“You don’t need motivation, you need to hear something that sparks the motivation already inside you and propels you to take action.”
– Michael White
I would have never thought that someone like myself could build the success I have today. Growing up with A.D.D. was difficult. My teachers didn’t know what to do with me. I could never sit still. I was all over the place. My potential for success wasn’t that great. I was told I wasn’t going to make it in the real world and that really held me back because I didn’t believe in myself at all. I just figured I was just going to be another entry in the failure statistics and I carried that with me all my life – until after high school when I went to an adult education school when I was 18.
That’s when things really started to change. I had teachers who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Even though I was all over the place, they were patient with me and told me one thing: “Focus! You’re better than this. We see the potential in you, but you have to see it in yourself.” And it was that potential that they saw in me that helped me finish and get my high school diploma. Someone believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself. They didn’t write me off as just another statistic and because of that they allowed me to speak at school assemblies and everyone told me I was really great at it – but I still didn’t think much of it. What really changed my life was personal development and that’s what got me into speaking as a career and really enjoying it. The funny thing is I disliked reading a lot back then. It wasn’t until I got into personal development that I realized it wasn’t reading that I hated, it was the content I was reading.
I began reading books about people in similar situations to mine, people with learning disabilities, high school dropouts, college dropouts who were, nevertheless, having tremendous success and not letting their circumstances define them. I always thought success was for others and not me. It wasn’t until I started reading these books that I understood success is for everyone and anyone can have it. Those circumstances are just things that you have to overcome in order to make your character better.
I had always let myself be defined by my A.D.D and because of it I couldn’t be successful. I can tell you that’s not the case today. I am a personal development speaker with my own thriving business and I have gone back to my old school and to speak to students about perseverance and about not being defined by what people say about you. If I can leave you with anything it would be this: we aren’t defined by our circumstances but are defined by what we believe. To go from almost dropping out of high school to coaching and mentoring people locally and internationally has been a humbling experience and even having the opportunity to speak on stage at one of Ottawa’s most prestigious schools, Carleton University, was one of my biggest accomplishments. Also speaking for the Sens sports and leadership league at the Boys and Girls Club was another highlight in my career. By speaking, I am giving back to my community which is something you can’t put a price on.
“The greatest riches in life are found in building up others and helping them succeed.”
– Michael White