S5E3: From Shame to Strength - Dwight Jacobson's Dyslexia Journey

In this heartfelt interview, Dwight Jacobson shares his journey of discovering his dyslexia, overcoming shame, and embracing his strengths. Join us to learn how vulnerability, connection, and community can transform lives.

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Introduction and Connection

02:58 Dwight's Journey with Dyslexia

05:54 Struggles in Education

09:03 The Impact of Diagnosis

11:55 Finding Freedom and Acceptance

14:56 The Power of Connection

17:59 Strengths and Overcompensation

21:02 Sharing the Journey

24:05 The Importance of Understanding Dyslexia

26:50 Transforming Pain into Purpose

34:27 Embracing Dyslexia: A Journey of Acceptance

35:54 The Impact of Support and Connection

39:28 Finding Purpose Through Vulnerability

41:58 The Weight of Concealment: Overcoming Fear

46:02 Creating a Safe Community for Dyslexics

49:03 The Importance of Shared Experiences

52:03 Navigating Life with Dyslexia

56:52 The Joy of Connection and Community

 

Transcript

 

00:00:10:00 - 00:00:17:01

Unknown

Dwight Jacobson. We met. Was it a year and a half ago now?

 

00:00:17:03 - 00:00:32:00

Unknown

And obviously through a good friend of ours, Bob. But where were you guys when you just blabbed out to him? I guess blabbed? You know, right away to.

 

00:00:32:02 - 00:00:57:00

Unknown

Dinner table. And he said something to me that triggered me to web. Yeah. I'm so happy. Out of the, you know, out of the blue. He sent me a text message. I got to connect you with the white. And he's dyslexic. And, you know, here we are. You know that first conversation we had? I wish I would have recorded that conversation.

 

00:00:57:02 - 00:01:30:14

Unknown

Yeah. Just to to hear your voice, you know, just to hear the weight that came along with that conversation. Yeah. And compare that to where we are today. Right. How free you are now. How happy you are now. You know, with your dyslexia. How proud of you. Proud of it you are how how far you're able to talk about it.

 

00:01:30:16 - 00:01:58:15

Unknown

Who you tell now, it's, it's not locked in a safe like it was for for many years. Yeah, that's a good way to put it because it was definitely locked up now. You were, what, 36? You said 38. 38. Yeah. Now what? I was trying to tell Paul this or the other day. What was that? What was the test that that obviously, you know, in the corporate world never been don't know the exact terms.

 

00:01:58:15 - 00:02:15:06

Unknown

What was the test that you know is correct? Yeah, it wasn't really a test. It was a program that I was put in. There were about ten of us that were kind of on a fast track. You know, movers and shakers thing. It was a big company. And they it was, I think, an 18 month program that we were in.

 

00:02:15:06 - 00:02:33:08

Unknown

So we had speakers come in, we had neuroscience, we had therapists assigned to us coaches. I mean, it was very it was awesome. It was amazing. The money they spent on the ten of us. And I had a neuroscientist. She was from Michigan, and I just kept having more and more tests, different tests that my best friend wasn't having.

 

00:02:33:09 - 00:02:54:07

Unknown

And I was like, this is weird. Like, what's going on? And then she told me she went, so she did neuroscience. She went through the whole diagnostic process and got formally diagnosed, and it freaked me out. Do. I've never heard of that. You know, when you talk about obviously I had not in corporate America. So it's not not a typical conversation.

 

00:02:54:07 - 00:03:11:23

Unknown

But you know, that's a lot of time and a lot of money. 18 months spent on the ten of you. Yeah. It was like a leadership, right. Wasn't it like you guys were like, look to be like these big. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. So it was great. I mean, it was it was a great company. Best, best firm I've ever worked at by far.

 

00:03:12:00 - 00:03:31:00

Unknown

At that time. I spent ten years there and it was great. But when I found out I, it freaked me out a little bit. But then it was like, oh, it made things made sense because I grew up feeling like I was stupid and oh, maybe this is why I'm stupid, but I'm not stupid. You've pounded that into my brain.

 

00:03:31:00 - 00:03:47:06

Unknown

Thank you. It was good, but but I and I told one friend, my best friend at the firm, he was in the program. And then I thought, oh, crap, why did I tell him? Like. And I went right back to him like ten minutes later and said, hey, David, don't don't tell anybody, please. Like, this is between you and me.

 

00:03:47:06 - 00:04:16:04

Unknown

And to his credit, he never said anything. And it's still a dear friend. He's a great guy. So let's backtrack a little bit. How? You know, elementary, high school, college. You know, obviously their struggles to you, right? Yeah. Huge struggles. I mean I when I say I hated school I can't say that loud enough capital h a t e d hated I struggled, I sucked in school, my grades were pathetic.

 

00:04:16:06 - 00:04:31:13

Unknown

I never should have been passed on to the next grade. You know, they should have held me back just because I was like. But I got by because I tried hard. I sat in the front row because I wanted to learn and I knew I needed to learn. I couldn't pay attention to the back row, and I didn't sit in the front row because I was in trouble.

 

00:04:31:13 - 00:04:51:13

Unknown

I just sat there because I knew I needed to learn, but I just couldn't learn. The whalers learned, so it was a struggle all the way through college. I mean, I failed classes in college. I mean, I've told you this story, I, I it came down to the last test whether or not I would pass this class. And if I didn't pass the class, I wasn't going to graduate.

 

00:04:51:15 - 00:05:14:00

Unknown

And I was elected by the administration and the senior class to speak at graduation. So that would have been a little awkward. I think I got a sympathy, you know, C minus, to pass the class just because they probably already printed the programs. They didn't want to embarrass me anymore. But so, I mean, school was horrible. I mean, I, I had to take classes over and over.

 

00:05:14:01 - 00:05:34:14

Unknown

Yeah, I hated it. And I was going to say, because in your family, because you've shared with us, your sister didn't struggle. She did quite the opposite. The complete opposite. Complete opposite. Straight A's. I went to the same college that she went to, which was a huge mistake, I think, because the two years behind like, oh, you're just like your sister.

 

00:05:34:14 - 00:06:04:14

Unknown

It's like, no, not Yeah. So where in your family did it come from? My dad. Yeah. I never, never talked to him about it. But in the last year and a half of knowing the two of you last year, I have seen things about him that were, like, absolutely dyslexic. Yeah. The. It's scary how much I'm like him in so many ways by overcompensating.

 

00:06:04:14 - 00:06:31:14

Unknown

And he totally was disliked by I never told them and he passed away your year ago this year ago next month. Yeah, yeah. And anybody any any other family members that now that since you obviously you can see do you see any recognitions in any other you know any other family members. You know, it's funny, I didn't know it was hereditary until you guys told me, like I when I found out I was dyslexic, I didn't study it and want to dig in.

 

00:06:31:14 - 00:06:59:02

Unknown

I like, suppressed it. I got three children. All did really well in school. My son tries like I do in different ways, but they all they all were good studies. They were all good students, so I don't think so. But my son is very entrepreneurial. He's he has some traits, but not to the extent that that I did or you two have.

