This is a really common symptom of adult ADD/ADHD. I highly recommend the book Driven to Distraction. It helped me make sense of a lot of aspects of my life that I just couldn't understand before.

http://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Recognizing-Attenti...

I've got quite a lot of distractibility, but my office mate really does. He got connected with the work of Edward Hallowell, specifically "Driven to Distraction" ( http://www.amazon.com/isbn/dp/0684801280 ) and has since had his doc get him on ritalin. It's just been a few weeks, but he seems a lot more focused to me.

It's making me wonder if I need to talk to a doc about trying me on one of those meds. Doesn't seem like it's much of a risk, does it?

[I've struggled mightily to force myself to focus - to no avail - and know that I could be way more productive if the mind would obey better :/ ]

ADD is not particularly rare in my experience--certainly among hackers and entrepreneurs--and people that feel that they are special need to get out more. It's not a personality type as much as a processing mode(s). There are a number of good books full of practical advice on how to manage ADD. Three I have found particularly useful are

ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kohlberg http://www.amazon.com/ADD-Friendly-Ways-Organize-Your-Life/d...

Driven To Distraction by Edward M. Hallowell http://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Recognizing-Attenti...

Healing ADD by Dr. Daniel Amen http://www.amazon.com/Healing-ADD-Breakthrough-Program-Allow...