Neurodiverse thinkers have a lot in common with elite athletes.
Transcription:
Hey there, I’m JoyGenea, international neurodiversity coach. This week I am talking about the five things I see in common between Olympians and the neurodiverse community, and you know what, I think we should focus on those a lot more often, but hey the Olympics only come along so often, and so that’s why I’m thinking about it. So, number one is about mindset. Boy, you think about that athletic elite mindset and that, that’s a different thinker really. It doesn’t mean they’re a neurodiverse thinker, but that is a different mindset that the average person doesn’t have and isn’t doing because they’re not an elite athlete. It is also about focus and I think about that when it comes to my ADHD clients in particular and when they can get really focused on something and really put all their time and energy towards that– very similar.
Number three was persistence. I have never seen anything more persistent than a neurodiverse person who believes in something, who is passionate about something, who is going to figure something out, they are persistent, to say the least, and I see that in those athletes. I hear it in the stories that they share about them. They are very persistent. Also, number four was, I talk about resilience and obviously to be an elite athlete, you have got to have had incredible resilience. I’m sure it has not all been perfect. The same is true of neurodiversity. Life has not always been easy. There have been challenges and you have persevered. That is resilience. We share that. And, number five is about strength and about focusing on that strength. One of the things I really get watching those athletes is they are in their strength. They know what they are good at, they have focused all of their energy on it and they are passionate about that and how incredible it is to see that. When you find or meet or have the chance to your self be in your passion and to be solely focused on your strength, it is incredible and you will know it and it does look a lot like an elite athlete. So, like I said, think about how neurodiverse people and athletes in the Olympics might have some things in common. That’s what I’m seeing.
Thanks so much. Tune in some other time. I’m JoyGenea. Bye now.