 

00:06:59:05 - 00:07:21:00

Unknown

That's probably the most common comment when we do say it's right, it's very rarely. Yeah, they all get shocked with the stats of, you know, 1 in 5 and you know, the imprisonment at 50% and all the other stats. But that's probably the number one thing like, oh that's right, I didn't. Yeah yeah I didn't know that.

 

00:07:21:00 - 00:07:43:09

Unknown

And that's what I say learned. Yeah I learned a lot about it. Just go back to one thing. You're talking about how when I first we had that first phone call a year and a half ago, Brant, I did record a lot of it in a journal, and I read it with you guys, and it was hands down say this without losing it.

 

00:07:43:11 - 00:08:13:07

Unknown

Probably the most impactful conversation I've had with anybody. You, you you were the first one I talked to that also was dyslexic. Right. And then you introduced me to Juliette. And between texts, phone calls, whatever. We've talked every week, every day. It seems like it feels like I've gone through intensive therapy. But that phone call and meeting the two of you, like, changed my life.

 

00:08:13:09 - 00:08:33:08

Unknown

It's just. I can't say it any other way that because you understood, you could relate. Like, why is this guy. You know, we talked it was March to be exact, last year, and we. You called me back like three weeks later. Like, why is he call him? Like, why does this guy care so much? Now I get it.

 

00:08:33:10 - 00:08:54:12

Unknown

And then you called three weeks later and then we called two weeks later. Then we talked every week and it was like, but just the fact that you cared so much about me, I get it now because of the someone use the word trauma bonding. It makes sense. But and then the I mean, you get me, the two of you get me.

 

00:08:54:12 - 00:09:15:09

Unknown

And for rest of my life, I will always be grateful and thankful and love you, too. And just be like, I'm blown away. So sorry, I digress, but I just want to make sure. No no no no no digressing. I'm just like my friend Bob have a dinner to, you know, to Bob that. Yeah. You know, that's that's how the door is open.

 

00:09:15:09 - 00:09:36:14

Unknown

And, you know, you said a couple words that I say related to me is one of the biggest things. Yeah. You know, and you said, you know, you did it. You understood, you know, and the events. Were we going? I did you speak a different language? How did my kid understand you? Yeah, I'm speaking dyslexic. No. We understood.

 

00:09:36:20 - 00:09:42:10

Unknown

Yeah, yeah. So this is what it's about. And this is why.

 

00:09:42:12 - 00:10:09:10

Unknown

The dyslexic community, the world, the five D's, why we don't call it, you know, nerdy versions and is trying to separate us. So there is understanding. Yeah. Like, now I guess you're, you know, you're in New York, but you guys finally graduated. And in Canada, school's over. So right now, every dyslexic in the world is free. Can breathe, can breathe.

 

00:10:09:16 - 00:10:20:09

Unknown

Yeah. And you'll see. I see all this. Yo. Dyslexic tutoring. Dyslexic summer school.

 

00:10:20:11 - 00:10:38:23

Unknown

Yeah. I mean, it's one of those things that I was never like. People were like, why wouldn't you have him, like Montgomery get tutored in the summer? And I'm like, because he can breathe and be free. Like, okay, he yes, he's going to fall back behind. But guess what? He's already behind. And it's more about his mental health than making sure that he's, you know, on the, on the regular book.

 

00:10:39:00 - 00:11:04:05

Unknown

And he will figure it out because of the understanding in the house. But yeah. Yeah, it's exhausting. I mean, every day, every hour, every minute, there's something that kind of triggers it. And you just have to be you're trying harder, you're challenged. You're it's just it's exhausting. I mean, it's funny. I've never known there's so much golf. Like, how much goddamn golf is there on TV?

 

00:11:04:05 - 00:11:25:13

Unknown

Because I always have to watch the same TV shows. And this just goes back to the exhausting part of what we're talking about here is I'll turn on the same TV shows. I've never turned on a new series. I can never. Yeah, because then I don't know what's next. I don't know what's coming, the anxiety that comes with it.

 

00:11:25:14 - 00:11:46:07

Unknown

So I can turn on golf and reruns and, you know, European golf, women's, men's, I don't care. I'll watch. I can I enjoy it because I know how hard the sport is. And I obviously do love the sport. But, you know, for the mental decompression, I get out of that. Yeah. Turn your grain off. I turn my brain off in my anxiety.

 

00:11:46:07 - 00:12:06:18

Unknown

I've got enough anxiety, you know, it's through the roof all day long. Still. You know, it's 24 over seven, but at least a little decompression comes when I turn on golf. Because your point is, I'm not wondering what's next. I'm not guessing. I'm not. How am I going to have to fake this? How am I going to have to fake that?

 

00:12:06:19 - 00:12:28:20

Unknown

You know, I don't I don't have to do that. Yeah, yeah. Dwight. So I do want to take I want you to take through. And then you shared a little bit of it, but like really the freeing part, which I don't think you realized until, like, I remember one day you said to me, you're like, I just feel so much lighter and free.

 

00:12:28:21 - 00:12:46:16

Unknown

Like, it's not like holding on to me because, as you said. So I want I want you to take us through that, but then also take us through. And you can kind of tell the story and the way that you want to share it, how when you hit it, like the fact that you were the first one into the office every day and the first one to leave like so, take us through that kind of journey.

 

00:12:46:16 - 00:13:09:09

Unknown

And then as you were able to kind of release it from your body as you talk about it. I mean, you know, once school was over, you know, at the summertime summer break, it was totally free. And and, you know, it was a relief. But when, you know, work is never over. So once you got out of school, once I got out of college and got a job, you know, life was a battle.

 

00:13:09:10 - 00:13:27:10

Unknown

I mean, I just didn't learn as fast as other people, and I didn't know why. So I just overcompensated, like most of us do. You know, you become more diligent, you become more tenacious. And I would be the first one in the morning, you know, turn the lights on, turn them off type mentality because I needed the extra time.

 

00:13:27:12 - 00:13:51:16

Unknown

But the, the, the part that was hardest for me was just the fear of being discovered, I guess, because I didn't know what dyslexia was. I just thought, you know, I'm stupid. And you know, I learned I process information differently, I take information differently. I can't take multiple instructions at three times and other people talking and like, you know, even watching TV with my wife drives me crazy.

 

00:13:51:16 - 00:14:16:20

Unknown

Sometimes when she'll get up and get on her computer or go do the dishes and, like, sit down and just like, let me focus because I need to focus. But it was it was the it was the challenge of just having to overcompensate and, and hide it because I didn't know what it was. If I had known what it was, I would have been so much better if I had understood what dyslexia was.

 

00:14:16:20 - 00:14:35:01

Unknown

But I, you know, I got diagnosed at 38, didn't know what it was, depressed it, and just tried to hide it every situation I could and you overcompensate. You know, Brant, you've talked about how you come sit with your hockey. I did with tennis. I played tennis, authorized school in college and taught for six years. And you know that I was good at that.

 

00:14:35:01 - 00:15:02:14

Unknown

I overcompensated with my social adaptive. I'm a social extrovert. My ability to connect with people is pretty strong. You know, Brant, you said that dyslexics have an extra, I think, empathy chip at times or something like that. They're true. Like I will. Yeah, I totally get it. I get I feel like a therapist to other people sometimes when it's like, why are you telling me this?

