Wednesday 13 November 2013

‘How Will Dyslexia Alter The Way I Live My Life?’ by Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

If we see this as a negative and think about the thoughts of others, including those that pour on stigma, we will struggle.  However, there is absolutely no need to feel this way, as Dyslexia brings with it so many positives.
We have to look at the success of others and then focus on those with Dyslexia.  We can’t automatically say that life will be sweet and there will be few hurdles along the way, but take a look at Thomas Edison’s story and many others such as Sir Richard Branson and Leonardo Da Vinci and many more, to see the sky can be the limit. These leaps of faith have been in the face of many around them being negative and offering up smart comments about their lack of literate skill.  I heard someone at a presentation I gave recently say that it was fine for these guys to claim this success but they have, or have had, a team around them.  Very few start with a team… it’s early and often solo success that brings finance to employ that team and again, many like Branson started out in this way.  It’s funny, but these famous people no longer have to put up with people poking fun at them and only have their memories to remind them about the past.  As we speak, unknown entrepreneurs of the future are being diagnosed at seven, eight and nine years of age with Dyslexia.  If you are one of those who have bullied someone with a learning difficulty, watch out!… they could well be your future boss!
 We can offer all the support we can, but it is still down to the individual to accept those words of positivity and also promote the positives of those who have made it.  Many have reached greatness and have withheld their past and, to some degree, it has made their route to the top so much harder… however, they would possibly have used this to motivate and kick themselves forward. This can be a very powerful tool for driving us on, however it can remove the opportunity of others benefitting from watching that person develop, often in the face of adversity.  This can be down to the person fearing failure as they may have failed a few times already.  Dyslexics and many with specific learning needs do fail, but they have huge self-belief and this allows them to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and go forward again, having learnt from their previous mistakes and we know that this always makes a much stronger and better person.
We have heard and I have mentioned on many occasions, that most Dyslexics have a high IQ and the evidence is far too strong for anyone to deny this fact.  They watch and take in many things subconsciously that those without Dyslexia let slip by, this gives them so many tools to use throughout their life.  They, for the most part, are helped in this by having great long-term memories and could tell you what they had to eat last month.  Having Dyslexia doesn’t mean that they will never be able to spell, read, write a letter or email… if they are worked with and helped with their literacy deficit, they will be able to do anything they desire to do and do it with relative ease.  Dyslexia never leaves us but with help, we can learn to manage it.

We have seen in the last paragraphs that with the right help we can go forward and shout from the roof tops that we are Dyslexic and we got there!  I believe that the world would be a lesser place if it was void of those with Dyslexia and often wonder would we be as advanced without the likes of the Edison’s, Piccaso’s and Branson’s being born with Dyslexia?  When you land that important position or start your own company, you will have many Dyslexics working with you and next time you are having your hair cut or eating at a fine restaurant or maybe watching the latest car design on Top Gear, the person behind that could well be Dyslexic!

1 comment:

  1. This is so right. Dyslexia has not stopped me from doing anything. But it has stopped others. When all they can see is spelling mistakes and that things may take a little longer for me to do. But it does not stop me from moving on and forward and that's what keeps me going. I can't spell, but can use a spell checker, have no sense of direction but use a sat nav, have difficulties with dialling telephone numbers for this I take my time. I can spot things that no one else see's and seem to see things from a different prospective. Dyslexia move me forward and gives me reasons as to why I do what I do, forget where I put things and sometimes appear to be chaotic. However, it is no means the end of my world and I am proud of who I am and where I'm going. Getting through the next ten years of my working life may be tricky. But I will go on.

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