ADHD Ahas from a Combat Pilot, a $250 Million Founder, and a Professor

What do a combat pilot, a $250M entrepreneur, and a world-renowned academic have in common? ADHD. In this episode, I revisit one of my favorite conversations about how ADHD shows up in high-performing leaders who live different lives. I sit down with Nate Swan, a combat pilot who thrives in high-stress environments, Dan Bastian, co-founder of Boom Chicka Pop, and Johan Wiklund, a professor who studies ADHD in entrepreneurship. We talk about hyperfocus, impulsivity, anxiety, late diagnosis, leadership, and the unexpected ways ADHD can become a competitive advantage. Get ready to learn how the very traits often labeled as “disorders” can fuel success, creativity, and resilience.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 3 high achievers with ADHD live completely different lives.

03:15 Why chaotic environments calm the ADHD brain.

04:45 How anxiety and ADHD overlap.

05:30 What happens when ADHD goes undiagnosed in adulthood?

06:30 The career risks of ADHD medication for military pilots.

09:00 Leadership lessons from managing neurodiverse teams.

11:30 How the military is shifting its mental health culture.

18:00 The anxiety that never fully goes away.

20:30 Is ADHD good or bad?

25:30 The types of work that suit ADHD brains.

34:30 Designing work around energy cycles.

37:30 How to use ADHD and anxiety as motivators.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam