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ADHD by design - Was It Really Me — Or Was the System Working Against My Brain?
In this episode, I’m joined by Sumur Williams — ADHD consultant, coach, and former FedEx leader — who was diagnosed later in life, not because she was searching for answers, but because the questions eventually became impossible to ignore.
As we talk, something becomes strikingly clear: despite growing up in different countries and living very different lives on paper, our ADHD journeys follow almost identical patterns. Late diagnosis without initially looking for it. Years of feeling like something was “off.” Mental health struggles. The dread of the 9–5. And eventually, the realisation that the issue wasn’t effort or motivation — it was design.
We explore childhood masking, the grief that follows diagnosis, why some work environments allow ADHDers to thrive while others quietly break them, and how Sumur’s RHYTHM™ framework helps individuals and organisations work with ADHD energy rather than constantly fighting it. We also dive into ADHD in the workplace, what meaningful support really looks like beyond accommodations, and how tools like AI can reduce the executive-function burden ADHDers carry every day.
This is a conversation about identity, systems, authenticity, and what becomes possible when we stop asking “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking “What am I being asked to survive?”
If you’ve ever wondered why life felt harder than it was supposed to…
you’re in the right place.
If you want to know more about Sumur and her work, you can find her here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumurwilliams/
Website: https://www.theunpolishedbrain.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunpolishedbrain/
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By MattIn this episode, I’m joined by Sumur Williams — ADHD consultant, coach, and former FedEx leader — who was diagnosed later in life, not because she was searching for answers, but because the questions eventually became impossible to ignore.
As we talk, something becomes strikingly clear: despite growing up in different countries and living very different lives on paper, our ADHD journeys follow almost identical patterns. Late diagnosis without initially looking for it. Years of feeling like something was “off.” Mental health struggles. The dread of the 9–5. And eventually, the realisation that the issue wasn’t effort or motivation — it was design.
We explore childhood masking, the grief that follows diagnosis, why some work environments allow ADHDers to thrive while others quietly break them, and how Sumur’s RHYTHM™ framework helps individuals and organisations work with ADHD energy rather than constantly fighting it. We also dive into ADHD in the workplace, what meaningful support really looks like beyond accommodations, and how tools like AI can reduce the executive-function burden ADHDers carry every day.
This is a conversation about identity, systems, authenticity, and what becomes possible when we stop asking “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking “What am I being asked to survive?”
If you’ve ever wondered why life felt harder than it was supposed to…
you’re in the right place.
If you want to know more about Sumur and her work, you can find her here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumurwilliams/
Website: https://www.theunpolishedbrain.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunpolishedbrain/