ADHD and living up to potential

ADHD and living up to potential

August 11, 2026 · 12 min · Episode 181

About this episode

Dr. J discusses ADHD, potential, and strategies for women to overcome perfectionism and self-doubt.

“You’re not living up to your potential.” If those words have haunted you, you’re not alone — and the story you’ve been telling yourself about why might be wrong. Dr. J breaks down two patterns she sees in her ADHD clients: the person who checked out after years of “you’re smart, you just don’t apply yourself”; and the high achiever whose color-coded planners are hiding total exhaustion. She digs into research on ADHD and perfectionism, and why so many women spend decades masking or overachieving without ever getting a diagnosis. Then, five concrete strategies: Understanding your type of ADHD Creating distance from the inner monologue Figuring out whose goals you’re chasing Building a plan that works with your brain instead of against it Unmasking with the right people Your potential was never a ceiling you kept failing to reach. It’s a launching pad — and you get to define it.

People in this episode

Host: Understood.org

Guest: Dr. J

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Understood.org

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