Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
“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.
For more on this topic
Watch: ADHD and burnout youtu.be/sIRmYkBedSo
Watch: ADHD and people pleasing youtu.be/bmXCTN_NupE
For a transcript and more resources, visit The ADHD Channel for Women on Understood.org.
understood.org/en/podcasts/adhd-channel/adhd-potential
You can also email us at podcast@understood.org.
Questions about learning and thinking differences? Get answers and expert-vetted resources by asking the AI-powered Understood Assistant:
understood.org/en/assistant?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=assistant-agn-prod&utm_content=video
Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/en/donate?sc=MU0725YTO&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=fundraising-agn-vid-missunderstood&utm_content=video
For more resources, support, and excellent memes, subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on:
Instagram: instagram.com/understoodorg
Facebook: facebook.com/Understood
TikTok: tiktok.com/@understood.org
Pinterest: pinterest.com/understoodorg
#ADHD #ADHDAnd #Neurodivergent
“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.
For more on this topic
Watch: ADHD and burnout youtu.be/sIRmYkBedSo
Watch: ADHD and people pleasing youtu.be/bmXCTN_NupE
For a transcript and more resources, visit The ADHD Channel for Women on Understood.org.
understood.org/en/podcasts/adhd-channel/adhd-potential
You can also email us at podcast@understood.org.
Questions about learning and thinking differences? Get answers and expert-vetted resources by asking the AI-powered Understood Assistant:
understood.org/en/assistant?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=assistant-agn-prod&utm_content=video
Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/en/donate?sc=MU0725YTO&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=fundraising-agn-vid-missunderstood&utm_content=video
For more resources, support, and excellent memes, subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on:
Instagram: instagram.com/understoodorg
Facebook: facebook.com/Understood
TikTok: tiktok.com/@understood.org
Pinterest: pinterest.com/understoodorg
#ADHD #ADHDAnd #Neurodivergent
