I literally in tears. I'm trying so damn hard to be a doctor, and my dyscalculia keeps knocking me down. I needed to hear this ty.

Preservanance Resilient Don’t give up Adaptability - Adapt your weakness Courage.

This is my daughters heart doctor and he is a genuine,down to earth , super human being that is a amazing physician!!

❤️Blessings to everyone here who is working on improving themselves

I was born with a learning disability and wanted to learn about the space industry and the technology sector in the sciences.But my mom and my school counselor, and my special ed teacher told me I should work in a trade but it's not my thing all because I don't know the hard math from trigonometry, calculus, algebra 1 &2 but fifteen years later I passed the GED and I'm registering for My bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and physics double major in city college of new York and getting my tuition assistance from the air force and us navy sta 21 and use the g.i benefits for my 3x masters in biochemistry, computer science and economics or astronomy.

Im going to school for pyschology and i cant even spell it. Sometimes i doubt i cn do it because im a lil slow. But when i see things like this im reminded how much determination outpowers intelligence.

This brought me to tears I have a learning disability and I have things I want to do with my life but I feel like my learning disability is just holding me down

Never heard such an eloquent speech. Disability makes your life even more courageous and inspiring.

Awesome speech. Thank you from someone who has ADD and dyslexia.

I was unable to read until I was 13 because of dyslexia. But one day I was trying th read "The Red Pony" and struggled with each word: The .............. Red............... Pony.............. I glanced at the picture of the red pony on the opposite page. The....... Red....... Pony...... Looked at picture of the red pony. The... Red... Pony... My brain CLICKED. I'm supposed to connect each word to the other one and form a picture. The Red Pony. A week later, I was at the library, reading 10 books a week. I've never stopped loving the written word. I even became a journalist writing words for a living.

This is amazing. Im a physician myself in private practice now for 7 years. Medical school can be extremely lonely and depressing. Sometimes you feel like you are alone on an island for 12 hours a day - especially the first two years. I now have a son with autism. He is bright but he does clearly have learning differences. I obviously worry about his future as a parent. This talk gives me hope. Thank for sharing and being humble and willing to do so. God bless.

I have many learning disabilities especially when it comes to mathematics my algebra teacher asked me what 6x4 was and I couldn’t even figure it out and that’s simple 3rd grade level math. this is the motivation I was looking for out of all the Ted talks I’ve watched this is by far the best one.

That was one of the most inspiring speeches, and TED talks I’ve ever heard. I almost cried myself when he was getting choked up. Very grateful thank you for your speech.

Dr, my son is dyslexic and he has and facing same in details you are describing. I am supporting him daily. He never give up and I never giveup, he will become for sure with his determination and PADDLING(after ur approval as it s ur copy right), PERSEVERANCE, a big cyber security engineer. U inspire him and encourage me as parent to never never give up.

This video is amazing. I thought I was in the dark because I also have a learning disability but now I can’t get rid of it, but I can work really hard to get better at the things that I want in life. I just want to live somewhere far away with nobody that could bother me and I want to help other people through my process. God bless everybody.

I do struggle with a learning disability, and it sucks I'm in college for information technology and trying to learn how to code, and it is tough😢

THANK-YOU!! I struggled for decades to be diagnosed dyslexia. I too am in the medical field🤣 and for those teachers and school counclers who said I could never do it😜 and to those who showed me a different way🙏

I was in tears before you were. Dr. Rhodes. Many thanks. And God bless!

Very lucky if you can get past your learning difficulties, im 38 and still and still struggling!

I have many learning disabilities it prevents me from having a full-time job I get assistance sometimes you think you're not good enough but your speech has inspired me thank you

Oh I'm crying I do see a lot to relate to often. He is amazing.

I wonder whoever named other ways of learning a "disability" No! That you are different doesn't mean you are disabled. There are special abilities in all children with learning disabilities. It takes one who pays attention to discover them. Thank you for sharing such knowledge. You just delivered a nation

perseverance, resilience, adaptability

His perseverance and his commitment are admirable.