 

00:15:02:16 - 00:15:28:17

Unknown

But they do, but it's because I have that empathy chip, I guess. But the thing that got me through and Juliet, you've said this about you growing up, unlike you, Brant, you you were born with extra innate innate confidence, right? Innate confidence to. Yeah, I see Dwight agrees. He was he was born with the two. I was totally.

 

00:15:28:17 - 00:15:46:07

Unknown

I'm with you, Juliet. We'll we'll battle Brant on that for the rest of our lives. But I totally was. But that's how we ever compensated. It's like, tell me I can't do it. I'm going to show you. I will do it, and I'll just do it differently and I'll learn differently. I'm a visual learner. Tell me how to do it.

 

00:15:46:09 - 00:16:12:03

Unknown

Not so much. Make me read how to do it. Not so much. Show me how to do it. Got it. And and that that helped a lot. But it was just, you know, your situational awareness improved. Just so many different things became strengths of mine to overcompensate for the lack of the ability to read a page and understand one word, what I just read, I have to read it 3 or 4 times, and I still can't tell you what I read.

 

00:16:12:03 - 00:16:38:00

Unknown

Sometimes the market and highlight it and cross circle things and, and it's just it's just hard. So that so being diagnosed was freeing but it was frightening. It was freeing because now I understood. Why is it so hard to take the test. Why is it so hard. You know, the SATs I could never like I freak out. Breaking a 20 question driver's test when I moved to a new state.

 

00:16:38:00 - 00:16:59:03

Unknown

Like, it's like. Yeah, yeah. And I had I had six different security exams in my industry, and I worked 39 years in finance, which was kind of a stupid profession to go to, being working with numbers. And I wasn't a portfolio manager, I was a sales guy. But I, you know, managed sales teams, led sales team. But I'm constantly looking at spreadsheets and I'm like, which way does it go?

 

00:16:59:04 - 00:17:19:22

Unknown

Like, you know, I'll be reading Chinese upside down through a mirror. Yeah, yeah. What made you go into finance? Because I know you said you taught tennis. Yeah, I well, I set my first job was in Chicago. Brant with AT&T, and my wife started working for an investment firm right after college. And I met all these really great people.

 

00:17:19:22 - 00:17:39:00

Unknown

They were super cool. They were fun. The sales people were all former college athletes. In fact, the CEO one interview you unless you were a college athlete for sales role. I played tennis in college. I went in and that's how I got in. I don't know, I struggled with numbers. I just thought I was just struggled, right, right.

 

00:17:39:04 - 00:18:01:04

Unknown

And it's not just numbers. I mean, it's just other things that, you know, the five deeds, but that's kind of what I that's how I fell into it. And fortunately I was in a sales role. And that helped my personality to come through. And I could overcompensate that way. That made sense. Yeah. Ornate confidence. Yeah. Yes. The comedy.

 

00:18:01:08 - 00:18:18:12

Unknown

Well, because I asked Dwight this before because I was like, he is such a connector. Like, we all have levels of what we're good at, right? And it's just like we've talked about this on the podcast so many times, if you're blind, you know, you're you're hearings better, right? If you're if you're if you're deaf, your sense of smell or there's all these different things.

 

00:18:18:18 - 00:18:36:08

Unknown

And so we, Dwight, you and I have kind of philosophize on this, which I, we had so much fun on it. I was like, okay, so I know that I was born with a neat confidence. I mean, I was even little before I knew. I struggled, like, you know, the aunts and uncles would be like, oh my God, Juliet put on a show and I just would do whatever.

 

00:18:36:09 - 00:18:54:09

Unknown

Like, I just loved being kind of I love the attention. Yes. I knew you were going to say it. I said it first. I like attention, I'm okay with that. So but then the connecting with people I know when I was in school, when I realized, okay, wait, if I connect with someone like this, I can also get out of something like this.

 

00:18:54:10 - 00:19:13:22

Unknown

So I used my personality and my son does it like, you know, even better than I did. And so I said to you, like, okay, were you born with that connection because you you do connection to another level. Like, I'm like, I love how when you're like, oh yeah, I did this and connect to the dots. And that's how I know this person.

 

00:19:13:22 - 00:19:29:18

Unknown

I'm like, oh, I love this. Like, I could pick your brain on that all day because that is something that you're super strong at. I said to you, is that because in business, that's how you knew you succeed? Or were you like that even before? And I would love for you to come. I think I was like that before, but I think because I had it before.

 

00:19:29:19 - 00:19:50:06

Unknown

That's why I was successful in business. Right. And you just strengthened it. I strengthened it, yeah. It didn't. It wasn't born there, but it was just born within me. I think so, yeah, I just yeah, I'm a I'm a connector. I love I'm very curious. I love to learn from people. I don't learn through reading the book. I know you're laughing, Brant.

 

00:19:50:06 - 00:20:11:13

Unknown

Because. Julian. Serious? Yeah. Because he. Because she recall her, you know, was my car curious George? Yeah. I think she's got a little curious George. I do think her and a t shirt we sent her because she's, you know, Curious George. Yeah, yeah, but I'm. I mean, I like to learn. I want to learn. I just don't learn by reading books that.

 

00:20:11:13 - 00:20:40:23

Unknown

Well, I don't learn by listening to a lecture and trying to read and not a test. I mean, the traditional school sucks, right? It's just it doesn't doesn't work within us. Right? And that's the thing that I found so fascinating because I think we all like that's how my communication skills got better and better. I think I was born with that as the strength and then through school and figuring out, oh, if I just talk, I can get out of doing the paper and if I can talk and get them off the subject or be like, oh, yeah, I know that, oh, I don't need to write the paper.

 

00:20:40:23 - 00:21:04:01

Unknown

I was became a master at that. Brant, we've talked about that. You know, so many times the things that you're really good at that you've actually strengthened, you know, as you've gotten older, too. And so that's one of the things that I think is so fascinating with the, with the brain and dyslexia and the five days, because everyone, we all have dyslexia, we all struggle, but we also all have different strengths within our dyslexia.

 

00:21:04:01 - 00:21:27:15

Unknown

And that's, you know, to me, that's our God given gift. But whatever you believe in God universe, whatever. Yeah, yeah. And mine and hockey. You know, I didn't strengthen any of that, right? I didn't use any right for four years, you know. I didn't use any of that. Yeah. So when you no communication, there was no networking. There was no, you know, building any of that.

 

00:21:27:16 - 00:21:49:01

Unknown

Right. Because not in my industry, obviously. That's not what you did. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I get traded to another team, I show up, I play in the weight room, I do my thing, I do my cardio, I do my, you know, so I didn't I didn't strengthen any of that. So when it came to end of career I didn't have any of that.

 

00:21:49:03 - 00:22:19:11

Unknown

Yeah. Yeah I had you know, connections in business is different than connection than yo than hockey. Right. Yeah. And I, you know, I didn't I didn't have that. So I didn't have 40 years of strengthening. You know I just figured out what that was. And I started running, you know, hockey program in Hoffman Estates. And for the first three months, I've never been so tired of my life, I was exhausted.

 

00:22:19:11 - 00:22:38:05

Unknown

I go home and sleep like I didn't, couldn't do a thing well, because I was the first time I was actually using my brain because I didn't have to. You? Yeah, yeah, it's completely different than, you know, in an office. And you had your pen and paper and, you know, programs and developing. You know, my brain never did that.

