Adult ADHD: How to Succeed as a Hunter in a Farmer's World

by Thom Hartmann

How to harness your ADHD “hunter” strengths to start your own business and prosper in the workplace

• Provides organizational strategies, tips to maintain focus, and tools to set goals, build a business plan, and discover the right project to keep you motivated

• Shares ADHD success stories from Fortune 500 CEOs, inventors, small business owners, and the author’s own experience in launching new businesses

• Explains the positive side of ADHD behavior in the context of creating a business, working within an existing company, and raising children with ADHD

Most people do not “grow out” of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). For many, their ADHD traits have led to difficulties in school, relationships, and work. But for our hunter-gatherer ancestors these characteristics were necessary for survival. Hunters must be easily distractible, constantly scanning their environment, and unafraid of taking risks. When humanity experienced the agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago, a vastly different type of personality--the methodical “Farmer”--became dominant. Most of our modern world is tailored to this Farmer personality, from 9-to-5 jobs to the structure of public schools, leaving ADHD Hunters feeling like unsuccessful outcasts. However, the Hunter skill set offers many opportunities for success in today’s Farmer society--if you learn how to embrace your ADHD traits instead of fighting against them.

In this step-by-step guide, Thom Hartmann explains the positive side of Hunter behavior. He reveals how Hunters make excellent entrepreneurs, sharing ADHD success stories from Fortune 500 CEOs, inventors, small business owners, and his own hands-on experience in launching new businesses. Drawing on solid scientific and psychological principles, he provides easy-to-follow organizational strategies, tips to maintain focus and create a distraction-free workspace, and tools to set goals, build a business plan, and discover the right business project to keep you motivated. Hartmann shares valuable advice for both the Hunter entrepreneur and the Hunter within an existing company and for curtailing the aggressive side of the Hunter personality in group situations or manager positions.

Revealing the many ADHD opportunities hidden within the challenges of work, relationships, and day-to-day life, Hartmann also includes tips on navigating family relationships and parenting--for most Hunter parents are also raising Hunter children.

Genres: Adhd, Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Health, Social Science

144 pages, Paperback

Published June 19, 2016

About the author

Thomas Carl Hartmann is an American radio personality, author, businessman, and progressive political commentator. Hartmann has been hosting a nationally syndicated radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, since 2003 and hosted a nightly television show, The Big Picture, between 2010 and 2017.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Park Street Press for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I opted to read this book because I have pretty severe ADHD. It's had some negative impacts on my life, and while I have my own set of coping strategies, I believe in expanding my options whenever possible, especially when it comes to my work life, where my ADHD has proven to occasionally be a real problem.

The book itself is from 1994, with this being a reprint with some updates, so some of the references are pretty dated. Many of the techniques in it probably would be great for someone looking to start their own business, which is the book's main focus. I, however, am not much of an entrepreneur and was mostly looking for ways to prosper in the workplace, as it's phrased in the description. As such, a lot of the book did not apply to me, which makes it tough for me to truly review it from a critical standpoint. As a reader, though, it seemed to drag on. This is, of course, partly due to the whole attention deficit thing, but I can't imagine this will be an easy book for anyone with ADHD to really get through unless they, like me, are being stubborn. (Or if they really want to start a business and it's not an impulse thing!)

I did find it inspiring to read stories of other people with my disorder that really make it work, and the concept of Hunter/Farmer relationships makes a whole lot of sense to me in context of neurotypicals and those with neuro disorders. I would love to see a book focused on working with ADHD in a more traditional work environment, rather than basically setting the standard of "it's not going to work out for you there, just start your own business." Upon reviewing the author's catalog, it does look like he's written several other ADHD-centric books, but I'm not really sure I'm not sure how appealing they would be for me, based on this book.

[Vakaris the Nosferatu · Rating 4 out of 5]

all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu

About the Book: Author, having battled ADHD himself, has learned to live with it, even thrive on it. And in this book he tells the entire tale of it, the struggles, the studies, the new ways of living he discovered, and what, other than outright medication, could work for others too.

My Opinion: ADHD sometimes feels like a 16 lane highway. Thoughts speed, come parallelly to one another, merge, crash, jam, and so on. This book offers some solid advice, and some very good thoughts, even if not too much of it.

[Linduš · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you don't consider yourself having ADHD i would recommend this book because it give great views and Tips how to deal with the Business World.

[Julia Slipko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very specific and a bit problematic

It was all about business and just skirting around the ADHD altogether. Also no mention of women in business with ADHD and their specific issues - this book is just some words that are not very “juicy”. A lot of words. Not much content.

