Q: My Teen Wants to Be a Video Game Designer. Is This Realistic?

So, your teen wants to be a video game designer when he grows up. Should you encourage him? Yes, in fact, it’s a great job for an ADHD brain. But more important than his coding skills will be his abilities to listen to others’ ideas, to communicate positively, and to improve based on others’ feedback. This is where the real ADHD challenges lay.

By Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW Verified Updated on September 20, 2022

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Q: “My son’s only career aspiration is to be a video game or app designer one day. He has combined-type ADHD and really struggles with receiving constructive feedback, doing group work in school, and listening to others’ ideas. I’ve explained to him that, when you work in the tech field, you have to work collaboratively with other people and in any job people might not be receptive to your ideas. He has this fantasy that he’s going to be creating video games and everyone will follow his lead. He needs to understand that no one wants to deal with an inflexible person, particularly a co-worker. I’m not sure at 14 he can understand this. What would be your advice to help him learn how to be more receptive to others’ ideas and be more flexible overall?”

A: “The Number One thing you’re going to have to do is make your brain be flexible. That means using your brain coach — that voice in your head that helps you get through things that are difficult or boring — to listen to other people’s ideas and not always assume that your ideas are the best. You have to make your brain flexible enough to work in teams of people, to listen to lots of ideas, to be OK when other people don’t want to use your ideas, and to keep in mind your co-workers thoughts and feelings…”