We all have limitations, disabilities, or insecurities that — whether we like to admit it or not — we rely on to “save” us from the failure of going after what we want. The unfortunate truth is that sometimes we don’t like something because we can’t do it as efficiently or effectively as we have seen other people do it, so we don’t. However, it you love something, you need to find a way to make it happen because that is the only real way you can leave your mark on the world. 

For example, I love to learn, and I’ve found books to be the best source of concentrated information available. Think about it, it’s roughly $25 to gain access to years (and sometimes a lifetimes) worth of a persons research and firsthand experience, delivered in such a succinct and compelling way that it can fit into 300ish pages. And yet, I fail frequently to understand most of what I read whenever I try to look at the words in front of me. (Hell, it’s even hard to read back the things I’m writing!)

I see the words on the page, but much of the time I can’t comprehend the message behind what I’m seeing. Forming letters into words, sentences into paragraphs, and so on, in an effort to put together an idea the author is trying to illustrate is often a struggle. The message the pages are trying to convey is often lost in my translation of it all. Because of this, it would be easy to simply give up. Relying on the excuse that it is too frustratingly difficult for me to do. Or that this method is obviously not for me because I see that other people can read and understand with relative ease. However, if I let my excuse define me, I would be a different person. 

After years of struggle I have found a way that allows me to learn from books, it’s not ideal for what normal people would consider “reading.” People continuously make fun of the way I “read,” but sometimes you have to do what you have to do, to find a way to enjoy the things you want in this life. It’s not always going to be easy but there is always a way.