Everyone goes through something in their life that can cause a dramatic change to their world. Some fold into the negativity. Others use what they are going through to become someone better and prove others wrong. 

Peter Shankman is diagnosed with ADHD and uses what many consider a disadvantage to make himself into one of the best known people in the marketing, PR and media fields.

He has written five books, is a keynote speaker, and founded Help a Reporter Out, The Greek Factory, ShankMinds and the podcast  Faster Than Normal. 

Shankman says his ADHD has allowed him to do some incredible things and he hasn’t let the stigma affect him.

Peter Shankman skyped in with our entrepreneurship/ media innovation class this past week and his messages were honestly very powerful for not even someone trying to get into the media business but people who want to be successful in life. He said a couple things that really stuck out to me on a personal level. 

He has become successful through a lot of hard work, but he has also failed many more times than he has succeeded. He said he is a big believer in failure, and I completely agree. I think that failure is apart of growth and that when you fail there is always something that you learn from it to become better and more knowledgeable on the next thing you try and do.

I have discovered throughout most of our readings about becoming an entrepreneur it’s hard; you the good days but then you have the bad days and when they are bad they’re really bad. And then you get told no a lot. So Peter said to always be doing something you love.

When you love something and have the passion for something no matter how bad the struggle is or the rollercoaster ride you go through when you love your business nothing else matters you are going to see that everything you want will work out.

Another thing he said that really stuck out to was “Not a lot of people do good shit anymore; do good shit.” I think that ties completely in to doing something you love and have passion for that can really help someone.

Peter is helping countless people through everything he has done to creating those books, those businesses and that podcast. He is doing something he loves and targeting an audience that needs someone who is maybe going through what he is with ADHD or needs help with PR or connecting with other people he has given people the tools to do so.

Peter Shankman became an inspiration to me when he talked about having to change around his lifestyle. He knew that the old stuff he used to do wasn’t going to help him help others but also he wouldn’t be who he was today without it. I think that spoke to me on a personal level because I feel like in order to be successful and become the best sometimes you have to change your lifestyle for the better.