Heart Powers No. 26 of 28
They call it: Can’t stick to one thing We call it
Swiss Army Mind
Also known as broad interests.
The short version You collect skills and hobbies, and the mix is the point. Few people can combine them the way you can.
Collected. 0 of 28.
Sounds like you?
- You fix a bike, code a game and bake bread in one weekend.
- You know a little about a lot and can talk to almost anyone.
- Your browser has 40 tabs and every one is a new thing to learn.
Why it’s a power
A scalpel does one job. A Swiss Army knife does twelve. You’re the knife. Some people go deep on one thing. You go wide, and the width is where your value shows.
In a 400-adult study, adults with ADHD were more likely to rate themselves as having broad interests than adults without ADHD were.Source 1 In the Dutch survey, 48 of 206 adults named resourcefulness as a strength, and 28 named imagination.Source 2
Breadth pays when the parts get combined. Knowing a bit about bikes, video and baking makes you the person who builds the bike-repair channel. It also means a cupboard of half-finished projects, so keep the one rule that helps: finish small things on purpose.
Studied
In a 400-adult study, adults with ADHD were more likely to rate themselves as having broad interests. Both groups rated themselves, and the gap was small.
Where it shines
- Joining two hobbies into one project
- Being useful on any kind of team
- Learning fast in a new club
The flip side
Lots of started projects means lots of half-finished ones in the cupboard. That’s just arithmetic, and it needs a plan.
Power-up: try this today
Put two of your separate hobbies into one project this week and see what the mix makes.
Say it to a kid
You have a toolbox in your head, with a hammer and a paintbrush and a robot part in it. You can fix things with whatever is in there.
Where this comes from
- Hargitai, L. D., Laan, E. L. M., Schippers, L. M., Livingston, L. A., Fairchild, G., Shah, P., & Hoogman, M. (2025). The role of psychological strengths in positive life outcomes in adults with ADHD. Psychological Medicine, 55, e278. Read it
- Schippers, L. M., Horstman, L. I., van de Velde, H., Rodrigues Pereira, R., Zinkstok, J., Mostert, J. C., Greven, C. U., & Hoogman, M. (2022). A qualitative and quantitative study of self-reported positive characteristics of individuals with ADHD. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 922788. Read it