Do what you can’t | Max Caddis | TEDxTruro

hello my name is max Karras there’s a

hello my name is max Karras there’s a Samson ad out at the moment it shows an

Samson ad out at the moment it shows an

Samson ad out at the moment it shows an ostrich who dreams of flying of course

ostrich who dreams of flying of course

ostrich who dreams of flying of course an ostrich can’t fly with oil out V our

an ostrich can’t fly with oil out V our

an ostrich can’t fly with oil out V our flying lessons to me it is a metaphor

flying lessons to me it is a metaphor

flying lessons to me it is a metaphor for breaking down the barriers which

for breaking down the barriers which

for breaking down the barriers which exist within you for the ostrich who has

exist within you for the ostrich who has

exist within you for the ostrich who has wings without the capacity to fly this

wings without the capacity to fly this

wings without the capacity to fly this is a physical barrier for me doing what

is a physical barrier for me doing what

is a physical barrier for me doing what I can’t is breaking down the barrier

I can’t is breaking down the barrier

I can’t is breaking down the barrier within my brain to make connections and

within my brain to make connections and

within my brain to make connections and pathways that are not easily accessible

pathways that are not easily accessible

pathways that are not easily accessible what happens when you have to do what

what happens when you have to do what

what happens when you have to do what you can’t

you can’t

you can’t when I started school I was presented

when I started school I was presented

when I started school I was presented for my first reading book my teacher

for my first reading book my teacher

for my first reading book my teacher thought I was ready but I did not the

thought I was ready but I did not the

thought I was ready but I did not the day I took that book home it took me

day I took that book home it took me

day I took that book home it took me four hours to read four pages with every

four hours to read four pages with every

four hours to read four pages with every single distraction tactic I knew crying

single distraction tactic I knew crying

single distraction tactic I knew crying pretending I needed the toilets it was

pretending I needed the toilets it was

pretending I needed the toilets it was not fun at school whenever there was

not fun at school whenever there was

not fun at school whenever there was English instead of taking parts

English instead of taking parts

English instead of taking parts I took cardboard boxes and built

I took cardboard boxes and built

I took cardboard boxes and built something by the end of my reception

something by the end of my reception

something by the end of my reception year I hadn’t learned to read but I had

year I hadn’t learned to read but I had

year I hadn’t learned to read but I had engineered a fantastic ambulance

engineered a fantastic ambulance

engineered a fantastic ambulance complete with yellow and green tissue

complete with yellow and green tissue

complete with yellow and green tissue paper squares and a flashing lights

paper squares and a flashing lights

paper squares and a flashing lights my teachers failed to notice my dyslexia

my teachers failed to notice my dyslexia

my teachers failed to notice my dyslexia to be fair to them I now know that it is

