Hacking Your ADHD

Episode: Research Recap with Skye: Subclinical ADHD and the Entrepreneurial Path
Host: William Curb
Guest: Skye Waterson
Date: January 2, 2026

Main Theme

This episode dives into a research paper exploring the effects of subclinical ADHD symptomatology—meaning people who show ADHD traits but do not meet diagnostic criteria—on the subjective financial, physical, and mental wellbeing of entrepreneurs versus employees. William and Skye break down what subclinical ADHD is, how it manifests, and whether ADHD traits help or hinder individuals when they're self-employed compared to working for someone else. The conversation also explores practical strategies for those on the ADHD spectrum, regardless of official diagnosis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Understanding Subclinical ADHD

[01:44 - 07:02]

• What is Subclinical ADHD?
  • Skye defines it as experiencing enough ADHD symptoms to resonate strongly but not enough for a full diagnosis.
    • “What if you don't meet the criteria of ADHD, but you have ADHD symptoms? Which is a very new concept to be talking about.” – Skye [02:37]
  • William explains the diagnostic "line": if, for example, five out of seven symptoms are needed for diagnosis and one has four, they’re considered subclinical.
    • “If you have four of the seven, they'd say, can't diagnose you. And that's where... subclinical might come in.” – William [03:14]
  • Discussion of how self-diagnosis and relatable symptoms play into this gray area.

Personal Experiences with Diagnosis and Symptom Overlap

[03:52 - 06:51]

• Skye works exclusively with entrepreneurs dealing with ADHD symptoms, many self-identified or undiagnosed.
• William shares his experience with a subclinical autism diagnosis, highlighting the difficulty in discussing and explaining these “in-between” clinical statuses.
  • “It makes it hard to talk about when I’m like going, I have subclinical autism. And people like, does that mean you don't have it? I'm like, yes. But also, no.” – William [05:11]

Study Methodology

[07:05 - 08:38]

• Study Details:
  • Focuses on the “demands-abilities fit”: How well an individual's abilities match job demands.
  • Sample: 190 entrepreneurs and 186 employees from Hungary, ages 18-65.
  • ADHD Symptoms Measurement: 12-item questionnaire (e.g., feelings of restlessness, enjoyment of leisure).
  • Also measured subjective assessments of income, life satisfaction, anxiety, etc.
    • “A lot of this was subjective. A lot of this was like where you feel you're at, not necessarily where you're actually at.” – Skye [09:25]

Main Findings: Impact of ADHD Traits

[10:24 - 12:39]

• ADHD traits negatively affect almost every aspect of wellbeing for both entrepreneurs and employees:
  • Worse physical health
  • Lower happiness
  • Worse subjective financial wellbeing
  • Higher anxiety
  • Lower life satisfaction (though this was less pronounced)
    • “ADHD traits negatively affect almost every aspect of well being.” – William [10:24]
• Skye emphasizes that this doesn’t have to be destiny:
  • “To on some level fight against this concept that ADHD people have worse outcomes... Well managed ADHD in environments... can have really good outcomes.” – Skye [11:03]
  • The environment (fit between person and role) and management strategies significantly influence outcomes.
    • “If you just put somebody in an environment that isn't built for them, you don't give them any tools... then you're probably right.” – Skye [11:52]

Entrepreneurs and Subjective Income Perception

[12:39 - 13:39]

• Entrepreneurs with ADHD traits are hit harder by perceptions of income and financial comparisons.
  • “Entrepreneurs were hit a lot harder by the income perception, which, you know, makes sense.” – William [12:39]
  • Entrepreneurship often involves constantly comparing oneself to others who are more successful, increasing dissatisfaction.

Physical Health Impacts and Types of Entrepreneurs

[13:15 - 13:39]

• Entrepreneurs reported feeling worse physically than employees; speculation about types of entrepreneurship (e.g., physical trades, startups).
• Skye notes the toll of physical labor over time and the challenge of building new, supportive systems as an entrepreneur ages.

