Day 1 of 30 of My Descent into HELL!

I have accepted a challenge to complete course #brand30, and you should know the

thought of publishing works on LinkedIn (or any forum) for 30 days scares the heck

out of me. Why? Because I’m dyslexic, and was a functional illiterate entering high

school, reading at a third-grade level.

I worked hard at school but saw few results. This led to frustration and self-doubt.

After two years of working various unfulfilling jobs, I decided to go to college. I started

my higher education at the local community college, and with small classes and

teachers that cared, this decision proved to be pivotal.

I set a goal to graduate in four years, requiring me to take a lot of remedial classes to

prepare for my core curriculum. It took going to classes year-round, but I’m proud to

say I achieved my goal and graduated in four years. With honors. Setting goals, and

determining the intermediate step required to achieve said goals, has served me

well in my career.

People have often asked how I made it through most of my primary education

without reading. I tell them I was able to pass my classes by reading people (and

situations) to determine what was happening around me. Using active listening I

could make an educated guess about what would happen next in a book I could not

hope to read. Active listening is a crucial skill for a professional salesperson.

Fair play was an important lesson I learned in the second grade. I have a curious mind

and loved elementary science class, never getting an answer wrong. The exception

was when the teacher took off for spelling.

This is a little about me and what has shaped me as a consultative and professional

salesperson.

I am looking forward, cautiously, to the next 30 days, but not without dread and

trepidation. So, join me for the fun. Who knows, we may learn something along the way.