[Sadegh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too business-y and entrepreneurship-y.

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice follow-up to his previous work on hunter in a farmer's world and multiple intelligences multiple learning styles. I recommend this for teachers students and parents whether you are a farmer or Hunter, as it helps to understand both types in our changing world.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

My diagnosis is new so I'm looking for a lot of different perspectives. I did not like this book at all but I'm also not business minded.
While I appreciate the author also has ADHD, he is not a psychologist but presents a lot of things in this book as if he has first hand knowledge of being one. This tainted it for me for the lack of authenticity.

The theory itself is also interesting, but I'd like to see more science behind it.

[Mutia · Rating 4 out of 5]

applicable and concise. and i love the idea of calling adhders hunters and neurotypicals farmers. to think that people with adhd isn't just uncontrollable silly goofy creature is so liberating, from the title alone it's already helping with my self esteem. apalah arti nama? sudah kutemukan jawabannya 🗿

[Echo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't speak to the validity of any of the science in this book or whether there is anything to the idea that people with ADHD are more genetically related to prehistoric hunters than farmers, but the book certainly does inspire folks with ADHD to try to live their best lives. I did find the chapters on building a business for oneself to be lacking in the nuance of the realities of entrepreneurship, particularly missing the mark in discussions of the financial risk and privilege that makes entrepreneurial work possible. Overall, this book is a quick read that does offer some good strategies for "[succeeding] as a hunter in a farmer's world" and gets three stars from me.

[José P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good thesis, redundant at times.

The thesis may try to be explained by historical facts, but at the end of the day it is mainly a great analogy. If you or someone dear to you has ADHD, and you are new to it I would say that this book can be quite the eye opener and may help understand why some feel like jailed beasts. I realized that while it may not reinvent the wheel per se, it is quite a fun read, just remember that no book however great it may be explaining a subject is a substitute for real professionals.

[Lisa Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handy, useful perspective and counsel.
As fun as the framing device is, I do find it a little too evolutionary psych -- seeing characteristics and tracking them back to a speculative selection advantage unlikely to be able to play out in the time frame available. I've known hunters and farmers, and I don't think the author necessarily accurately identifies the traits that make a person successful in either of those fields. For example, being able to notice many things in your environment may be an advantage for a hunter, as the author suggests -- but it could just as easily by a fatal flaw if the hunter can't focus on his target. Guys in deer blinds don't get distracted from their shot by the squirrel. Then again, being able to anticipate unseen results of today's actions may be a good trait for a farmer -- plant today, knowing you will harvest in the fall. But a hunter hunts today to get ready for winter; and certainly nomadic hunters did plenty of anticipating and planning.

Still, it's entertaining as metaphor, and I think it's very useful to consider that ADHD might be a difference, not an error -- that it can cause stress because it is a difference that fits poorly in our current culture but is not inherently a better or worse way of doing things. Reminds me of "Survival of the Sickest", book that speculates that many of the genetic conditions that negatively impact health today actually conferred an advantage at one point in history (the standard being the sickle cell gene, which helped people survive malaria but which causes suffering and poor health in folks today where there is no malaria).

[Pixiegirl105 · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I saw a lot of different reels/etc on social media talking about this book as "having changed their life." Decided to give it a try. Realized quickly that the focus was not how to "Succeed as a Hunter in a Farmer's World" but rather a "how to build a business with ADHD." Recently diagnosed as ADHD though had it my entire life and was looking for strategies for my day to day life. The book is more about how to start a business and feels very male focused. There is about 1 page worth of the struggles that women have in general as women and does not really go much into the whole different ways on how a woman with ADHD can succeed. Occasionally the author puts in a "she" but the reference is usually responsibility minded (or in the book's terms Farmer) than the Hunter (ADHD).

All in all, I finished it and it left the same taste in my brain as the term "Alpha Male" does. (one of my ADHD friends was like....you know you don't HAVE to finish every book. I was like...I do! It's one of the places I push myself to finish AND I wanted the credit of finishing it on my Goodreads list.)

I don't think I will be reading another book by this author again.

[Catharina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too vague to be practical, too practical to be really insightful. Though adhd is first stated to be a spectrum rather than a clear cut diagnosis l find that the author really goes on and on about how these "Hunters" (guess I'm not one of them) are so much different than the rest. It's also the absolute terms in which the author describes the self-victimizing ADHD folks (who according to the author dont fall under the Hunter-category),that really bothered me. The book did direct me to some further reading, which I liked. Some tools that were hinted towards I might look into as well, but that's about it...