The “Needs-Supplies Fit” Dimension

[14:19 - 15:02]

• Needs-supplies fit relates to how the job provides what you mentally need: autonomy, novelty, flexibility, and stimulation.
  • Entrepreneurship often meets these needs better for ADHD-prone individuals, but still presents challenges (e.g., with administrative tasks).
    • “How well the job provides you with these things you mentally need, like autonomy, novelty... makes a lot of sense because you are getting novelty and autonomy...” – William [14:19]

Limitations and Interpretations

[16:05 - 17:07]

• The study is a first step: shows outcomes but not always clear why.
• Many research papers stop at reporting negative outcomes without parsing nuances or practical strategies.
  • “A lot of papers will go in and they will look at something and they'll be like, that's not good. And then they'll just kind of leave.” – Skye [16:25]

Practical Implications for ADHD Management

[17:07 - 19:21]

• Life satisfaction is sometimes buffered by entrepreneurship due to autonomy and novelty.
• Employees can advocate for these qualities within traditional work, while entrepreneurs should outsource admin and boring tasks as early as possible.
  • “Hire an assistant as soon as possible to help you with some of those, you know, more admin tasks.” – Skye [15:02]
• The conversation emphasizes that with strong management strategies and self-understanding, negative outcomes are less likely, regardless of diagnosis.

Advice for Listeners: Diagnosis and Support

[19:21 - 20:17]

• Subclinical ADHD can be “unmanaged” simply because individuals may not realize they have it.
• William stresses that management strategies are beneficial whether or not one has a formal diagnosis.
  • “Are the things you're doing helping your brain? ... Then it doesn't matter; your diagnosis doesn't matter if what you're doing is helping.” – William [19:57]
• Skye recommends executive functioning support for anyone feeling out of sync with their current systems, regardless of diagnosis.

Flexible, Individualized Approaches

[20:17 - 21:58]

• There is no one-size-fits-all: even common strategies (e.g., Pomodoro technique) need to be adapted.
  • “It's okay to be like, that system doesn't work for me... and that is very, very true.” – Skye [20:17]
• The episode ends with an invitation for listeners to seek support and experiment with systems that fit their own needs.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “ADHD traits negatively affect almost every aspect of well being.”
  — William Curb [10:24]

• “To on some level fight against this concept that ADHD people have worse outcomes. Because I do believe...well managed ADHD in environments...can have really good outcomes.”
  — Skye Waterson [11:03]

• “If you just put somebody in an environment that isn't built for them, you don't give them any tools...then you're probably right.”
  — Skye Waterson [11:52]

• “If you have subclinical ADHD and still have the outcomes [worse well-being], which is a bit brutal. Gosh. I mean, I’m... glad that I got that diagnosis and that was, it was across the line because it would be so frustrating to have subclinical ADHD and still have the outcomes.”
  — Skye Waterson [04:58]

• “Are the things you're doing helping your brain? ... Then it doesn't matter; your diagnosis doesn't matter if what you're doing is helping.”
  — William Curb [19:57]

• “If you're in a society...that’s very stratified, you will tend to feel worse...”
  — Skye Waterson [09:37]

Key Segment Timestamps

• [01:44] – Episode introduction and research topic overview
• [02:37] – What is Subclinical ADHD?
• [07:05] – Study methodology and definitions
• [10:24] – Main findings: ADHD traits and wellbeing
• [12:39] – ADHD traits in entrepreneurship: Perceptions of income
• [14:19] – Needs-supplies fit: Why entrepreneurship sometimes helps
• [16:05] – Paper limitations and next research steps
• [17:07] – Practical implications for ADHD management in work settings
• [19:57] – Advice: Support and strategy matter more than diagnosis
• [20:17] – Adaptation of systems for the individual; closing thoughts

Takeaways & Practical Wisdom

• Subclinical ADHD is real and impactful, even if undiagnosed. If you resonate with ADHD traits, strategies for support are still relevant for you.
• Entrepreneurship offers unique benefits (novelty, autonomy) for ADHD-prone individuals, but also poses extra challenges around admin, physical health, and income perception.
• Management and self-awareness are key. With the right supports and systems, both entrepreneurs and employees with ADHD traits can thrive.
• Diagnosis isn’t everything. Implement strategies that work for your brain, whether you have a formal label or not.

For more strategies and support with ADHD (clinical or subclinical), visit Skye’s Unconventional Organization (unconventionalorganization.com).