Why Neurodivergent Professionals Need a Different Approach to Career Planning
- Nikolai Blinow, LMHC
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
If you're a high-achieving professional in mid-life—earning six figures, respected by your peers, admired for your drive—then the idea of questioning your career can feel almost… taboo. And if you’re also neurodivergent—perhaps diagnosed with ADHD, or long suspected it—then your experience of burnout, dissatisfaction, or restlessness in your career isn’t just normal stress. It’s something deeper. More complex. And it requires a different kind of roadmap.
Why Traditional Career Planning Doesn’t Work for Everyone
Most career planning frameworks assume a neurotypical brain: one that thrives with linear goals, long-term consistency, and a predictable path to retirement. But if you’re neurodivergent, you probably never followed the traditional playbook to begin with.
You may be:
Driven by passion and novelty, not just promotions and titles.
Highly intuitive and creative, but easily drained by bureaucracy and repetition.
Energized by big-picture thinking, but overwhelmed by minutiae and executive functioning tasks.
Someone who thrives in sprints, then crashes in silence—only to emerge with another brilliant (and exhausting) idea.
So when you hit a wall in mid-life—whether from burnout, boredom, or the invisible weight of masking and over-functioning—it’s not because you’re weak. It’s because you’ve outgrown a system that wasn’t designed for how your brain works.
The Myth of "Just Pushing Through"
Many of my clients come to me after years of telling themselves, “I just need more discipline. I need to be more consistent.” But what they really need is a new relationship to work—one that’s built around energy, not effort. One that honors their attention patterns, not fights them. One that brings their nervous system down, not ramps it up.
And that shift isn’t just emotional or psychological—it’s financial, too.
Because when you’re making a significant income, the stakes of change feel impossibly high. You may worry about sacrificing security, walking away from prestige, or disappointing others. You may even feel guilt or shame for wanting “more” when you already have so much.
That’s why neurodivergent professionals need both career strategy and nervous system support. You need a team that gets the nuances of your brain and the reality of your bank account.
What a Different Approach Looks Like
Working with a financial advisor like Matt Sheers, who understands career transition through a neurodivergent lens, means you don’t have to choose between your money and your mental health. And when you pair that with coaching or counseling designed for ADHD and burnout, you gain a full-spectrum approach to change.
It’s not about blowing up your life overnight. It’s about taking strategic, supported steps that honor your values, protect your energy, and align your work with who you are now—not who you were when you first started climbing.
If This Is You...
If you’re a mid-life entrepreneur or executive who’s done everything “right” but still feels something is missing…
If you’ve been secretly wondering “Is it time for a change?” but have no idea what that would even look like…
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
If this resonates with you, join us for our free live webinar, “Beyond Burnout: Finding Balance in Business, Life, and Money,” on July 17th, 12–1pm ET.
Reach out to Matt Sheers, financial planner for professionals in transition, at www.sheerempowerment.com
Or connect with Nikolai Blinow, therapist and coach for ADHD entrepreneurs, at www.ompowermentpsych.com
Let’s help you plan a future that’s not just sustainable—but satisfying.
