Forget ADHD, here’s how to discover your superpower - the Wise Squirrels way.

In the ADHD world, there's a trope about ADHD being a superpower. I've explained before and have concluded that the more privilege a person has, the more likely they are to claim ADHD is a superpower. I assure you, for the majority of people (myself included), ADHD is far from a superpower. However, I have good news.

Are you ready? You do have a superpower, maybe even multiple superpowers! I'm going to share a strategy I use with my coaching clients and within The Nest to discover yours. It's going to take some courage, but don't panic, I'll make this simple.

The Wise Squirrels Superpower Exercise

Step 1. Write those names.

Step 1. Grab a sheet of paper and pen, and jot down between 10 and 15 people who know you well, excluding your family. These are people from different periods of your life, childhood friends, college chums, work colleagues, managers, clients, peers, and mentors - you get the idea. Make this a mix of folks who know you well but from different decades.

Step 2. Deep breath and hit send.

Step 2. Write an email to each person with a brief question worded in the following way and HIT SEND. Don't chicken out; this is important. It’s such a crucial point that I’ve made it easy for you. Click here.

Hi _______,

I have an odd request, but please do me this quick favor. A Wise Squirrel instructed me to reach out to you with a question. Knowing me the way you do, what would you say my superpower is? 

Thanks for getting back to me on this, my little discovery project.

Step 3. Celebrate with a treat.

Step 3. Celebrate with a treat! You did it; that was the hardest part. Now this gets fun!

Step 4. Thank the person. Hit reply and tell them how much you appreciate their insight. Expect that you won't hear back from everyone; that's okay. Some people may reply with a sentence, and others with paragraphs. All good either way.

Step 5. Compile the replies into a text document. Just copy and paste them in there. Try to have between 6 and 10, the more the better. 

Step 6. Get cozy, reflective, and undistracted.

Step 6. Print the text document. I prefer doing this step with paper and a pen. Take the papers with you somewhere you won't be distracted, like a quiet coffee shop, a park bench, your patio, or a favorite pub. Begin reading the replies slowly, and underline the words that stand out to you most. Jot those words on a blank page. The purpose is to begin identifying commonalities across the replies.

Here’s how this worked for me…

One friend replied with a single sentence, "You're a good talker." Someone else said, "Your superpower is Sharing Enthusiasm."

These were helpful when I compared them to other longer replies, "This is a great question. First thing comes to mind is you're an absolute natural communicator/conversationalist. You have a knack for easily connecting with people…"

A former manager wrote, "I put a lot of thought into this, but the answer came to me quickly. I feel your superpower is communication. More than just networking, you know how to communicate with anyone. In person or online. You're a great listener. You ask questions. Yet you also tell great stories. I can't imagine a personality type that wouldn't get along with you."

A former colleague said I’m a "selfless connector who gives more than he takes."

A friend who I’ve worked with wrote, "Maybe it's that your words and actions quickly build and consistently sustain trust on both personal and professional levels. Yeah. That's it. I trust you 100% and I don't trust many people at all."

I'm not sharing these excerpts with you to toot my own horn, but it does feel good re-reading these. I had a couple of other replies, and they all included similar words:

Trust worthy

Communication

Storyteller

Listening

Connector 

Even "good talker" and "sharing enthusiasm" fit into the words above. 

Step 7. My superpower is: Communication!

Step 7. Take some time to keep revisiting the common words you noted. Keep them with you and spend time mulling over an overarching word (or words) that they can all fit under.

I settled on COMMUNICATION as my superpower. Even stuff I left out of the replies above, like mentions of my podcasting and public speaking skills, fall under this communication umbrella. 

Step 8. When I do this exercise with my coaching clients, we dig into the replies, and I help them spot commonalities they might have missed. As a bonus step - not to be used as a shortcut - try pasting the replies (removing all names and email addresses) into an AI agent and give it a prompt to describe the person from the messages. Compare this with your own results. 

Here's my personal summary from CHATGPT. 

"The person is depicted as a natural communicator, connector, and optimist who excels at building trust, forging relationships, and sharing enthusiasm. They are known for their authenticity, positivity, and ability to connect with a diverse range of people."

What’s your Superpower?

Share it with us in The Nest. Maybe we can combine our superpowers to create a band of superheroes fighting stigmas and getting unstuck together!

“With great power comes great responsibility." - Uncle Ben.

Try the Wise Squirrels Superpower Exercise for yourself. Combining your results with additional programs I offer my coaching clients and The Nest members can drill in further and reveal even more sleeping strengths you may not be aware of - yet. 

We all have a superpower, and you didn't even need a radioactive spider to give you yours. In the wise words of Uncle Ben, “With great power comes great responsibility." How will you apply your superpower?

Maybe ADHD plays a role in your superpower, but on its own, it’s not really a superpower. Try this for yourself and share the results with other Wise Squirrels in The Nest. I hope to see you inside.