I’m 46 years old and for most of my life I’ve lived with Dyslexia, Asperger’s, self-doubt, anxiety around social situations, crowds, eye contact, and that constant voice in my head telling me I’m not good enough.
I’ve never really spoken about any of this publicly before. Partly because I’ve always kept it to myself, and partly because, if I’m being honest, I’ve felt like labels, conditions, and mental health have become a bit of a fad in recent years. I’ve never wanted sympathy, excuses, or special treatment. I’ve always believed that while understanding yourself is important, it’s what you do with that understanding that really matters.
At times I’ve felt like a burden. I’ve felt different. I’ve felt like I didn’t fit in.
In my early years, I was labelled, bullied, and judged by classmates, teachers, and plenty of adults who should have known better. Reading and writing never came naturally to me, and because of that, it was often assumed I wasn’t capable. For a long time, I started to believe what other people thought of me rather than what I was actually capable of becoming.
When I was 10 years old, I was sent to a boarding school that specialised in helping children with Dyslexia and learning difficulties. While it was done with the best intentions, I struggled massively with homesickness and felt completely out of place. I was suddenly surrounded by people from very different backgrounds and spent years trying to fit in. When that didn’t work, I rebelled.
Looking back now, even though I didn’t enjoy much of my time there, I can see how important those years were. They helped build resilience, independence, and gave me coping mechanisms that I still use today. The school gave me support, structure, and tools that helped me navigate life, even if I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time.
Reading and writing are still things I have to work hard at. Even writing this post hasn’t been easy.
Running a business is something I never imagined I’d be doing.
The reality is, I still find it incredibly difficult.
Put a camera in my hand and I’m in my element. These days, most people would probably describe me as confident. I can walk into a room, hold a conversation, speak to clients, and do the things that once terrified me.
What most people don’t see is that, even now, there’s often a voice in the back of my head questioning everything. The self-doubt never completely disappears; you just learn how to manage it.
The difference is that I’ve stopped letting it make decisions for me.
Owning a business with Dyslexia can feel like playing life on hard mode some days, but I’ve stopped seeing that as a weakness. It’s part of who I am and part of why I see the world differently.
I’ve built my own media company. I’ve worked with world-class athletes, major brands, and some of the biggest names in action sports. I’ve travelled the world doing something I genuinely love.
Not because I’m the smartest person in the room.
Not because things came easy.
But because I kept showing up.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is this:
You can get help. You can talk to people. You can lean on others when you need to. But at some point, you have to back yourself.
You can’t spend your life feeling sorry for yourself or using your struggles as an excuse or reason not to move forward. Growth happens when you decide that your circumstances don’t get the final say.
For years I focused on what I couldn’t do.
Now I focus on what I can.
I have an amazing wife, two incredible daughters, great friends, a business I’m proud of, and a future I’m excited about.
The last couple of years have been some of the toughest of my life. Work has been challenging, and there have been plenty of moments where I’ve questioned myself. But standing here today, I genuinely believe I’m in the best position I’ve ever been to push forward into the next chapter of my life.
The struggles haven’t disappeared. I still fight battles in my own head every day.
The difference is that now I know my value.
And if you’re reading this and dealing with your own challenges, whatever they may be, don’t write yourself off.
The people who struggle the most often have far more potential than they realise.
Keep going.
Bet on yourself.
I did.
👊🏻