 

00:22:38:06 - 00:22:43:11

Unknown

I was 40 years. No, 40.

 

00:22:43:13 - 00:23:04:14

Unknown

45 for I really use my brain. Yeah, yeah. And that and that's what I was saying. Like, so you strengthened it on the, on the ice. Right. Like how you used to be able to block the shots and do all that. That's where you were strengthening. And then in real life, I remember when you said to me and it was something that I think connected and then got stronger, even I've seen it in the last three years.

 

00:23:04:14 - 00:23:25:08

Unknown

But how you can read people, I think you've always been able to read people, but you've done it in a different way after 45, right? So like it's like a different way of like, okay, wait, I can use this now. It's getting stronger and stronger, but it's last years, right? As, as we all know, because your strength was on the ice.

 

00:23:25:12 - 00:23:36:02

Unknown

I'm like, I'm like a kid coming out of college. Yeah, yeah. With, you know, with my skill level, with my skill set, with my understanding, you know.

 

00:23:36:04 - 00:23:54:13

Unknown

Every kid coming out. Oh, dear. In headlights. You know, that's me now, you know, that's me being mid 40s, right. Most most people are doing that mid 20s when they're young and you know and sprayer and running around and life life is great because you're 20 years old and mid 20s and partying. You know I was doing that in mid 40s right.

 

00:23:54:16 - 00:24:17:23

Unknown

And yeah it was it was hard and it was funny. You know both of you you guys always obviously love you know zoom. You love to see how people react to things. You know I don't want to see I should say I don't want to I listen to their words. Right. More than you know, than their visual. You know, Juliet always wants to go.

 

00:24:18:00 - 00:24:34:16

Unknown

Oh, you want to zoom? Oh, you want to do it live? Let's do a live podcast. Let's do live because you want to see it. You know, I'm the same way. Yeah, right. Yeah. And I, you know, I want to hear the words, how they say it. You know what? How do they deliver? What was the context before and after?

 

00:24:34:18 - 00:24:59:20

Unknown

Because sometimes for me, visual. There's times when I'm having a conversation I'll just look straight at the ground because I'm distracted by what's what else is being looked at. Yeah. With words I can concentrate only on words. Right. You know, obviously visual. There's there's more than more things. And that's my brain like it's funny, like my, it drills on the ice.

 

00:24:59:21 - 00:25:23:19

Unknown

It's only like very simple. One, two. Yeah. I watch a drill on your on Instagram or somebody out there when I get to the rink, I'm like, my brain could I could never do that. I can never explain that. Like the kids probably could, I couldn't. My brain just doesn't doesn't work that way. Yeah, yeah. Dwight, I would love for you to take us through now, okay?

 

00:25:23:20 - 00:25:40:14

Unknown

You're more comfortable. I mean, I've seen it from. I think you and I talked for, like, two hours, and I remember exactly where I was standing and then sitting and then being like, okay, I love this. I could we could talk all day, like, we both realize, wait, you know, I think we need to go. But, like, we could talk all day.

 

00:25:40:16 - 00:26:02:09

Unknown

And so as that kind of journey as you were like literally being like, okay, I'm going to tell this person, tell this person, can you take us through a little bit like a little window into your brain on how you decided, because you were very strategic in, okay, I'm going to talk about it and share it, but also like I want to do it in your own way.

 

00:26:02:09 - 00:26:35:00

Unknown

So can you take us through a little bit? Was there a process behind that or did it kind of flow easier? I think it was a therapy sessions with the two of you that got me through it. Seriously, I mean, I, I hid it for so long. Yeah, I'm really good at it. And, you know, I told my friend David at work, I told my one daughter for different reasons, and I told my wife, obviously, and didn't tell anybody else for I told one other person for, you know, 28 years, really.

 

00:26:35:00 - 00:27:05:22

Unknown

And then I had told a couple guys I was in, you know, once I got out of work, it was like, stop stopping working at the end of 21 at this investment firm, after 39 years in the industry, that was like my school break. That was like, school's over. And then I shared with I was in a small group with a bunch of guys in very vulnerable situation, and it came out and I told them, but then didn't say anything else to anybody.

 

00:27:05:22 - 00:27:33:17

Unknown

And then just gradually last year, before I met, Brant had told 2 or 3 people, suddenly people that I knew and I trusted. But you become very suspicious to people I think I was. I didn't trust a lot of people and for fear of being discovered. Yeah, but but once I kind of, I just told a few people and then telling Brant.

 

00:27:33:17 - 00:27:55:00

Unknown

But but the freedom of sharing my dyslexia with people and just I mean, I'm not bragging about it. I'm ashamed of it, but I'm not I'm not ashamed of it anymore. I made it is who I am. It's made me who I am. But people can understand me better now. But the conversations I mean, I've had. Amazing. Just with you too, for sure.

 

00:27:55:00 - 00:28:22:11

Unknown

But I've had amazing conversations with other people that I've shared my life journey, my experience, and then they tell me they're dyslexic or they think they're dyslexic. Tell me more. Tell me like, I mean, I've had I had two conversations last week. I was driving from Florida up to upstate New York, stopped in Saint Augustine, saw two dear friends of mine I've known, and turns out he thinks he's dyslexic.

 

00:28:22:12 - 00:28:46:11

Unknown

I mean, and he's never been formally diagnosed. He's 58 years old, 57. And then Friday, two, three days ago, I was having lunch with two good friends in new Jersey and one of them clearly dyslexic and had never really talked to anybody. And the conversations. And I had a conversation one time with somebody who got connected, kind of like I got connected.

 

00:28:46:17 - 00:29:07:08

Unknown

And this one, first time I talked to her, it was a two hour conversation. She said, I've never had a conversation like that before. I've never told anybody other than my one friend like, this has been like freaking amazing. So, you know, if I could just help one person with their journey of shame and, you know, the trauma of it, then it's been all worth it.

 

00:29:07:08 - 00:29:26:11

Unknown

And I've talked to more than one person, and that's why I want to help the Social Foundation for dyslexia. That's why I want to help you guys. That's why I want to from, what do you call it, the the it's all about the kid in the chair. You know, we don't want them to have to deal with the crap that we went through and the the shame and just, I mean, education people don't know what it is.

 

00:29:26:12 - 00:29:45:09

Unknown

I mean, I've learned so much about dyslexia from the two of you and talking about it and just I've had so many moments like, oh, no, that's why I did that, right? I used to dial. I used to dial phone numbers. You know, you look at a piece of paper, dial the number. I get it wrong half the time, like, well, yeah, Juliet time.

 

00:29:45:09 - 00:30:11:05

Unknown

You're nice. Yeah. You know, so. But but that's why I love the pump. Remember the Palm Pilot and then blackberries. And I loved my Palm Pilot. I was like a pilot, you know, ambassador, I actually still have mine in my closet. I don't have mine, but. But I loved it because you could. Once you get the number in there the right way, you never had to dial a number wrong again, which was huge.

 

00:30:11:06 - 00:30:31:09

Unknown

I mean, you know, you order something and they, you know, let me send me your credit card number and it's like, hang on a second. And you read the numbers and it's like four, two, three. Oh, wait for three, two, you know. Oh my god. Yeah. So many times it's been frustrating. But but it's okay. But we can you know, we're laughing about it really tell the story.

