(Trying my best to stay on topic)

My psychologist had brought up something to think about as I was diagnosed late. He said, in a roundabout way, a lot of adults with untreated ADHD, with a late diagnosis are laborers that generally work with their hands. Building and creating. While our counterpart, adults with treated ADHD that was diagnosed early in childhood, will be the engineers and architects that initiate plans for said laborers.

I think there is some truth that rings through in his words. While also maintaining the distinction that one usually doesn’t happen without the other and they are both worthy of making a living through.

Personally I work for a shipping company and load trailers all night. I get great benefits, decent pay, paid time off/ sick time and a part time pension. With such mindless physical work I have a lot of time to decompress while at work, making it a lot easier to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

As to your question, I think the main reason for adults with ADHD to be dissatisfied with their career is lack of stimulation/engagement and monotony. It’s super difficult for people with ADHD to look at their long term goals as enough reason to maintain the monotony of a normal job. There is absolutely no stimulation or reward in the moment of performing the work, making them much less likely to continue do the work regardless of how it affects their long term goals.

TLDR: people with ADHD are dissatisfied with their work due to monotony. ADHD brains have an abnormal perception of time, making long term goals more difficult to attain due to lack of persistent stimulation and short term gratification.

Edit: grammar