Here’s the thing about the UK’s Jamie Oliver.

Dude's conquered kitchens, revolutionized school lunches, and built an empire while dyslexic.

His new documentary "Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution" drops some gut-punch statistics: 50% of prisoners are dyslexic, 90% of expelled/ suspended kids are neurodiverse.

Clearly heavy and important stuff but…

Where's the beef?

When Oliver asks Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson about "radical, strategic restructuring of teacher training," she deflects with classic politician-speak: "Money alone isn't enough... I think we have to reform the system."

Reform | Revolution | Training.

Important-sounding words that mean... what exactly?

As one reviewer noted, "It's far easier to identify problems than it is to locate their solutions." 

The doc ends with supporters rallying outside parliament, politicians nodding sympathetically, and commitments that "remain vague."

It’s a Revolution without the glimpse of a Promised Land.

It reminded me of my first months after discovering my dyslexia at 48.

MIA: MISSING IN ACTION

I dove headfirst into every dyslexia resource I could find. Books, podcasts, Facebook groups, research papers.

All useful, validating but missing something.

What I realized is that many of us mistake familiarity with progress.

You find your tribe. Finally, people who get it! 

You swap war stories about school trauma, workplace struggles, and reading nightmares. It feels amazing to be seen and understood.

But a year later, you’re still facing the exact same challenges.

The bonding feels good, but you're not growing. 

DICTIONARY VS. CALCULATOR 

Most dyslexia content falls into what I call "Dictionary Content" (DC). 

It describes. It defines. It lists symptoms and validates your experience.

DC tells you what you already know:

• Reading is hard
  

• Organization sucks
  

• Confidence is low
  

• You feel different

Then there's "Calculator Content" (CC). 

This stuff demands you do the math. It asks uncomfortable questions. It pushes you to evaluate, uncover truth, and take action.

CC doesn't bond you with others over shared pain. It isolates you with your choices. It urges you to solve a problem or find a working solution. 

Which explains why people avoid it.

Re-ACTION

Here's the brutal truth about problem-solving: You can't fix a lifetime of dyslexia with one blog post, TikTok or Richard Branson quote.

These are signs, not solutions.

Real change requires what most conveniently ignore:

• Personal study (the boring stuff)

• Peeling back layers (the uncomfortable stuff)

• Professional help when needed (the stuff requiring commitment)

• Facing hidden truths or traumas we're not prepared to see

People stay stuck because they skip the hard part - letting themselves get AGITATED enough to move.

AIA: AGITATED INTO ACTION

There's this sales technique called PAS: Problem, Agitate, Solution.

The salesperson identifies your problem, then agitates the hell out of you about it until you're so uncomfortable that buying their solution feels like relief.

It's highly annoying and highly effective….

Sometimes we need to be Agitated Into Action.

• I quit abusing alcohol and other party favors after disappointing myself repeatedly. The agitation finally outweighed the Escape. 
  

• I quit smoking after 35 years when I ran out of excuses. The frustration became the fuel
  

• I left jobs that weren't right because I admitted to myself that I deserved better. I was Agitated enough to walk away 

The truth is that solutions don't come from Comfort Zones.

3-2-1 AND….. ACTION! 

So what if you stopped asking "What's wrong with me?" and started asking "What do I want?

Be the Calculator:

• What do I want to change?

• Why do I want it? (For Real)

• Who can help me get there?

• What's the smallest first step I can take?

We're all wanting to get to the next level. But instead of trying to eat an elephant in one bite, let's go forward one bite at a time.

IS THE MATH MATHIN? 

Reply to this email with the top 2 things preventing you from conquering your next goal - career, creative, or confidence.

There are no wrong answers | No one else can see what you write.

By hitting reply, you make sure the content you get from Powered by Dyslexia actually solves your problems and addresses your challenges. 

The difference between Dictionary Readers and Calculator Users isn't intelligence.

It's a willingness to get uncomfortable.

Know someone who’d connect with this? Share it with them.
More Powered to the People!