Creativity Unlocked through ADHD
Tay Guan Hin, a globally recognised creative leader, discovered he had ADHD in his late 50s—a diagnosis that helped him reframe a lifetime of challenges and uncover his strengths. He has built a career on imagination, resilience, and bold ideas, from doodling comic characters as a boy to serving as APAC Regional Director, Chief Creative Officer, and Jury President at international award shows. Today, he champions the power of neurodiverse thinking in fast-paced creative industries and beyond.
Quotes
“The restlessness, the hyperfocus on creative work, the overwhelm from overcommitting—it all made sense. I wasn’t broken. My brain was just wired differently.”
“Traits that once seemed like challenges—jumping between ideas, high energy, hyperfocus, helped me thrive in fast-paced creative environments.”
“ADHD isn’t just a personal challenge; it’s a different way of seeing the world that can create real value when given space.”
Early Signs and Diagnosis
In primary school, I didn’t do well academically and just couldn’t focus. Back then, no one really talked about ADHD, so I had no idea what was going on. Distractions pulled me in every direction, assignments piled up unfinished, important details slipped my mind, and I rushed through tasks, making careless mistakes. Reading was tough, and sometimes I didn’t even understand the questions.
With both my parents being doctors, there was extra pressure to meet high expectations. That made it even harder. I honestly didn’t feel as smart as the other kids. Teachers scolded me for daydreaming or doodling comic characters in my textbooks. Friends didn’t understand why I couldn’t sit still or focus.
Fortunately, my parents and a supportive principal saw something in me and encouraged me to pursue art. That planted the seeds for my creative path.
Eventually, when I was diagnosed with ADHD, in my late 50s, that moment brought so much clarity. “The restlessness, the hyperfocus on creative work, the overwhelm from overcommitting—it all made sense. That understanding helped me stop fighting who I was and start embracing how I worked best.
Challenges and Turning Points
One of the biggest challenges was going through life without knowing I had ADHD. In school, teachers called me “lazy” or “slow,” never seeing what was really going on. At work, I was the one who often overcommitted, took on too much, or struggled with details that others found easy.
But ADHD also gave me bursts of energy and imagination. What looked like a distraction was sometimes simply a different way of thinking, connecting dots others didn’t see.
The real turning point was reframing my diagnosis not as a limitation but as an explanation. Understanding how my brain worked allowed me to stop seeing my struggles as failures. It gave me permission to create systems that fit me, to advocate for myself, and to see my creativity as a strength, not a flaw.
Strategies for Learning and Focus
Learning never came easily to me. It felt like a constant uphill battle until I discovered my artistic side. One of the most helpful tools has been mind-mapping. It allows me to organise thoughts visually, using colour, sketches, and layout. That’s how my brain works.
I remember images better than paragraphs of text. Instead of trying to learn the “normal” way, I leaned into what worked for me—visual learning through movies, games, and experiences that stuck with me.
Even today, I use sketches, diagrams, and visual notes to plan projects and presentations. I know I can hyperfocus on the creative parts I love, but I also know I need help with structure and follow-through. Over the years, I’ve learned to build teams and workflows that complement my strengths and support the areas where I struggle.
Strengths and Achievements
As a kid, the only thing I felt confident in was drawing. It became my escape and comfort zone. I didn’t know it then, but ADHD was giving me a gift in creativity. That spark led me to a career I love.
Becoming a creative director in advertising allowed me to channel creativity in a bigger way. “Traits that once seemed like challenges—jumping between ideas, high energy, hyperfocus, helped me thrive in fast-paced creative environments.” ADHD enabled me to juggle projects, stay agile, and think outside the box.
I’ve worked with top global agencies like VML, BBDO, Grey, JWT, and Saatchi & Saatchi, climbing from junior art director to chief creative officer. Here’s a more active and polished version of those sentences:
Serving as Jury President at Cannes Lions and speaking at global events like The One Show boosted my confidence and gave me a deeper sense of purpose. I realised ADHD wasn’t holding me back. Instead, it was guiding me towards where I was meant to be.
Beyond Advertising: Advocacy and Community
Over the years, I’ve also found ways to use my creativity beyond advertising.
I launched my book Collide at ARTitude Galería. The event doubled as a fundraiser for Unlocking ADHD, featuring works by fellow neurodivergent artists including Khaitama D. Sun and Rachel Elena Tng. Standing with them at the launch, I felt proud to be part of a community redefining creativity and proving how difference fuels innovation.
These experiences reinforced what I now believe deeply: ADHD isn’t just a personal challenge; it’s a different way of seeing the world that can create real value when given space.
Advice to My Younger Self
I’d tell him, “You’re not dumb. You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You just think differently and that’s a good thing.”
I’d remind him that school wasn’t designed for how his brain works, but that doesn’t mean he’s failing. His strengths just hadn’t been discovered yet. Forgetting things or losing focus wasn’t because he wasn’t trying – it was because his brain was unique.
I’d reassure him that his creativity would open doors he couldn’t imagine, and most of all: “Keep creating. Keep dreaming. Keep being you. Because your time will come and when it does, everything will make sense.”
Changing How the World Sees ADHD
People with ADHD are often intensely creative, filled with ideas, and deeply passionate. Sometimes we miss small details or lose focus, but we frequently notice patterns that others don’t see. We make unique connections, offer new ideas, and bring bold energy that makes a difference.
We’re not looking for pity — just belief in our potential and recognition of our worth. True empathy is about seeing difference as strength, not collapsing it into sameness.
Where I Am Today
I continue working as a Best-Selling Author, Global Keynote Speaker and APAC Regional Director, The One Club for Creativity. Though my ADHD diagnosis came late, it gave me the clarity to embrace the way I’m wired.
I know now that the things I struggled with are inseparable from the things that make me unique. The same restless energy that made school so hard is the energy that drives my creativity today. ADHD has not been an obstacle. It has been the very thing that made my career, my advocacy, and my story possible.
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