 

00:30:31:09 - 00:30:50:20

Unknown

When we were at the event where we were laughing and counting things I mean, yes, to be able to laugh about something like that with the two of you. It's like this huge weight lifted off my back. Yeah, it really is. It is. And my face is like. I'm smiling so hard. My face is actually hurting now because I was literally going to be like, oh, wait, tell that story.

 

00:30:50:21 - 00:31:09:12

Unknown

Yeah. So but but remember I even said to you, like, can I ask if you're doing okay? Because I know that maybe this would have bothered you? I know like I know what bothers Brant now that I've known him this long, I know that there's a lot more that I don't. But like, there's certain things that I know, like, oh, I know he's going to be tweaked about that.

 

00:31:09:12 - 00:31:31:03

Unknown

So I wanted to check with you, like, okay, are you okay? Because so we were counting bags and we were putting hats in bags. And so we had this great system and I think we were very organized and we were counting out loud, and we were double counting and triple counting and sometimes even counting four times. And I think only once we got it right.

 

00:31:31:03 - 00:31:48:10

Unknown

I think all of the other times, eight, eight locker rooms we went to and yeah, I think we got it. We counted it right once. Yeah. Right. Once. You know, a little different back, but get get another bag or two more bags and years ago would have bothered me. Right now it's like yeah what's the big deal. Yeah.

 

00:31:48:11 - 00:32:16:14

Unknown

But but to be able to do it with you and be able to tell Brant that, you know, we could just laugh about it, laugh. But, you know, you'd ask me six months ago. Hey, do you want it to be on our podcast? Like, no, why would I want to do that? Like, I'm not ready yet, right? And even I don't remember what I said to you or texted to you this morning, you know, confirming this, but it's like, yeah, I mean, I get to talk to my two great friends, like, yeah, I'm ready now.

 

00:32:16:14 - 00:32:38:01

Unknown

So it has been a journey. It's been a process. I haven't told anybody that I used to work with yet. I haven't I mean, I don't I'm not in touch with those people. You know, you become irrelevant pretty fast when you leave a company. Right. And that's fine. But it doesn't matter. And you know, I don't I don't want to say it defines me.

 

00:32:38:03 - 00:32:57:22

Unknown

It doesn't define me, but it explains me maybe a little bit. And, you know, I was at a I was at a board meeting three months ago and Bob, our friend Brant, was in the sport meeting. There were ten of us in the room and the board chair said, hey, you know, we all know each other really well, but we don't really know each other well.

 

00:32:57:22 - 00:33:17:21

Unknown

I want to go around the room and everybody takes 3 to 5 minutes and share a story about yourself, your life that no one in the room notes and like a three hour conversation. I mean, people are pouring their heart vulnerable. And she went first. Dear friend, the board chair. It was just it was like a great three hours.

 

00:33:17:22 - 00:33:34:08

Unknown

And she goes, okay, you're next. And I was sitting next to her. So I was like, okay, I'm going to share it. So I started, I shared my story, I hated school, blah, blah, and I'm dyslexic. And I said, one out of five people, it's dyslexic. So there are ten of us in the room. I'm not great at math, but there are probably two of us.

 

00:33:34:08 - 00:34:03:13

Unknown

I'm one. There's probably someone else in this room that's dyslexic. And this woman sheepishly raised her hand. And then I was like, I have a bond with her. And we've only talked once since then, but like, I get it. She gets it. And that ability to have an impact on somebody else. And like the other conversation I've had in the last week, the impact that you've had on my life is it makes it worth it.

 

00:34:03:14 - 00:34:24:09

Unknown

I mean, it truly, the pain I've gone through has been so intense is turned into my passion. It's turned into my purpose that way. And I have such chills. Go ahead. No, no. Go ahead. Well, I was saying I have such chills, but I and I don't know if you're reflecting on, like, all of our guests that we've had on.

 

00:34:24:11 - 00:34:44:22

Unknown

Yeah. And I don't know if it's because I know Dwight I've obviously known all the other guests as well pretty well. But like you are 100% comfortable. Like, it's so beautiful to watch. And I've known this talking to you anyways, but you never know when someone comes on a podcast because, you know, you never know what their comfort level is.

 

00:34:44:23 - 00:35:08:17

Unknown

And now you're like talking about it. It is so beautiful to like, be sitting here and like, I could totally get emotional because it is like just it's such a beautiful thing. Like, you, like you are okay and you are 100% like 100% okay with your dyslexia. Like. And it's beautiful. Yeah. But I remember the first podcast that you guys sent me was with your son Montgomery.

 

00:35:08:17 - 00:35:33:14

Unknown

And your neck. Yep. And that pissed me off because it brought back so many pain memories that I've suppressed. I went for a run right after that. I was like, are you telling me I'm angry? I was like, pissed. And then I watched a couple others. Danielle like, totally related to her. You saw, I think it was Bridget, Bridget, Bridget brother.

 

00:35:33:16 - 00:35:54:07

Unknown

And it was like, oh, I get it now. And so it has been a process, but I know six months ago I went to have been very comfortable having this conversation. Wow. It's amazing. What it's amazing what a year and a half does. Yeah. Yeah. But but it's amazing what. And I keep coming back to this so apologize.

 

00:35:54:07 - 00:36:15:07

Unknown

But it's amazing what two amazing people you two have done by pouring into my life and caring so much. I mean, Brant, why did you call me back? Really? Like, why did you call me back? Because we struggle with. Because I knew you were going to be struggling with the things that I talked about with. Yeah, that first conversation was tough, right?

 

00:36:15:08 - 00:36:37:08

Unknown

And it was like it was traumatic, but it was like. So it was so good. I knew you, you know, you understand. Obviously we we get each other. Every dyslexic understands every dyslexic because we, you know, we are the same people. Yep. In certain things. But no, it's hard to hear. Why am I hearing this now? Yeah, I was mad.

 

00:36:37:13 - 00:36:57:17

Unknown

I mean, I was like pissed, like why, why, why did I get it. Why did I, you know. Right. And I used to think, oh, if I wasn't just I mean, I used to work with people that were like, freaky smart. This was, you know, major multiple degrees, masters, Princeton, Harvard, MIT, you know, PhDs in economics. These these people are smart.

 

00:36:57:19 - 00:37:22:13

Unknown

I'm thinking I barely got through college, and that's a whole other story for another podcast to how I, I really did get through college, but I, I should've but like why like I was like, imagine what I could have done if I had gone to Princeton and got an MBA or had a law degree and like, like, no, it's like it's I am who I am because of it, right?

 

00:37:22:14 - 00:37:49:23

Unknown

And it's okay. Now, you're probably it's supposed to be your path. And yeah, you know, I knew you're going to after our first conversation and this happens was every single person, you know, this lecture or not, if you have a dyslexic kid or you know, oh, ha, moments aren't fun to hear. No, they're hard to hear. Yep. And then in your head, you start connecting dots and you start what ifs.

 

00:37:50:00 - 00:38:14:00

Unknown

And why didn't I do this? And why did I do this? And start questioning your self. And it just goes on and on and mentally it's it's not fun. Yeah. That's why I call back. Yeah. To find out where you are. Yeah. And thank you for doing that by the way. But you know it. I didn't realize they needed to recover from the shame of it, but I really did 100%.

