If you've ever been one to second-guess your worth because of dyslexia, other learning disabilities, or less than ideal test-taking skills, I have a story to share with you.
I was that young person once, and you are not alone. In fact, you are probably one of the most brilliant people on this planet. Do you know how I know that? Because like you, I also allowed my brilliance to be stifled by my perceived shortcomings for far too long.
You see, from my early years in a private elementary school, I was told I had learning issues, was always put in the "D group" in reading and math, and grew up thinking I was dumb.
I couldn't figure out how to read, spell or even do math. I'd constantly flip my letters, and experienced massive anxiety and panic attacks when it came to writing and taking tests.
Back then, there were not too many tests to assess learning issues like there are today, so I wasn't sure what was really going on with my brain other than it just didn't work like it should.
My self-loathing feelings about my learning capacity continued into high school when I was forced to take the SATs. Despite my parents paying for a tutor, I bombed the test that supposedly "determines your future."
At that point, I never thought I would get into any college. However, though I wasn't "intelligent" per educational standards, I was always a determined young woman and that was a characteristic that could never be taken from me.
As I neared the end of high school, I decided to positively channel my own pain and create something positive from it. Capitalizing on my passion for helping others, I put together various support groups for other high school kids who were having difficulty with issues such as learning, expressing themselves, overeating, under-eating, and being bullied. It was this and other volunteer work that blew away college administrators and led me to get accepted into college.
Fast forward to my post-college years when I decided to pursue commercial real estate and found out I had to take another big test to even get into the career.
The childhood feelings of pain and anxiety crept back into my mind and my self-limiting beliefs pierced through my heart.
Was I going to bomb it? Of course I was. You are just stupid, I'd tell myself. You cannot do this. You will fail.
However, the determined little girl in me who was always present chose not to listen to the negativity. So I sat down to study, but my brain still wouldn't cooperate.
I needed to make a change. I realized my brain functioned differently than most, and I needed to view this as a benefit and not a defect. I needed to put the pieces of my own puzzle together.
Though it took me 25 years, I discovered that I am actually a visual learner (something we were never taught in school) who also suffers from dyslexia.
Finally gaining some insight into how my brain functioned, I experienced a breakthrough. I did some research and created a plan of action:
- I would read information, then write down what I just read.
- I would make flash cards that covered key pieces of information.
- I would test myself with white boards, large pieces of paper on the floor, and flash cards.
I took the practice test and for the first time in my life, I did not fail. In fact, I only missed one answer.
It was the most euphoric and freeing feeling I'd ever experienced in my entire life. All because I did not give up, and chose to view my perceived weaknesses as strengths, I finally busted open the doors to my bright future.
Shortly after this, I started my commercial real estate career as an assistant to a six-figure broker. Nine months later, I left that position to start my career as a broker and a year after that, I made six figures.
Though my career was on the fast track, I decided to revisit my innate passion for helping others. I left commercial real estate after the birth of my second child to pursue my next career as a health coach. Again, I experienced a huge learning curve, yet by my third year in business, I made six figures again.
My days are now spent managing a six-figure business doing what I love and thriving at it. I help men and women achieve optimal wellness through private health coaching, and clean eating and detox programs, as well as help aspiring health coaches start and grow their own successful businesses.
What's the moral of the story? I am actually brilliantly unique, and you are too, and we are the ones who can change the world. That is, if we let ourselves. Once we stop beating ourselves up for who we are and realize the magic in our uniqueness, we are unstoppable.
Though your goal may not be to build a business; I wrote this piece in hopes that it might resonate with at least one person who feels like a sinking ship, and who simply needs a voice of reason to help pull them out of the water so they can begin to sail towards their dreams.
If this is you, do not waste another moment of your life feeling sorry for yourself. Just because you don't live up to someone's standards doesn't mean you can't blow past their standards by taking your own path. This is your journey, and the only person you have to prove anything to is yourself. So chase your dreams in whichever way works for you, and never let naysayers make you doubt yourself.
"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." - Steve Jobs