Sue Day on Creativity, Focus & Thriving with ADHD

Rich sits down with ADHD coach and author Sue Day, whose journey runs from dropping out of high school and burning out in multiple careers to embracing her diagnosis and helping others design lives that actually work for their brains. They unpack ADHD strengths (creativity, crisis focus, fairness), common myths, practical first steps after diagnosis, and Sue’s workbook-style guide, ADHD Brilliance: A Journey Into Your Extraordinary Brain. If you or someone you love has ADHD—or you simply want a more humane, strength-based way to live—this one delivers. Sponsored byDaniel McGhee & the Victory Team Guest Bio:  Sue Day is a certified ADHD coach and author of ADHD Brilliance: A Journey Into Your Extraordinary Brain. After years of masking and burnout across roles from farmhand to nonprofit finance leader and entrepreneur, she embraced her diagnosis and now coaches individuals and groups to build ADHD-friendly, strength-based lives. Her practice emphasizes compassion, executive-function tools, and designing systems around passion, not perfectionism. Main Topics: ·         Early diagnosis (1988), leaving high school, and masking vs. embracing ADHD·         Risk-seeking, nature & manual work as regulation, and burnout cycles·         College the ADHD way (experiential learning at Sterling College)·         Why nonprofits felt “right” until they didn’t; 60–80-hour weeks and getting sick·         The turning point: working with an ADHD coach; self-kindness and unmasking·         ADHD “superpowers”: creativity, crisis focus, big-picture thinking, justice/fairness·         Myths & misconceptions (it’s just for kids, intelligence assumptions, daydreamers)·         Getting diagnosed as an adult; questionnaires vs. full neuropsych evals·         Coaching approach: strengths first, owner’s manual for your brain, groups & community·         Writing ADHD Brilliance: workbook design, accessible formatting, and use cases·         First steps after diagnosis: grief, acceptance, and moving forward intentionally·         Parenting a neurodivergent teen; individuality and support Resources mentioned: ·         Book: ADHD Brilliance: A Journey Into Your Extraordinary Brain (workbook-style; print; companion PDFs)·         Sue’s website: Pathways for Coaching — pathwaysforcoaching.com (ADHD Brilliance tab + worksheets)·         Coaching school: ADD Coaching Academy (ICF-aligned training)·         Tracy Otsuka (referenced as “ADHD for Smart Ass Women” program/community)·         Book: Driven to Distraction by Edward Hallowell & John Ratey·         College: Sterling College (Craftsbury Common, VT; experiential/eco focus)·         Episode Sponsor: Daniel McGhee & the Victory Team·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards·         SSend us Fan MailCelebrate the Magic of Words in Bel Air, Maryland!https://bookfairatbelair.org/The Victory TeamLOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A HOME Go with the Agent that was voted Harford’s Best & won the Harford CouDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTokSponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCastSubscribe by Email