A great TedX. I empathise with the doctor. I am studying to become a Forensic Psychologist in the UK. Since I was small I have suffered from Dyslexia and Dyscalcia. So in other words, can't do maths and can't spell or read well. I was told that I would never amount to anything - never. At University I have never been given any support from lecturers even though they know that I have LDs. I was told recently that I am doing the wrong thing and told I am a failure by a staff member. So I agree you need to have to be determined but being told that you are worthless over and over hurts. They have not held out to guide my canoe but to capsize it and hold my head under.

As someone with adhd padding the boat of med school right now, this couldn’t have been posted at a better time!!

I admire John Rhodes determination and heart, and thank him for sharing his story. I also invite the education community to deeply self-reflect. Educators should be the ones championing each child, designing learning to build upon strengths and adapting for challenges so that every student is supported to reach their goals. Universal design for learning should be the norm and testing should be used to adapt instruction, not put up barriers. This talk was inspiring but also a call to action.

I'm so grateful that KZfaq could find me advice that I could not find in the real world. I'm a law student with a competitive summer position and my slow reading and processing has made it difficult to get through assignments at an average pace. Often, I cannot even finish. The inability to finish has crippled me socially by destroying my confidence. Deep down, I know that I have strengths and that I can read and write well despite being slow. That's what got me here in the first place. But it is hard to not let my feeling of incompetence and the fear of not being a competent lawyer with good opportunities outweigh this knowing inside of me that I have the ability to be a lawyer. Lawyers and law students have to work under a lot of time pressure and that's really challenging for me. How can I feel comfortable billing for 24 hours when that same assignment takes the average lawyer 4 hours? I am still trying to figure out how I can overcome this the way this physician has. There are a lot of people who want me to reconsider being a lawyer just like others tried to convince this physician that he couldn't be a doctor. His story is especially inspiring to me because medicine and med school, like law and law school, are very rigorous, have challenging exams, and involve many time-pressured environments. I appreciate the advice to use our strengths to overcome our weaknesses. It reminds me that I do have strengths and that I don't have to compare myself to everyone else. I do wish I could read faster and process faster because i have still not made much progress in those areas, but i am going to hold on to faith and keep on moving along in this journey. I wish there were more videos about how law students and lawyers with severe disabilities ended up with successful legal careers, but this was the closest I could get to that. I hope to find more people who are going through what I am going through because it feels lonely having to devote my entire life to reading a few pages and not having anyone to relate to.

Thank you For sharing your story. I also have a learning disability and now have a master’s degree and now a social worker! If you can do it, I can do it anyone else can follow their dreams!

Disability and Deficit refer to the disabilities and the deficits of the educational system to teach non typical learners.

Yes, all things possible with inclusive support.

I like the comment " Determination can overcome a learning disabilities"!!!

Your speech is one of, if not the most, inspiring speeches I've ever heard.

One of the best TEDx talks I've heard. I had both similar and very dissimilar experiences in elementary school, junior high, high school and college. Congrats on your accomplishments!

exactly what i needed to watch right now

This made me cry tears of joy for my son we will never stop paddling thanks for your speech.

Im paddling to become a doctor too but my problem is not my learning abilities but my finances

"DETERMINATION CAN OUTWIT LEARNING DISABILITIES" Perseverance Resilience Adaptability Courage

As a dyslexic med student myself, this is beautiful ❤️

This has been the most meaningful tedtalk I have ever watched. I wish I could meet you.

Thank you for the inspiring story and words of wisdom Dr Rhodes. I will continue paddling my canoe to pursue my dream in medicine.

I need to see this today . You just gave me hope .

I guess I shouldn't have listened to this at work because now I'm crying at my desk. 😆 This is beautiful and I'm so glad he was able to live his dreams. ❤

This is incredible and so inspiring! As someone with dyslexia, this motivates me to keep pushing on to get to my dream career. Thank you!

This is what I needed to hear as a Dental Hygienist student with learning disabilities. Everything is possible, you get what you put into it even if you have to work 2 or 3 times harder than the other students.

