Turning special interests into success

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If a person on the spectrum has a special interest, it is a good thing to see how it might be turned into a marketable employment opportunity. Some of my happiest moments are spent learning about autistic people who have extremely good careers precisely because they were encouraged to hone their gifts.

I think that the worst thing a caregiver or family can do is to try to "break" an Aspergian's special interest (with the obvious exception of cases where the interest is something unwholesome) so as to try and make them "get with it and behave like everybody else".

The fallacy here is in thinking that a person on the spectrum can just "flip" their minds off their passionate interest with the careless ease of flipping a switch... "No dear, it doesn't work that way." Trying to force a passionate Aspergian to become a surface-skimming generalist goes against neurology and who knows, possibly even against potential career success. Even worse when it's done unthinkingly, just to enforce a bland conformity. But usually, I think this is done out of pure misunderstanding of the neurological basis of AS.

The very nature of a special interest is that it consumes your mind completely: your total immersion in it - plus your ability to categorize and prioritize your actions (systematize how you spend your time) - is what enables you, with diligence, to become a master in your field. Also, your motivation is never in question, because you are constantly self-driven to learn about it.

There is the real need to multitask so as to attend to life's other demands, but I'll get to that in a moment.

I think that there is value in nurturing the best aspect of the Aspie mind, which is this: we can become experts in our chosen area of interest, precisely because of the difficulty we have "flipping" our minds off the selected topic... Hyper focus can, in fact, be your friend when learning, studying and perfecting your craft.

But it seems that some NT people whose modus operandi in life is to regularly skim over banal things without getting deeply into anything, see it differently. They can't fathom the intensity with which an Aspergian can study something. They appear to look at our hyper focus as some kind of abnormality or pathology.

Teaching time management and scheduling skills should be seen as a positive "add-on", rather than a replacement for, the special interest. It is a mistake to think that one must "get with it" or be a failure. A false dichotomy, borne of unthinking conformity.

Temple Grandin often speaks not just about how she was given rules, but also about how her special interests were channeled and allowed to develop. I wonder what would have happened if her special interests were shunned or broken by people who didn't know any better?

I'm hopeful that the more understood AS becomes, the more people will see the light and help those on the spectrum to turn their strengths into opportunities. Anything less is just a waste of a human being.

So is this a rant or are you trying to convince yourself that the negative messages that have made you feel stifled are wrong (trying to build your own self esteem)? I ask because there is a difference.

I agree. Break someone's special interest is one of the worst things to do. Like Einstein: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds"

It's a conclusion based on years of observation and the personal stories of people who have shared their life stories. Basically I love to read about success stories where a person managed to turn their special interest into a career.

Maybe it came across as a rant but actually I was trying to sound hopeful

Ok so it was a self esteem boost. Nothing wrong with that, but it did sound like a rant. Blaming others really doesn't help boost self esteem, it only gives a target to direct the anger over what has hurt it(self esteem) in the first place. A lot of people (especially here) already have strong feelings over the messages they have received and some feel helpless against them. Reminding them that they can blame someone doesn't help the cause only provides incentive as to why they shouldn't try. (I hope that doesn't sound harsh, I really like your overall message, just trying to help you fine tune it so it doesn't sound like a rant)

I firmly believe we should use our interests to our advantage if it can be used that way. We shouldn't allow others to dictate our passions, if we do we have no one to blame, but ourselves, because we haven't been using the one gift we all share to it's fullest beneficial potential. Our tenacity.

I am glad you realize that, many don't and it sounds like you are trying to take positive approaches and responsibility for your own well being. That is really an accomplishment all to itself, you should feel proud.

So what is your special interest and how do you plan on using it for your betterment? (Now you have me curious.)

Success for what?

I couldn't care about making money and praise from others.

I bet you'd find a lot of people with an ASD feel the same way -- often it's others trying to put what they want on the individual with an ASD, not what the person with the ASD wants (being indifferent isn't really choosing either).

Who exactly brought up money or praise? Feeling good about what you are doing and loving what you do isn't equal to money and praise. You can do something just because you love to do it without being rewarded for it. Many many people do. Teachers are a good example of this as well as Doctors without borders volunteers. They don't get paid or praised very often, but they love what they do.

ETA: Being indifferent is a choice, you choose to not care one way or another and be a victim of happenstance to avoid responsibility.

ASD/AS kids have the internet/computer games to play now, so internet/computer games will probably be the "special interest" of most of them.

There is not much adult opportunity for "internet/game experts".

Mobile app testing, game testing, internet teaching centers for adults, computer teaching for adults, marketing, game development, website development/design, test marketing, data mining, etc. There are plenty of opportunities for adults in the game and internet industry at all levels of experience and knowledge and all sorts of age ranges.

I saw a story about an autistic guy who is interested in and super good at assembling ikea furniture, and he charges a small fee for going to people's houses and assembling their furniture. He doesn't speak or read, but understands the diagrams fast and easy. Mostly, this job is a good way to do something fun and useful.

I like ikea stuff. Don't really like their stores (always crowded here in Atlanta), but when my roommate can convince me to go I like looking and trying out the stuff. My favorite chair is from them. (I can rock in it. ) I heard the same story as well, I thought that was an awesome idea to have and a good use of one's talent.

Wow I'm loving this post! I want to hear some success stories too. Specially beacause right now I feel like my interests are useless. Some inspiration would be good.

I wouldn't call it a success story, but I do have one where my interest in something paid off.

A long while ago I was really into coding for websites. I went from knowing nothing to writing several tutorials on a methodology for a specific coding platform, in just a few months. I was contacted by a University in Chicago to come teach their tech department (small department) this particular methodology so that they could implement it on there overburdened system. I spent a week out there teaching, so for all intensive purposes I taught at a university. Even had my own classroom they set aside for it.

I had support in doing so and I know I made some social faux pas and I had a few meltdowns, but overall it was a good experience. They were very appreciative of my help. I even had my travel expenses,( food, plane, and lodging) covered and earned a little extra. Wasn't a lot, but it was better than nothing. I would've done it for just the travel expenses.

The OP was discussing how the "special interest" might be fostered into a successful career.

Special Interest ->Successful Career

Horses-> Equine Husbandry
Snakes->Pet shop
Programming computers ->game development/programmer/website development/design
Fixing cars -> mechanic

Playing computer games -> ???? Playing computer games does not appear to make one an expert at testing, marketing, and teaching, or anything usable.
Using the internet -> ???? Most people know how to use the internet.

Dr. Asperger observed ASD kids before the internet, and before computer games.

The internet/computer games give ASD kids something to do while not socializing, so no need for a "special interest" when the mind can be absorbed into the computer world.

^Don't demean everyone else, because you lack knowledge, it makes you look like an a***. There are careers for people who play games all day in the gaming field as well as for people that use the Internet. Just because you want to believe there is not doesn't make it true.

I can see it both ways: gaming/internetz special interest becomes 1) career + independence or 2) eggscapism, so it is up the kids and the parents what it becomes.