If it's real, then listen up...

A Degree from the University of Life is surely one of the most highly regarded qualifications out there.

However, if you’d like to become a Doctor, then get to school and study!

That said, real life experience is one of the most valuable natural commodities, not just in terms of selling books, but in passing on experience and inspiration to others.

We all know that some cheat by exaggerating exam results. Remember Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s recent press conference views on cheating – cheating by TV show contestants on Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice.

And what about those that concoct stories of total desperation, reaching rock bottom, how drugs or alcohol almost ruined them; how Bi-Polar disorder has tormented their every waking moment. My empathy and compassion go to all genuine sufferers however there are a lot of ‘fiction writers’ out there.

Why is it now fashionable for people to self diagnose and promote themselves as victims of such horrendous circumstance. Maybe some feel that their lives are so empty that they resort to elaborate tales to make them seem more interesting. Those bona fide personal biographies are an interesting and valuable resource, especially when they've been written by those who have decided to channel their experience where by constructively passing on positive energy.

Whether it is given or just taken, the only way you ever receive anything from another, is when there’s actually something to give - no matter what it is, and that includes positive energy. But if it’s not real in the first place, then it can’t be worth much, can it? It stands to reason, that kind of inspirational stuff isn’t put there, it’s just there.

Not all gifts come wrapped

A quick analogy…

So you’re an enterprising, dynamic ambitious individual. Imagine that you're bursting with enthusiasm for a new course or an idea for a venture that you've been dreaming about putting into action.

Now imagine that you’ve just received a ‘gift’ - Dyslexia, immensely frustrating and inhibiting Dyslexia. All of a sudden you seem unable to negotiate turning the very thoughts from your mind into reality. Remember, this gift has come out of no where and dropped into your lap. It may feel like one of those unexplained memory black outs that we all get from time to time; you know the ones - one minute you’re sitting down watching television, you get up during an interval of your favorite TV program, only to return during the Ad break completely and inexplicably unable to remember what you were watching two minutes earlier.

Dyslexia has been responsible in some cases for holding back sufferers by causing what can only be described as a stunting of their development as far back as Key Stage 1. In many cases the total lack of recognition and understanding of the condition has led to collapse in self confidence – made worse by teachers and parents who did not understand and quite simply thought those kids were stupid.

Years ago it wasn’t so easy to diagnose a 4 year old who wouldn't after all be expected to grasp spelling and literacy at such a young age. But that's certainly no consolation to an adult whose current status may well have stemmed from difficulties in learning coupled with little or no support back in their formative school years. Thankfully, there are now methods of diagnosing the different causes early on. Obviously once Dyslexia or any number of similar conditions has been diagnosed, it’s then down to creative teaching skills to ensure that kids are not only protected from being left behind, but are encouraged to fulfil their vast potential.

Individuals with Dyslexia tend to be extremely bright, in the same way that people that suffer with Bi-Polar disorder are said to be artistically creative. Hence the reason I call it a gift. Far from being in some way deficient, it has nothing whatsoever to do with a lack of intelligence - it's quite the opposite. Dyslexic minds are said to be able to perceive an alternative reality to the one they see in the real world. It's easy to see how unchecked or controlled this could cause problems in the school setting. But with self awareness and training there would seem to be no limit to the height of achievement potentially reached by some that are 'blessed' with Dyslexia. Isn't it interesting that those of us that have no choice but to battle to overcome adversity tend also to be naturally astute, sharp or creative soles.

With so many of these conditions now recognized to create countless bright a gifted people, it's good news that there’s now more available knowledge and understanding. But doesn’t this create something of a dilemma for today’s teachers? There simply cannot be one standard method of teaching large numbers of children. It's not feasible to continue to allow so much talent to slip by. The old systems of teaching simply don’t work in today’s society.

The list of talented and accomplished people with the ‘gift’ is very long. It includes people such as Richard Branson of the Virgin Group, Henry Ford of Ford Motor Company and William Hewlett of Hewlett Packard.

So if you have the gift, you're in good company.

Reporting for Duty

Hi I'm back, and it feels great!

OK so there's a pretty big gap between this and the previous entry. For the last 18 months I've been busy taking care of family matters. You know what they say about spreading yourself too thin, so I decided to concentrate on one area at a time.

I've been looking forward to picking things up again, and that's precisely what I'm in the process of doing. Thanks for all the emails of encouragement that I've received. If there were any that weren't responded to, I do apologise for that.

Keep an eye out......