Edison on Inspiration — and an Axiom of Adult ADD
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
– Thomas Edison
Of course no one knew about "attention deficit disorder" as such when Edison was around, but his name always comes up as an example of famous adults with ADD. True or not, he clearly had a clue about the need for both creativity and diligent work.
In its short history, the library of books on adult ADD has almost always spoken to the challenges and needs of self-discipline. Increasingly, ADD literature has also focused on the joys (and challenges) of creativity. That in mind, here is an axiom to propose:
For an executive with attention deficit disorder, the challenge and opportunity is to integrate self-discipline with creativity.
Some would argue that this axiom ignores the need of a sound business strategy. However, the reality is that sound business strategies most readily emerge from a mind that has both self-discipline and creativity. There is no paradox of "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" in this case. Self-discipline and creativity come first. Strategy comes second.
Note also that we say "the challenge and opportunity IS", rather than "are". Why the grammar choice? Because for the ADDexec, challenge and opportunity are not two different entities. They are very much bound into one.
