Read on Twitter
I have ADHD and this doesn't seem right to me. https://twitter.com/RespectfulMemes/status/1350149329173012481
To clarify a bit: Of course it's true that people with ADHD are novelty seekers, and that it can result in having inappropriate motivation for a quest that isn't really a high priority.
On the other hand, real life is not like video games. We don't have an oracle who can tell us unequivocally what the "main quest" actually is.
And in real life, many people often identify the main quest incorrectly.
And in real life, many people often identify the main quest incorrectly.
Because people with ADHD are restless, we are more likely to question whether the officially sanctioned "main quest" really is the main quest.
Our instincts about this are often wrong, and people notice that.
Those of us who understand this dynamic have various coping strategies for keeping these maybe-side-quests bounded.
Those of us who understand this dynamic have various coping strategies for keeping these maybe-side-quests bounded.
Personally, when I embark on a quest that I suspect might actually be part of the main quest in programming, I hold myself accountable to:
- getting approval from collaborators to merge the code into the main branch in < 3 months
- using the code unflagged in < 6 months
- getting approval from collaborators to merge the code into the main branch in < 3 months
- using the code unflagged in < 6 months
When I end up failing to get to that threshold before the time runs out, I archive the project and move on.
But when I succeed, my work very often leapfrogs what people previously believed was possible.
But when I succeed, my work very often leapfrogs what people previously believed was possible.
TLDR: I'm not denying the fact that people with ADHD tend to do a lot of yak shaving as a consequence of a novelty-seeking personality.
I am rejecting the idea that whenever that happens, it's unequivocally a "side quest" that we shouldn't have embarked on.
I am rejecting the idea that whenever that happens, it's unequivocally a "side quest" that we shouldn't have embarked on.
When communities decide, ahead of time, that they're quite sure what the "main quest" is, and then discourage people with ADHD from questioning it, we lose a lot of potential.
There are upsides and downsides. We can balance them.
There are upsides and downsides. We can balance them.
And fellow people with ADHD, don't be so quick to accept that your pursuit of "side quests" is causing serious problems and isn't helpful.
If we pursue them with abandon, it definitely causes problems. But if we can iterate on keeping ourselves accountable to keeping the risk bounded, this weird quirk of our personalities can be extremely valuable.