 

00:38:14:01 - 00:38:35:19

Unknown

I really did, and I and I have and I am. But the conversations I remember we selling I my wife and it's been hard for her to graph because she's not dyslexic. She I mean, she really helped me get through college. We were the same major, same class, a lot of classes last year or two together. We dated her senior year and and she helped me get through a lot of ways through college.

 

00:38:35:19 - 00:39:03:13

Unknown

But we had a dinner we've had multiple dinners with, with friends, and it was come out and and it's been an education for her. And she's seen the progression and growth and ability to be comfortable with it. And but so many people have said like, why are you doing all this other stuff? Like, I've never seen you so excited about talking about something like you're just like all amped up and it's like, because it's real.

 

00:39:03:13 - 00:39:27:06

Unknown

It's, you know, in here in my heart. And it's and I feel like I can make a difference. I feel like I can help somebody the way you've helped me. So that's. You already have many times. Yeah. You know, of all these conversations go back to to those ten board members when you're telling your story, you know, for her to bell to put up her hand.

 

00:39:27:10 - 00:39:56:14

Unknown

Yeah. You know, you've changed people's lives already, you know, because of the work you've done for the last 18 months. Right. You changed her life or she wouldn't be able to put up her hand. Right? She knows that she's not the only one. Yeah, it's safe. And I think that's a big part of it. It's. I have been very vulnerable talking to the two of you about life and stuff and just not dyslexic because you're safe, right?

 

00:39:56:20 - 00:40:18:18

Unknown

I trust you immensely. And I've got I have been I feel like the richest man in the world because I've got amazing friends. I have friends like I've lived a lot of places and I'm connector and I like being with people. Different states or something, 11, 11 different states. But and it's just I have been very blessed that way.

 

00:40:18:18 - 00:40:50:16

Unknown

But again, I don't trust everybody. And I've learned I've learned through pain not to trust everybody. But but the connection that we have and the connection I actually have an Excel spreadsheet. I am a hyper organized person because I have to be because I can't, you know, craziness would drive me even crazier. But I have an Excel spreadsheet of people, the date, their name, and kind of a quick summary of the conversation, who I've talked to about my dyslexia.

 

00:40:50:16 - 00:41:15:13

Unknown

And they're all like freaking amazing. Like literally amazing. And I have a list of like ten, 12 key people that I want to talk to, but it's more of a face to face saying, I don't want to call them up and say, hey, guess what? I'm dyslexic. I'm not doing that. But but in, you know, these are dear, dear, lifelong friends that it's just it's just it's freeing.

 

00:41:15:13 - 00:41:35:16

Unknown

It's it's comfortable now. It's okay. You know, it's freeing freeing for you obviously the last 18 months, how much you know, the weight. You know, if we took a picture today and we had a picture of the first conversation, you know, the the amount of weights that were stacked on your shoulders to, to what, stacked on them now?

 

00:41:35:20 - 00:41:53:19

Unknown

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I have nothing to lose, but I mean, there was a I think it was legitimate fear of my job because it's a very competitive industry that I was in, like a lot of industries. And they're always looking for ways to get rid of people. You're always looking for ways to prune and, you know, bring in smarter, better people.

 

00:41:53:22 - 00:42:11:19

Unknown

So I was I was afraid that I would be discovered. I'd be immediately leading, you know, big stage presentations and board meetings and, and I would say something and then I would realize that was stupid. I said it wrong. Crap. They're going to find out. They're going to figure it out. They're going to know I'm stupid. They're going to know I'm dyslexic or whatever.

 

00:42:11:19 - 00:42:43:05

Unknown

And you know, I'm done. I mean, I literally had those thoughts. Yeah, yeah. Every day. And, you know, the cover up and the energy we need to expend to do that, it's like that's a big part of the frame. Part of it. I had a mom once. She's like, how was my dyslexic? Who? I think it was a freshman in high school going to bed at like 9 p.m. and then I've got my.

 

00:42:43:07 - 00:43:09:12

Unknown

Other non dyslexic kid who's I think a year older, you know, a sophomore in high school, something like that. Going to bed at 1 a.m.. Yeah, yeah. Because that's how much energy it takes to hide it, to find ways around it. Like there's no straight line in our life. No. Everything is zig zag, loop de loop and circle back.

 

00:43:09:12 - 00:43:36:02

Unknown

And you know, that is exhausting. And trying to trying to hide it. And how do I get through this test and not be exposed? How would I get through this conversation and not be exposed? How I do this, it's, you know, it's exhausting. And I think I said this to somebody just recently, that's why you have the richest people in the world that are dyslexic, that don't help anybody.

 

00:43:36:05 - 00:44:07:10

Unknown

Exactly. Talk about it. Totally. Yep. Because it brings back to those memories and pain points. It's like, yeah, we're really good at suppressing those things. Oh yeah. Why talk about it? There are some and I'd love to pull that out of people like I'm we might we might be working on that part. Well you know, and when I say, you know, but you don't see any of them get down to the integrity, right down to the meat and bones.

 

00:44:07:10 - 00:44:34:16

Unknown

So what's the difference between talking about I'm dyslexic and then healing like you have? Yeah, absolutely. Those are two different ball games. Yeah. And there's billionaires out there that are going to die. Not happy. Yeah. Well not content not okay with who they are. Right. They didn't go back to and go through that nitty gritty. And you have in the last you know a year and a half.

 

00:44:34:16 - 00:44:59:23

Unknown

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's I can understand why they don't want to want to help. No no questions. But I would love to help. Some help one person get out of that help get out of that that grind. I mean, it is I used to tell people my I've always had trouble sleeping at night. I'm not a great sleeper, but I'm getting better.

 

00:44:59:23 - 00:45:24:19

Unknown

But I would tell people I can't turn my brain off like my brain is just like constantly. Like I just wish there was a switch. I could switch it off and I could sleep right, but I couldn't because you're constantly in fight or flight. You're constantly in trying to figure out how to get out of the situation. You're constantly trying to, you know, navigate a safe exit.

 

00:45:24:21 - 00:45:47:13

Unknown

So yeah, it's it's it's interesting, but it defined who I am and I am who I am because of my dyslexia. And it's okay. I mean, the two of you, you you two are pretty comfortable talking about it. I would say you do podcasts every week and I love them, by the way. I love listening to them and they're great.

 

00:45:47:13 - 00:46:09:07

Unknown

And it's just fun watching the two of you go back and forth and and disagree and make fun of each other. But I love but but we you know, your foundation rent is run by someone who's dyslexic. You've talked about this a lot. You had people like Juliette working with you that is dyslexic, and that makes a difference.

 

00:46:09:08 - 00:46:28:20

Unknown

Julie, I don't know if you want to talk about. I feel like you're reading my my brain five d community that we're going to be. Yeah. So this this this podcast will be going out right as we launch the five D community. And so yes, it's going to be a place where people can come and just feel seen and heard.

 

00:46:28:20 - 00:46:46:06

Unknown

We're going to have conversations, but we're also going to let people kind of share their stories. We're going to have experts on whether you're getting you're ready for your kid for college and you don't know what to do. We're going to have neuroscience on talking about what to look for in a in a doctor. We're going to we're going to have a lot of stuff.

