Dealing with Dyslexia

Dyslexia has shaped so much of who I am — not just how I read or write, but how I think, solve problems, and navigate the world. It definitely wasn’t always a superpower. In the early days, it felt more like a label I didn’t want, a weight I carried quietly.

But once I finally worked out how to cope — and then how to thrive — dyslexia became one of the greatest advantages in my life and career.

This is how that journey unfolded.

Before Dyslexia

Like a lot of kids with undiagnosed dyslexia, the signs were there long before anyone connected the dots.

Through junior school I was constantly pulled up for my:

• poor spelling
• shaky handwriting
• weak memory
• slower writing speed

But at the same time, I excelled in hands-on or visual subjects. Give me a computer, a science experiment, a design task — anything practical — and I’d fly. It was confusing. I could understand things quickly, but the moment words were involved, I felt like I was suddenly swimming through mud.

Teachers made comments on homework like I wasn’t trying — as if I’d chosen to spell words incorrectly or write slower than everyone else. It chips away at you. It knocks your confidence before you’ve even had a chance to build it.

Naturally, I drifted away from reading and writing altogether. I found refuge in ICT, science, food tech — anything where my strengths weren’t constantly compared to my weaknesses.

Diagnosis and GCSEs

Everything changed just before Year 9 when a teacher finally said, “I think you might be dyslexic.” A test later, it was confirmed.

Honestly? The first feeling was relief. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t “not trying”. Something was actually going on.

But there was also shame. A sense of being different. A feeling that I’d somehow started behind everyone else.

My school offered support, but it felt more like ticking a box than truly helping. I was handed yellow paper, told to take extra time, and left to crack on. It wasn’t enough — but it was something.

Then came the GCSE conversation. I still remember it vividly.

I said I wanted to take Business Studies, Art, ICT and Design & Technology. All hands-on subjects I felt genuinely excited about. And when they asked what grades I was aiming for, I said confidently:

• “Mostly As and Bs.”

The response?

• “Shouldn’t we be a bit more realistic with your dyslexia? That’s a stretch…”

That comment hit like a ton of bricks. Even 20 years later, I can still feel it.

But it lit something in me — a fuse that said: I’ll prove you wrong.

And I did.

Finding What Works (and Rediscovering Reading)

What made the biggest difference early on was having brilliant parents who refused to let dyslexia define my limits. They dug into research, experimented with techniques, found tools and authors who matched how my brain worked.

That’s how I discovered Anthony Horowitz.

The Alex Rider series was the first time reading felt fun, not stressful. I devoured those books. They unlocked something in me — a love of stories, imagination, characters. I stopped seeing reading as a test and started seeing it as escape.

Yellow paper genuinely helped. Audio books helped even more.

And then technology kicked the door wide open: text-to-speech, digital notes, audio learning, accessible apps… Suddenly the world was designed for multiple styles of learning — not just one.

Little did I know then that technology would become both my passion and the backbone of my entire career.

Dyslexia - My Unfair Advantage

This is the part no one tells you when you’re a struggling kid being corrected for spelling errors: Dyslexia doesn’t just make some things harder — it makes some things better.

Here’s what dyslexia gave me:

Lateral thinking

I naturally think around problems, not through them. When the “standard way” doesn’t click, you learn to build your own path.

Creativity and pattern recognition

I see patterns quickly, especially in behaviour, data, or strategy work. It’s been a huge asset in marketing, product thinking and leadership.

Strong verbal communication

Because writing was harder, I learned to explain things out loud clearly and confidently — a skill that’s been invaluable in my career.

Resilience

You learn grit early when your brain doesn’t fit the “standard model” of learning.

Empathy

You understand struggle. You understand difference. And that makes you a better teammate, manager, mentor, and leader.

Dyslexia didn’t disappear — I just learned how to wield it.

Artificial Intelligence: A Dyslexic Game Changer

If dyslexia was the obstacle, technology has become the shortcut.

AI tools have entirely changed how I work, learn and communicate:

• ChatGPT: rewrites text, helps with spelling and grammar, and turns ideas into polished content.
• NotebookLM: reads documents for me and summarises them into something easier on my brain.
• ElevenLabs: turns text into speech so I can listen instead of fighting long articles.
• Readwise + Reader: highlights, summarises, and teaches me the key points from books and articles.
• TTS & audio summaries: let me consume information quickly without getting stuck on dense paragraphs.

AI hasn’t removed dyslexia. What it has done is remove the friction.

Suddenly my strengths — problem solving, creativity, strategy — have space to shine. And the parts I used to struggle with are no longer barriers.