Top 10 Inspirational People with ADHD

Ty Pennington has worked as a model and a set designer, but he really became famous when he hosted the hit series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Pennington’s wacky sense of humor and personal charm made him a star, but his journey wasn’t easy. As a child, school was especially difficult for Pennington since he struggled to stay focused. His mother discovered he had ADHD, but didn’t inform Pennington of his diagnosis until he was 17. When he began receiving treatment, life changed dramatically for him. Despite his ADHD, Pennington has managed to juggle multiple tasks and to focus his energies to establish a unique niche as a television personality and designer.

As the lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine has achieved commercial success and picked up a slew of awards, including several Grammys. The charismatic vocalist has also been a celebrity coach on “The Voice,” an actor, and the power behind his own fragrance line. After struggling with hyperactivity and impulsivity growing up, Levine was diagnosed with ADHD as a young teen and began treatment; however, like many kids with ADHD, he didn’t realize the condition could continue into adulthood. Levine has since become a spokesperson for adults with ADHD, urging proper diagnosis and continued treatment.

As a child, Channing Tatum had to deal with both ADHD and dyslexia, which was a tough experience for him in school. Today, however, the star of hit movies like “Magic Mike” and “21 Jump Street” is much in demand, and popular with men and women alike. Yet even now it’s not easy, since Tatum has said it takes him much longer than most to process things he reads, and focus requires extra work– but through his steel will and fierce determination, the actor has succeeded beyond measure. Unlike many others with ADHD, Tatum is not a fan of prescription medicines for the condition and has courted controversy with his stance. Tatum doesn’t dismiss treatment for everyone, but found that it just didn’t work for him.

One of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history, Pete Rose is the unquestioned champion in terms of hits, games played, at-bats, singles and outs. The winner of two Gold Gloves and three World Series rings, Rose’s career is unique in baseball. Although he was a legend on the field, he struggled with gambling due to his ADHD, which he spoke out about in his memoir, “My Prison Without Bars.” Rose was diagnosed in middle age, and some suspect that his ADHD may have played a big part in his success. Despite the many challenges he’s had to face in his career, the determination he showed in baseball is inspiring to athletes everywhere.

Having ADHD presents plenty of challenges on its own. For Howie Mandel, things are made even more challenging because he also has obsessive-compulsive disorder. The popular comedian, actor and television personality unintentionally revealed his OCD diagnosis on “The Howard Stern Show” and was at first horrified that he had done so. However, he has since become a crusader for those with any sort of mental health issue. While the media has focused on Mandel’s OCD, his struggles with ADHD are equally real. As a matter of fact, it may be his ADHD that prompted his impulsive revelation about his OCD. Mandel’s courage helps all with ADHD to be more accepting of their struggles.

David Neeleman’s name may not immediately ring a bell with the general public, but he’s an important role model for those with ADHD nonetheless. Neeleman is an immensely successful businessman who has founded four airlines, most notably JetBlue. Neeleman struggled with symptoms of ADHD, such as difficulty focusing, absorbing written information and staying organized, from an early age. However, it wasn’t until he was in his mid-30s that he realized his symptoms resulted from ADHD. Neeleman realized that he had other strengths, though, and found a way to access those while working around his shortcomings. That strategy seems to have worked out pretty well for him, wouldn’t you say?

Like Adam Levine, Justine Timberlake is a respected and successful musician with ADHD. Like Howie Mandel, Timberlake says he also has to deal with the problems associated with OCD. Timberlake revealed this in an interview in connection with his film, “The Love Guru.” The multiple Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist hasn’t divulged much about how ADHD affects him, but it’s clear he has found a way to deal with the condition. His ability to produce hit after hit on the music charts shows that attention disorders can not only be controlled, but also overcome.

Who knew that one of the world’s greatest swimmers, AND the most-decorated Olympian of all-time had ADHD? Diagnosed during sixth grade, Phelps benefitted from his mother’s commitment to seeing him succeed, since she worked closely with schools to make sure Michael was given the resources he needed. His personal foundation works to help children develop healthy lifestyles, giving Phelps an opportunity to help other kids get the chances they need. ADHD clearly has not held Phelps back, and some experts point to his achievements as a demonstration of how ADHD can be turned into an asset for certain people.

Some people believe that the symptoms associated with ADHD can actually be beneficial to entrepreneurs who are engaged in start-up activities. The career of Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, who has both ADHD and dyslexia, certainly demonstrates this. Branson dropped out of school and started his first business at the age of 16, and by the time he was 22, he had established the Virgin Records chain, which became the basis for the massively successful Virgin Group. Knighted in 2000 for his “services to entrepreneurship,” Branson’s personal wealth has been estimated at more than $5 billion. All of the multi-tasking he depended on as a result of his ADHD has definitely borne fruit, to say the least!

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

- Karina Smirnoff
- will.i.am

Einstein died in 1955, years before either ADD or ADHD were officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Yet, the man with one of the greatest scientific minds of our time is considered by experts to have been a proud member of the ADHD club. Einstein is the personification of the typical absent-minded professor: as disorganized and forgetful as he was insightful and intelligent. His ADHD helped him to think outside of the box in a big way, and to develop the theory of relativity, which has revolutionized the modern world. He continues to be an inspiration to people with ADHD – and to all people everywhere.

Do you with our list? Are there other people with ADHD whose deeds should qualify them for our list? For more inspirational top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.