 

00:46:46:06 - 00:47:05:23

Unknown

We're going to have, you know, maybe a teacher that understands, but it's going to be people that are in the dyslexic community or are dyslexic, because that is one of the big things with the foundation. And the five D collective is, is, you know, a community under the foundation for the kid in the chair. And Dwight and I are going to be running point, and I'm so excited about it.

 

00:47:06:00 - 00:47:21:12

Unknown

To give Brant one thing that he can he can jump in whenever he wants. He can be a special guest, but he doesn't have to be in charge because he is in charge of a lot of stuff. Yes. Well, it's it's, you know, you know, like you guys said, it's it's a place to be seen and heard. Yeah.

 

00:47:21:13 - 00:47:50:04

Unknown

And now, you know, what's your wife said, you know, kind of backtrack a little bit about this journey. Like I would say we've been married 44 years, which is amazing, which is amazing. I think she understands me better, better because of what she's learned about dyslexia. She sees the passion, the joy, the excitement when I'm talking about it.

 

00:47:50:05 - 00:48:16:19

Unknown

Right. And, you know, I'm doing a little bit of a pivot in my professional career because of you to I just want to spend more one more time trying to help and talk to people. And, you know, it's not a job. It's a it's a passion. It's a place for, you know, giving back a little bit. But I think it's been it's been hard.

 

00:48:16:20 - 00:48:38:11

Unknown

I mean, it's hard being married to one of us. Well oh yeah I disagree. Oh I agree completely. Well I think it would be a challenge to be I mean, the challenge of being married to me, I'm sure. But but I think there's, there, there are ways. But she understands it so much better now and that's a good thing.

 

00:48:38:13 - 00:49:00:16

Unknown

But the community of dyslexics is amazing. Like I'm very excited about the five day that that community. The fight is hopefully going to be a place that's a safe place. There's no charge without making money on this. We're just doing this out of the goodness of our heart because we want to help, right? We want people to feel right.

 

00:49:00:17 - 00:49:15:18

Unknown

What we didn't feel for many long, long time. We want a place like when I was, you know, when Montgomery was getting diagnosed. And I've never felt more alone, even though I had people in my corner, I've never felt more alone. I was like, no one understands this. Like, oh, and I, you know, didn't have that. And that's what it is.

 

00:49:15:18 - 00:49:44:07

Unknown

We understand it. We've been there. We've gone through every scenario. I think most people personally, obviously we've all gone through it. We've all had kids. Right? Obviously, Dwight, your kids didn't have it. My daughter does. Juliet, you know. 300 or 3 kids have it, right? You. Juliet. Your dad has it. Right. So we've lived every scenario there is when it comes to the dyslexic community world.

 

00:49:44:08 - 00:50:12:23

Unknown

You know, personally, you know, professionally, obviously, into what? You've lived in a professional world, high stakes world. I've lived in a high stakes, professional athlete world. And obviously you've lived in, you know, a professional world, right? In your role now, what you're doing for fed tech, like in this community, we take every box that's possible. Every box. Yeah.

 

00:50:13:00 - 00:50:36:17

Unknown

I think the only box we don't kick is is normal. Yeah. If normal. This is not a community for you. Why be normal? Very true. But it's not normal for boring. There are many other dyslexic organizations. We won't go down that path that are not run by dyslexics, that are putting out information that isn't quite accurate at times, and not really helping as much as it probably could.

 

00:50:36:18 - 00:50:56:17

Unknown

Absolutely. And that's yeah, that's the best way to say it. But it's so true. I mean, we live it. We experience it every day. We've experienced it our entire lives. Right? So we we have the understanding on multiple different levels. Yeah. How you put that one out of five I mean, that blow that blew me away when you told me that initially.

 

00:50:56:18 - 00:51:19:13

Unknown

But it's true. I mean, it's, you know, it's everywhere, but it's it's not it's everywhere, but it's nowhere. It's nowhere. It's not visible. It's not a visible thing. We could hide it where a mask. Really well, covering it up. October. It'll be a year. Elizabeth, I've been married. You know, our first date. She's like, can you read a menu like she's got.

 

00:51:19:14 - 00:51:38:00

Unknown

She's, you know, ADHD. But she didn't. She didn't know what it was. Yeah. Yeah. You know, she was in her 40s when I first like she can't read the menu. Well, then this weekend I walk into a restaurant or a little sandwich place and there's small, little writing. Was all this on the wall, and I can't. What the fuck is that?

 

00:51:38:00 - 00:51:57:09

Unknown

I'm like, I can't order that. So she's telling me what the menu is. But, you know, being, you know, a woman being her didn't know, you know, didn't know where it was. Yeah. Nobody does. You know, when you talk about the 1 in 5 now, it's it's something that's not 1 in 1,000,000. Yeah. It's one in 1 in 5.

 

00:51:57:10 - 00:52:23:17

Unknown

Yeah. And it's but it's amazing how much about it. It's not that people don't know. And the more we can educate people and the more the more people are educated, the more likely people will be more comfortable talking about it and and disclosing that they're just sick and get extra help and get extra time. Maybe if I had had extra 30 minutes on my SATs, I could have finished it for one, you know?

 

00:52:23:19 - 00:52:46:09

Unknown

But not being formally diagnosed and not having that, you know, accommodation made life tough. But I didn't know that world said, yeah, that's my never get sweaty, I get sweaty. He knew what the words were. I still don't even know what these I know they're sat and act, don't know. I don't know what the scores are. People are like, I got 722.

 

00:52:46:10 - 00:53:11:16

Unknown

I'm like, I don't even know what any of that means. Yeah, wait, Juliet and I do. And it was painful. And I mean, it's horrible travel time. I mean, but you got changed when you said your driver's test. Yeah. Was laughing in the corner behind me like a little school girl. He. Because when I had to go do my license broke out in hives.

 

00:53:11:18 - 00:53:26:22

Unknown

Am I going to pass this? Yeah. Can I pass us? What do I have to answer? And I'm. And I'm being I'm being a jackass and making people laugh. So hopefully they'll forget that I got to take this. It'll just hand it to, you know. Yeah, yeah. We're stupid. You know, stupid little test. Yeah, but, I mean, I know how to drive.

 

00:53:26:23 - 00:53:43:02

Unknown

You know how to drive. I know what a yield sign is going to stop. Sign what you do to stop. But, like, just the thought of having to take it. I mean, when it's hard to read a question and you don't really understand the question, how can you answer it? Like how do A, B, C, or D like, I don't know, like, you know, throw a dart.

 

00:53:43:05 - 00:54:01:12

Unknown

Yeah. That was that was a challenge. Yeah. I mean Montgomery and I talk about this all the time, but also raising kids, you know like thinking about the menu. I remember Montgomery going and applying for his first job and he's, you know, severely just graphic and me being like, I'm, you know, honey, if you want to bring it out, he can do it.

 

00:54:01:12 - 00:54:15:00

Unknown

He's like, I got it, mom. And I'm like, okay. And then I'm like, you know, when he came in the car, I was like, did you go over? You know, sometimes he's like, mom, I know you can't read my handwriting. I let them know, can you read this before I left? And I was like, okay. But like then thinking of him dating, right?