[Sandy Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very eye-opening for me as I deal with many serial entrepreneurs with ADHD (most undiagnosed). With young adult children with various intensity of ADHD. There was great content in how best to coach them to success in being a hunter in a farmer’s world. Educational institutions love farmers and haven’t a clue on how to mold and build our needed hunters, leaving this smaller population frustrated. I will use a lot of content in this book to effectively help coach the hunters and ADHD adults to reach their goals and build successful lives and businesses.

[Ramu Vairavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up seeing the jigsaw pieces on its cover, and the interesting claim that those with ADHD possess "hunter" genes.

The author shares several insights into how people with ADHD are suited for entrepreneurial pursuits and highlights pitfalls and solutions for them, e.g. teaming up with "farmers", recording ideas as they arise, and delaying a sudden interest to see if it's worth committing to. His tips are practical, stemming largely from his own experiences.

All chapters are bite-sized. A quick and useful read all-in-all.

[Faigy Liebermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a psychiatrist friend.
'Adult ADHD' brings an entirely refeshing viewpoint to understanding ADHD. It brings the historical perspective of ADHD. I often wondered how ADHD was manifest in the past.
The book only gets 3 star as not so well organised.
Apart from that, the book is informative and gives good background to understanding how to use your ADHD to succeed in the current world.

[Lucas Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the concept of exploring an evolutionary perspective on ADHD fascinating.

Though some may call it pseudoscience, I feel that there are definitely areas that lend legitimacy to the perspective of ADHD being a "Hunter" adaptive trait prior to the agricultural revolution, so I still quite enjoyed the book.

It also provides some good tips for entrepreneurs with ADHD, regardless of the validity of the premise, so it's worth the read based on that alone.

[Rogue Blackwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good book. There were some interesting theories that definitely ring true. It has actionable steps and small bits of storytelling that break up the material.

The author had adhd so the book is succinct, lol. More than anything it was confirming for me and a self employed adhd woman that success can occur even after plenty of failure.

It's a good starting point.

[Edgar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and concise effort at describing how to achieve not just success but satisfaction in your life as a person with ADHD. The author gives theories on the background context of the ADHD mind and offers a compassionate narrative of why people with ADHD were not made for the world we currently live in.

[Mark Rego · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a Person with ADHD like me this book rely puts clear how the "disease" affects you in the work environment. Presenting you solutions to overcome them and be successful with what you have, using it to your own advantage and visualizing that against everything this so called "disease" its a gift that you received ;-)

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has an interesting take on what it means to have ADHD in today's business world. There were some very specific points that I found helpful and inspiring, but most of it didn't really apply to me. It's an easy read though, and the only reason it took me three months to get through is...well, because ADHD. :)

[Spike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read being a young adult with ADHD. The book really had me rethinking everything I learned on how to view the world around me and brought to perspective how what I was taught has been holding me back. I'd say it's a must read for young adults with ADHD that feel lost on how they'll survive the real world.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first quarter of this book was great, full of interesting information and hypotheses. The rest... just didn't interest me. I didn't realize this was a business book and although I do have a small craft business I couldn't relate at all to the author's idea that a business is something you must try to franchise and run sitting from your corporate office. I have zero interest in that lifestyle.

[Dakoda Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because the title made me curious as an adult with ADHD. I was not expecting this book to focus on business using psychology, but it was not an unwelcome surprise. I learned a bit more about myself and some new techniques I can use to make life easier, as well as a bit about running a business.

Good knowledge to have. Was a bit dry, but not as bad as it could have been.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of the ADHD haver as a Hunter is very compelling to me. There's some really sensible tips here and the book is efficiently presented. There are other books I'd recommend before it as a general overview of ADHD though (i.e ADHD 2.0)

[Ainiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the first book to talk about the "Hunter" perspective, but it eventually came off as an entrepreneurship guide to the world by someone who was successful in it - and the adhd bits were just here and there. Boring but short.

[Paul Bard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great big pile of good success literature ideas gleaned from personal experience and reading.

The ideas pose questions that may be useful to readers if they work through them in practical daily life.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book probably could have been a blog post. Maybe it was a blog post in a past life. It felt like the WebMD article on ADHD plus a handful of workplace specific tips. In fairness, all reasonable stuff, but like... not enough to publish a book imo.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't even really get past the introduction. Once the author stated that the book was basically for people with ADHD in the business world, I knew it wasn't for me. I'm not in business and certainly not an entrepreneur.

[Mindy Schaper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent summary of life with ADD. Short and sweet, not too much patience needed.


It was very focused on the entrepreneur ADD type, which not every ADD person is.

Insightful, easy reading.