When I get up to speak in front of an audience, I often let them know that I could be the poster child for adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD.) Seems like every member of my family has this particular cross to bear and I always want my audience members to know that we may end up frolicking down a rabbit trail or two while I’m speaking…but that very ADD can be an asset in my work. There’s something kind of schizophrenic about my job and I like it.
Throughout the course of a single day my work can shift 
from leading an online seminar for a group of orthodontists to shooting a television ad for a car dealer, producing a radio ad for a museum and attending a board meeting for one of the non-profit organizations I’m privileged to serve. That’s usually fun for me. But every now and then I find myself longing for something simpler – a singular focus. In truth a simpler life would probably bore me, but it still sounds appealing.
The vast majority of my time, since the year 2000, has involved working with the orthodontic profession. I work with over 1,000 individual practitioners in some capacity as well as a number of the major manufacturers in the industry. These are great clients – many of whom have built significant businesses – and changed countless lives for the better in the process. They are among the most satisfied people I’ve ever met and I believe that is, in part, related to the simplicity of focused work.
As a musician I’ve spent hours on end working on a particular song, experiencing the frustration that comes with learning something new and, thankfully, often enough experiencing the elation that comes with moving to a higher level of competence. It requires focus and it’s the same with my work.
I’m heading out to West Palm Beach to speak at an Invisalign meeting later this week. It’s a chance to see some friends, meet with some great people and share just a little bit of what’s new and exciting in the world. I’m thankful for the fact that every day there is something new to learn and humbled by the responsibility that comes with being asked to teach.
As for my ADD – no worries. Sometimes you find great things when you get off the main path and head down a rabbit trail.