Julie Legg is joined by Jel Legg, a multi-disciplinary creative whose life has moved through a remarkable series of reinventions - from engineering and web development to professional music production. Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 55, Jel reflects on how his late diagnosis brought not just relief, but deep validation for a lifetime of curiosity, burnout, and non-linear success.
With humour and insight, Jel shares how understanding his neurodivergence helped him give himself permission to live differently - to reconnect with childhood passions, prioritise joy over productivity, and make peace with his ADHD brain.
Key Points from the Episode:
- Jel’s ADHD diagnosis at 55 and the clarity it brought to his lifelong pattern of reinvention
- How burnout, especially after intense periods of creative or technical work, has shaped his career transitions
- The role of music and creativity as both outlet and lifeline
- Returning to childhood joys (like model railways) as a form of healing and self-connection
- Why ADHD brains often need novelty, movement, and autonomy to thrive
- The importance of stepping away from systems that aren’t designed for neurodivergent minds
- Jel’s reflections on time blindness, executive dysfunction, and self-compassion
- How self-awareness helped him stop trying to “fix” himself and start honouring what works
- His message for others diagnosed later in life: “You’re not broken. You’re just wired differently. And that wiring is brilliant.”
Links:
OLDER WEBSITE: https://older.co.nz/
STUDIO 109: https://studio109.co.nz/
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Thanks for listening.
