ADD Symptoms or ADHD Symptoms: What's the Difference?

Let's start with question number one, "What is the difference between ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms, anyway?" People kept asking me that...

Well, it's really simple. I'm not going to get into highly technical things on this but basically, the H in ADHD symptoms stands for hyperactive. In essence, what this means is attention deficit disorder, or "ADD," versus attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or "ADHD."

Some people with ADD symptoms find that their body is going in high gear, a million miles an hour. They can't sit still, they are all over the place, and they are moving everywhere. That means they are experiencing ADHD symptoms rather than ADD symptoms.

Other people, it's just inside their heads and their body is more relaxed. This means it is just ADD symptoms. That is the general difference.

I am not a PhD and I can't officially diagnose anyone with ADD symptoms vs. ADHD symptoms, but basically the difference is that hyperactivity component in ADHD symptoms and that's it.

And so, it's just a matter of hyperactivity in physical behavior. Some people have that hyperactivity mentally and that would still be just ADD symptoms and if you have the hyperactive, physical version, then you have the H in there.

But, people say, "attention deficit, basically that is the cause of all of this, right? There is a deficit of attention whether it's ADD symptoms OR ADHD symptoms we're talking about, and that's what the problem is, right?"

Well, there is a "deficit"...unless you learn how to use it. See, the coolest part about both ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms is that everyone with these symptoms also has the ability to, what I call, "Hyperfocus" on something for an exceptional period of time.

To become so focused on something that time just melts away...ADD symptoms, ADHD symptoms aside, you have this uncanny ability.

And when time just melts away and you become so focused--whether it's on your computer or a video game, or a book you're reading, or a sport you're playing--you'll find that you can have an absolute linear 100% degree of focus on that thing as long as you're interested in it.

The number one thing is, when you are taking a look at "Do I have ADD symptoms? Don't I have ADD symptoms? Or, do I have ADHD symptoms? Do I not have ADHD symptoms?" Throw that out the window.

Technique number one is to say, "What are my strengths? What am I really, really good at?" You have to ask yourself that question. Write that down on the note sheet. "What am I really, really good at?"

When you've done that, write down on the same sheet, "What am I really, really NOT good at?"

This is where ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms come up, which some people might be embarrassed or ashamed of...but it is also where those same ADD symptoms (or ADHD symptoms) can become your single biggest asset.

This is the reason that you can be successful, it's the reason that I'm successful, and it's very simple. It's BECAUSE of my ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms (you see, I'm actually both!)

You've already developed amazing traits; you've already developed incredibly powerful habits that you might be using the wrong way at this time.

But when you learn to look at those ADD/ADHD symptoms as resources for your ability to be exceptional, that is where having ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms starts to look like an advantage, not a "disability."

Take the ability to Hyperfocus, for instance. If you have either ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms, then I would bet anything you have a greater ability than most people to Hyperfocus on a given activity or interest.

But did you know this ability to Hyperfocus is a trait most inventors, entrepreneurs, and even geniuses have in common?

Maybe they didn't think they had ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms, but they probably were called "spacey" or "driven" or "obsessive" by their contemporaries.

They just learned how to channel their ADD symptoms/ADHD symptoms into their amazing accomplishments...and so can you.

Think about it...what other ADD symptoms/ADHD symptoms do you have, that you could be using today, in a different way, to be outstanding and successful in your life?