focus on what was being said. The noise in my head drowned out everything else, and I constantly struggled to keep up. It wasn’t just about losing focus; it was the frustration of wanting to engage, to learn, and to succeed, but feeling like my brain was working against me.

ADHD made me believe that I wasn’t capable of doing things the way others could. School was hard. Work was hard. And public speaking? The idea of standing in front of a crowd seemed impossible. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep my thoughts together long enough to get through even a few sentences.

Reframing ADHD – From a Barrier to a Superpower

But something changed when I discovered the world of public speaking. I realised that the very thing I once saw as my greatest barrier—my ADHD—was actually the key to unlocking my potential. Why? Because ADHD had trained me to be hyper-aware of engagement. If I wasn’t interested or stimulated, I’d lose focus almost instantly, and I realised that if I could stay engaged, so could my audience.

ADHD also made me think fast. Ideas flow rapidly, often in multiple directions at once, and that ability to think on my feet has become one of my strongest assets as a speaker. I don’t rely on strict scripts—I adapt, respond, and interact with the audience in real-time, and that flexibility is something my clients value.

Instead of fighting against ADHD, I started working with it. I adapted my speaking style to match the fast-paced, dynamic way my brain worked, and it became my strength. ADHD wasn’t something that was holding me back anymore; it was something that was propelling me forward.

How ADHD Makes Me a Better Speaker and Coach

My experience with ADHD has given me unique insight into what it takes to keep an audience engaged. I’ve learned to pay close attention to how I deliver information, making sure that I’m constantly varying my tone, using visual aids, and involving my audience in the conversation. Because if I can stay focused, I know they will too.

When I work with clients, I use this approach to help them become more engaging, dynamic speakers. I show them how to break up their presentations with stories, gestures, and changes in tone, all while simplifying their language so it’s clear and easy to follow. I teach them how to grab their audience’s attention in the first few seconds and keep it, just like I had to learn how to do with my ADHD.

Helping Neurodiverse and Neurotypical People Communicate More Effectively

One of the greatest gifts ADHD has given me is the ability to communicate across the neurodiversity spectrum. I know what it’s like to feel left out of the conversation, to struggle to follow along because the speaker isn’t engaging in a way that resonates with how I process information. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to teach neuro-inclusive communication—a way of speaking that connects with both neurotypical and neurodiverse audiences.

I teach my clients how to use simple, clear language, visual aids, and dynamic body language to ensure their message lands with everyone in the room, no matter how they think or process information.

Embrace Your Differences – They Are Your Strength

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my journey, it’s that the things we see as our greatest challenges are often the very things that can make us extraordinary. ADHD didn’t make me a worse speaker—it made me a more engaging, adaptive, and dynamic one. It taught me to value every second of my audience’s attention, and it showed me that there’s no such thing as one right way to communicate.

So if you’re struggling with something that feels like a barrier, don’t be afraid to reframe it. It could be the key to unlocking your true potential.