 

00:54:15:01 - 00:54:36:08

Unknown

Like it's, you know, he always asked, like, Truman reads the he's like, what do you get? And that's what I'm getting. I mean, menus are I still like menus are so over when that's the executive functioning of a menu. It's like torture, you know, like it's so crazy. But just thinking about. Right, like all the things that, you know and, and that age group to like there's times where he gets like, mom, it's not because of my dyslexia.

 

00:54:36:08 - 00:54:55:17

Unknown

Stop. Like it's not everything's not it. You have to live life. And I get like I'm like, oh, dude, okay, I know where you are right now. And I just got to sit there and listen. And it's it is a very interesting thing. But knowing like because we know it and because we live it and because we talk about it all the time, it is like I get anxiety about certain things still, I love it.

 

00:54:55:17 - 00:55:19:13

Unknown

And there's only two things in the menu. And I had I had six different securities exam licenses. And if you were to ask salad this Sally understands me now. Better. Yeah. If you were to ask her when I mean married 44 years, we, you know, the grumpy, nastiest time of my life without six exams. Studying for those right there, hard enough for normal people.

 

00:55:19:15 - 00:55:40:01

Unknown

They're really hard for someone who's dyslexic. And I passed them all. But many of my past literally on the number, like somebody. One test is six hours long. Oh, you know, it's three hours in the morning. You take an hour lunch break, three hours. I almost didn't go back after lunch. It's like there's no way I passed. Like I'd have to get everyone right on the afternoon test and it still won't pass.

 

00:55:40:03 - 00:56:03:00

Unknown

And I passed it on the number, like literally to the number, you know? So like what we're talking about, I hated it, I, I hated that, I mean, mine and I were talking yesterday. We're talking about math or gym class. Yeah I got like a 60 and Jim he's like you know I over because he had to do tests.

 

00:56:03:03 - 00:56:20:06

Unknown

Yeah. We had to write tests. And I know that's weird. Your gym class is healthy. You had to do it. Gym. You just, you know, if you didn't put your effort, if you weren't sweating, they would yell at you and you'd be like, oh, I don't want to sweat. And but you said that. Yeah, I remember you said that you didn't have you of all people in that passing the gym class, right?

 

00:56:20:06 - 00:56:52:13

Unknown

Yeah. Yes. Right. Because yeah. Yeah. Every, every like get out of like a badminton session and then like archery. But you had to do a test on, on each one of them. Yeah. That's stupid. Is that Canadian. We didn't do that Canadian. Yeah. Yeah probably. But no we just had like a tournament test. Yeah, yeah. No. Tested. I mean, don't even get me started on test, you know, but the, the positive aspect of having dyslexia and the positive aspect of being open to talk about it and to know there's a community of people that can you can talk to.

 

00:56:52:15 - 00:57:08:10

Unknown

That's why I think, you know, the five day collective is going to be it's going to be great. It's gonna be great. Yeah. And you can sign up for it and you can go to the the website community is in bright yellow. You can go there and you can you can join. It's very you're getting an email and we're not going to spam you.

 

00:57:08:10 - 00:57:35:03

Unknown

It just will be like about the events. Yeah. Yeah. No, it'll, it'll be a, the white 1.20 how people get to be free. Yeah. Be comfortable and in a safe space and just be okay. I mean, we're okay. I mean, I've had a great life. I have a great life. Still, still do. And it's getting better. It's gotten better.

 

00:57:35:09 - 00:57:59:00

Unknown

But it, you know, it doesn't define you. It does define you in a lot of ways, I think, which is a negative because it's a negative connotation. It someone said it. Dyslexia doesn't define what you can achieve. It just defines how you got there. Something like that. Yeah. It's so true. We get there different ways. Like don't don't tell me how to do I'll do it in one way.

 

00:57:59:00 - 00:58:17:07

Unknown

Like someone you told me you, you know, or someone said, you know, I tie my shoes, my time, my shoes differently than normal people. How I hold my pen. Yeah, yeah. How you hold your pen that time. That's still a little weird, I say. I don't know if at that time it's always. That's. That's how I. You hold your pen like.

 

00:58:17:09 - 00:58:36:17

Unknown

Yeah, but but you, we figure it out. And I think that's why so many entrepreneurs are dyslexic because they don't fit in the traditional school box. Many of us don't finish school and they just figure things out differently. You can read people you said earlier, you know, you have a like a six sense. How do you say that?

 

00:58:36:18 - 00:59:02:23

Unknown

Yeah, he's that right about reading people and just kind of, you know, I've interviewed I've hired hundreds of people as I've interviewed thousands of people. So I've had, you know, and I think I've got a pretty good record of hiring people, but I didn't hire people because they went to Princeton. Nothing against Princeton, right? I almost would rather hire somebody who was more involved and had multiple jobs.

 

00:59:02:23 - 00:59:21:16

Unknown

And and I don't care where you went to school. So I overcompensated on not pushing the school. And what would you GPA. Right, right right right. To anybody and I never you know but but I didn't I didn't want the, you know, Mr. smarty pants kind of person. I wanted someone who could get along with people, so I would I took chances on some people.

 

00:59:21:16 - 00:59:40:08

Unknown

I hired some people that were like, well, that's an out of the box candidate. And I could give you a long list of of rock stars that got hired because I had the ability to see something in somebody that was different. And. Because of my dyslexia, I think I didn't think, oh, look how smart they are. Like, they're just like me.

 

00:59:40:08 - 01:00:00:11

Unknown

I want to hire little mini me's, right? No. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, that's that's awesome. Okay. Does anyone wear an hour. And so we want we want people to listen through. So I'm going to if does anyone have anything I know we could talk all day but does anyone have anything that they want to wrap up with.

 

01:00:00:13 - 01:00:35:03

Unknown

I do, but go ahead. Yeah. No, I want you to wrap up. Yeah. Go ahead. My journey has been painful, but the pain is gone. The joy is filled. My journey. And it's because of you, too. I love you both and just want to say thank you. And I hope others that are dyslexic can see the joy in all of our lives, and will want that same joy and freedom to talk to other people.

 

01:00:35:04 - 01:00:58:15

Unknown

So don't be shy about your dyslexia. Don't hide it. Get to know other people that were a lot of fun. I think we're more fun than most people, by the way. But but it's just it's just a great community. And what, Brant, you started what, nine years with your foundation and I think where it's going to go. You have said you want to change the world.

 

01:00:58:17 - 01:01:18:09

Unknown

Yeah. You know, one person at a time. My the the board meeting. I told you about the board chair. She has a quote on her email signature. You know, it's her name and her, like, email. And then she has a quote and it says, you can't change the whole world, but you can change one person's whole world. I love that quote.

 

01:01:18:14 - 01:01:40:23

Unknown

And, you know, we want to just change one person's whole world and we can. So it's great. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for investing in my life, for calling me back and taking my calls. And it's just it's awesome. Really proud of you. Really, really proud and proud to call you a friend. Right. You've done you've done the you know, you've done the work.

 

01:01:41:00 - 01:01:50:11

Unknown

We opened the door and you walk through. Yeah. Thanks. Do you guys know what to do like rate review and share? Because you do not know who needs to hear this.