to be fair to them I now know that it is

to be fair to them I now know that it is very hard diagnose and tilt somebody

very hard diagnose and tilt somebody

very hard diagnose and tilt somebody reaches the age of nine but when you are

reaches the age of nine but when you are

reaches the age of nine but when you are seven year old and the expectation is

seven year old and the expectation is

seven year old and the expectation is that the whole class can read that is a

that the whole class can read that is a

that the whole class can read that is a fact that is not very helpful so when I

fact that is not very helpful so when I

fact that is not very helpful so when I was seven and in year two I dreaded

was seven and in year two I dreaded

was seven and in year two I dreaded being made to stand up in front of the

being made to stand up in front of the

being made to stand up in front of the class and read something out it was my

class and read something out it was my

class and read something out it was my idea of hell

idea of hell

idea of hell whenever the teacher turned her back

whenever the teacher turned her back

whenever the teacher turned her back everybody would snicker at me and one

everybody would snicker at me and one

everybody would snicker at me and one day when she walked out of the classroom

day when she walked out of the classroom

day when she walked out of the classroom everybody burst out laughing I couldn’t

everybody burst out laughing I couldn’t

everybody burst out laughing I couldn’t read let alone out loud but they made me

read let alone out loud but they made me

read let alone out loud but they made me do it anyway I moved schools a new

do it anyway I moved schools a new

do it anyway I moved schools a new teacher noticed I was struggling and

teacher noticed I was struggling and

teacher noticed I was struggling and referred me to an educational

referred me to an educational

referred me to an educational psychologist who diagnosed me with

psychologist who diagnosed me with

psychologist who diagnosed me with severe dyslexia when I was given the

severe dyslexia when I was given the

severe dyslexia when I was given the diagnosis the relief was immense the

diagnosis the relief was immense the

diagnosis the relief was immense the first words I said were thank goodness

first words I said were thank goodness

first words I said were thank goodness now I know I’m not stupid

now I know I’m not stupid

now I know I’m not stupid now I’m 12 I can of course read and

now I’m 12 I can of course read and

now I’m 12 I can of course read and write as you’d expect for dyslexic my

write as you’d expect for dyslexic my

write as you’d expect for dyslexic my spelling is atrocious and what they call

spelling is atrocious and what they call

spelling is atrocious and what they call my processing speed is really slow

my processing speed is really slow

my processing speed is really slow diagnosis is not a cure but at least it

diagnosis is not a cure but at least it

diagnosis is not a cure but at least it opened the doors to understanding the

opened the doors to understanding the

opened the doors to understanding the barriers within my own brain and I could

barriers within my own brain and I could

barriers within my own brain and I could begin to find ways to overcome them and

begin to find ways to overcome them and

begin to find ways to overcome them and I have to face the fact that although I

I have to face the fact that although I

I have to face the fact that although I feel pretty comfortable speaking I also

feel pretty comfortable speaking I also

feel pretty comfortable speaking I also need to read and write and do it well I

need to read and write and do it well I

need to read and write and do it well I started to research dyslexia I am

started to research dyslexia I am

started to research dyslexia I am fascinated by science and by ideas and I

fascinated by science and by ideas and I

fascinated by science and by ideas and I discovered I was in great company a

discovered I was in great company a

discovered I was in great company a whole plethora the world-renowned

whole plethora the world-renowned

whole plethora the world-renowned figures from history including Albert

figures from history including Albert

figures from history including Albert Einstein Winston Churchill Hans

Einstein Winston Churchill Hans

Einstein Winston Churchill Hans Christian Andersen and possibly even

Christian Andersen and possibly even

Christian Andersen and possibly even Leonardo da Vinci were dyslexic

Leonardo da Vinci were dyslexic

Leonardo da Vinci were dyslexic entrepreneur Richard Branson is dyslexic

entrepreneur Richard Branson is dyslexic

entrepreneur Richard Branson is dyslexic but this is not limited his ability to

but this is not limited his ability to

but this is not limited his ability to be successful in life and if Einstein

be successful in life and if Einstein

be successful in life and if Einstein whose name is practically synonymous

whose name is practically synonymous

whose name is practically synonymous with genius has dyslexia surely it’s not

with genius has dyslexia surely it’s not

with genius has dyslexia surely it’s not a limiting factor and intelligence

a limiting factor and intelligence

a limiting factor and intelligence during the development of the brain it

during the development of the brain it

during the development of the brain it is thoughts neurons compete with each

is thoughts neurons compete with each

is thoughts neurons compete with each other for connections so it’s a sort of

other for connections so it’s a sort of

other for connections so it’s a sort of race sometimes to sell

race sometimes to sell

race sometimes to sell was good at reading connect better but

was good at reading connect better but

was good at reading connect better but sometimes it’s the cells that are good

sometimes it’s the cells that are good

sometimes it’s the cells that are good at spatial imagining that makes most of

at spatial imagining that makes most of

at spatial imagining that makes most of the connections and after all da Vinci

the connections and after all da Vinci

the connections and after all da Vinci Frandsen Einstein and Churchill turned

Frandsen Einstein and Churchill turned

Frandsen Einstein and Churchill turned out to be pretty good at other stuff I

out to be pretty good at other stuff I

out to be pretty good at other stuff I am encouraged to keep thinking outside

am encouraged to keep thinking outside

am encouraged to keep thinking outside the box and to train my brain to go

the box and to train my brain to go

the box and to train my brain to go beyond barriers and