Peter Shankman is a disruptive and negative influence on those around him.
Let me set the scene for you. It’s 1985. I’m in Junior High School. My parents go to a parent-teacher conference to hear all the good things their creative son is doing in school. Their first stop? My math class, where my teacher looks at my parents and opens with that one line above. “Peter is a disruptive and negative influence on those around him.”
Needless to say, that set the tone for the rest of the teacher meetings, and for that matter, the rest of my Junior High School experience. It wasn’t until many, many years later, of course, when I realized that my “disruptive influence” was just my brain craving the “attention chemicals” of which those with ADHD make much less. For me, dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline aren’t a regular thing. They have to be “force-manufactured,” by a series of very specific “life rules” I’ve put into place for myself, including rigorous exercise, non-traditional hobbies (Ironman and Skydiving,) and as much elimination of choice as possible. (I wear a t-shirt and jeans 95% of my life for a reason)
The benefit of this rigidity, though? When I need my “focus chemicals,” I can get them in massive amounts, without medication — and it’s that gift of ADHD which has allowed me to start and sell multi-million dollar companies, go on TV almost daily, and be the best dad I can be to an amazing four year old daughter. It’s also allowed me to write multiple bestselling books, including my latest, which comes out one week from today, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain, published by Tarcher Perigee.
My goal in writing this latest book is to ensure that NO student or adult is ever again told that they’re broken, simply because their brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s. Being different is WONDERFUL, and I’m living proof that when managed correctly, ADHD can be a gift, not a curse! And you should tell your boss you are ADHD.
This book comes from almost two years of interviewing people for my podcast of the same name, and from 45 years of thriving with ADHD. My friends, this book is going to change lives, and I’m asking for your help to show those who think differently that they’re not broken, damaged, or ruined.
You can buy the book for yourself, for your children, for friends, for loved ones, for teachers, anyone. I deliberately wrote it in paperback, to keep the cost of purchase down. This is a labor of love for me.
I’m happy to jump on a Skype or Zoom call or webinar and help spread this message to your audience, as well — Just reach out to me!
Finally, in addition to my corporate keynotes on the customer service economy, I’ve developed three new keynotes about ADHD, including those for educational outlets, and for corporations and businesses. Want to know more about that? Just reach out.
By the way: Think none of this applies to you? Fact: Four of ten new corporate hires in the next ten years are going to be neuroatypical. This means even if you don’t have ADHD, you’d better start understanding how to work with, live with, and love those who do!
Faster Than Normal launches in one week. I couldn’t have done it without you. For that, I remain eternally grateful.
As always, I remain at the ready to help you any way I can.
To changing lives,
Peter Shankman
