# Name your own strengths

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/recognise-your-own-strengths/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 80 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#recognise-your-own-strengths

Say what you do well, with real examples, and skip the ADHD-as-superpower story.

**The number:** Building on strengths is a post-diagnosis topic ([NICE, public HSC Northern Ireland copy, 2018](https://cypsp.hscni.net/wp-content/uploads/ebpp/reports/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-1837699732933.pdf))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in people with ADHD.
- Evidence grade: C. Grade C: small or mixed studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Worth knowing, not worth betting on.
- Basis: NICE names strengths as a post-diagnosis discussion topic, not a recommended self-help action; NHS self-esteem guidance. No evidence that a strengths exercise improves outcomes.
- Benefit: 42/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

NICE lists identifying and building on individual strengths among topics a clinician can cover after an ADHD diagnosis. NHS self-esteem guidance suggests recognising what you are good at. That supports learning about your own abilities, without claiming that ADHD makes everyone creative, resilient or suited to a particular job.

## How to do it

1. Recall something you handled well and name the skill it took.
2. Ask someone you trust for a concrete example of what they value in what you bring.
3. Put that description next to your support needs when you talk about work or relationships.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Jot down a situation you handled well and the skill you used.
- 5 minutes: Write two concrete examples of your strengths, including one outside productivity or work.
- 15 minutes: Ask a trusted person for an example of a valued contribution, then compare it with your own view.

### What it looks like

- 'I explained a complicated idea clearly to a colleague' is evidence about a skill.
- 'I am good at noticing when a friend needs support' describes a strength outside paid work.

### Common mistakes

- A list of supposed ADHD superpowers may not fit you, so use your own examples.
- Having strengths does not remove a disability or support need, so include both in the conversation.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Raising low self-esteem](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/raise-low-self-esteem/), NHS

## Sources

- [ADHD: diagnosis and management, NG87, information and support](https://cypsp.hscni.net/wp-content/uploads/ebpp/reports/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-1837699732933.pdf), NICE, public HSC Northern Ireland copy, 2018 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Raising low self-esteem](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/raise-low-self-esteem/), NHS, 2023 (Tier 1 guideline)

---

General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

Report an error: meet@jock.pl

Reuse: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/