Last week we discussed Dyslexia, the Covert Operator; this week, I would like to discuss how you can turn this deviant into a Creative Ally. We have already established that Dyslexia is a master of disguise, camouflage, and evasion. To master anything requires intelligence, practice, skill, focus, diligence, and tenacity. These qualities, when appropriately directed, are powerful tools for successful living. Coercing this emissary to work as a double agent could only be advantageous. Turning Dyslexia: the Covert Operator into a Creative Ally became my primary goal once I detected this elusive master at work. To persuade Dyslexia to function as a double agent, I had to observe and study his every move. I had to stalk this Covert Operator.
Dyslexia is exceptionally fascinating because it is the most common of neurodiversity types and the only type other than Giftedness that requires average to above-average intelligence for diagnosis. Intelligent people share the following characteristic traits: mental agility, acute awareness, skillful adaptivity. These traits are observable through the masterful deceptions of the Covert Operator. Playing to the strength of the Dyslexic is essential to their well-being. Imagine the frustration that a highly observant and communicative child feels when they begin to realize they cannot understand written language as their peers do. The frustration is not unlike being imprisoned without just cause. That kind of frustration creates deviants. Any effort made to empower the Dyslexic will result in positive change. Empowerment is required to activate Dyslexia, the Creative Ally. Occupational therapy is a great place to begin the empowerment process. Occupational therapists provide Dyslexics with tools that enhance the command of their body and environment, building a sense of self-efficacy and confidence.
All excellent double agents are tenacious, and Dyslexia is no exception. Tenacity demands fortitude, strength, confidence, and meticulous attention to detail. Tenacity and perfectionism often go hand in hand. Dyslexia is a hard driver who will tirelessly endeavor toward personal satisfaction. If this gritty perfectionist is constantly met with frustration, self-loathing is the natural result. To avoid this travesty and ensure positive outcomes from this hard driver, appropriate goals setting is absolutely essential. The Creative Ally will dominate when equipped with realistic, demanding, and mentally stimulating goals. The right goals will ignite the clever visionary within.
Dyslexia, the Covert Operator, is notoriously innovative and creative. According to the Commonwealth Learning Center, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo Divinci, and Scott Fitzgerald, three of my favorite artists and visionaries, belong to this distinguished club. These creative risk-takers are highly intuitive and possess insatiable curiosity. When provided with the appropriate support and structure, the Creative Ally rises and becomes an unstoppable force of nature, capable of what many cannot even imagine. Formulating quality goals for creatives who are highly intelligent, gritty, and perfectionistic can be challenging. Quality goals must be challenging, appropriately supported, and not overly burdensome. Expertise in this field of study is required to ensure the development of quality goals for this elite bunch.
Our gifts often present us with our most significant challenges; this is most definitely the case with Dyslexia. Identifying Dyslexia as the Creative Ally rather than the Covert Operator is simply more effective. It is rarely beneficial to lead with what is lacking. The best leaders empower others with confidence and hope, relying on the strengths of their following. They see the value in every challenge and heartache, adapt their behavior to capitalize on the insights acquired through each struggle. Calling on Dyslexia, the Creative Ally will ensure the birth of a leader, whereas a focus on the Covert Operator will only result in frustration. So much of life is about choice and perspective. I recently explained to my 8-year-old, amidst his complaining, that life is all about what you choose to focus on. If you spend your days looking for what is wrong, that is all you will ever see, and you will go to bed disappointed every night. If you spend your days focused on what is right, you will end your day grateful for all that is good in the world. Concentrate on what is good and beautiful in this noisy world, and the result will always be beneficial.
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