John, your journey and story is amazing. It does break my heart to know that you had so many people who didn't catch or address your struggles with reading since it should have stuck out on any testing by any and all of your teachers. I also struggled through and was later diagnosed with a rare brain disease. All those years of struggling made me more determined than ever to become a teacher just so I could at least save one child for one year. My ADHD and processing delays helped me to recognize children who struggled with or without a disability. I saved tons of children along the way before my disease got the best of me. Even with my disease, I continue to help others who have the same disease. My son struggles now through elementary school, but I have fought for him to ensure he gets accommodations so that he may also shine. He is the youngest person to be diagnosed with SCA14. I so appreciate you sharing your journey to become the person you are today. Christine

One of the best TedX speech I have listened to in a long while.

Brillante!!! Este hombre tiene toda mi admiración, creativo, visual, con un mensaje claro!!! Gracias por tan valisosos consejos!

Thank you so much for this. I needed to hear it today. Keep on paddling no matter what sticker they put on it. So meaningful. Thank you.

I am doing my Masters and have a similar struggle with the same disability and it Stays forever. its hard to wrap around that i have to work double then the toppers in any given class i have been in. but i still achieve a 6 in grades. Most of the times i break down but stay resilient. In my country educators don't bother explaining, acknowledging or giving a reason. Most of the time i fear i would not have a future . its very good to hear from someone who has a similar struggle and made it through. thank you for putting this up as it would help many people and i may also come back.

Thankyou so much for this talk. I'm a 2nd year BA student and I had an assignment due in for tonight and was struggling immensely with self doubt. Your talk was inspirational and just what I needed to hear to keep pressing on despite the difficulty and even though everything takes so much longer than the average person I'll keep pressing on 💪

This is the best Ted talk ever!!! Thank you 🙌🌹🌹🌹

Thank you so much for this. As someone who has always been in the extra help classes etc, and diagnosed with a learning disability. Gives me hope.

It is a pleasure hearing John Rhodes speak and this goes in my motivation playlist.

Thank you, dr.Rhodes. You're an inspiration.

Ooh man, you makes me cry♥️

Awesome story achievement and message.

Best talk I ever heard from TED!!

So glad you never gave up! Thank you for taking time to share your journey while simultaneously inspiring all of us.

I feel your words and your experience.. you are incredibly resilient, courageous and strong.. really a diamond in the mud ! I’ve watched this so many times .. first time I cried all day. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your amazing story! I’m an oncologist with parallel experience, dx at 46. Thank you!!

My learning disability is just feels uncomfortable. I don't feel like things are the same as I used to with no help what so ever.. I have that since I was a kid and I do speeches everyday even on test with no limits. In high school I was having no hard classes, and I was top of classes that I got used to. And in college it was so difficult since my focus was blocking away from study and I just feel like I want to learn new things.

Thank you, John, your bravery, dogged determination, and sense of humour is inspiring!

👏👏respect to you sir, I have a disability myself and I am struggling to go through a bio-science program, but I am determined and i know I will make it through the program.. I will remember your talk whenever I am having a hard time at school. You are right you have to know your strengths and adapt your learning style around those strengths

I love this video make me want to prosper in my dream of becoming a police officer despite my learning disability thank you.❤

Congratulations 🎊 I have a learning disability aswell. Very inspiring 👏

I have looked at different videos just in the last new days because I have discovered how much dyslexia has been a part of my life with out knowing the facts. I knew that I was different but the why was missing. The missing link. With great relieve I can get on with my life with bundles of confidence that was never there before ,Thanks a million. Go rabid maith agat (Irish)

I needed to hear this. Thank you.

I really needed this today! BRAVO!!!!

Thank you Dr Rhodes !!!

The most inspirational story....thank you!

This had me in tears and I needed this encouragement too, thanks.

This was awesome! 👏🏽

Thank you!!! Everytime my child feels discouraged about her disability. We are going to listen to this speech over and over again.

His story is amazing. So inspirational. 🌟

Thank you John. These are some encouraging words. I'll keep paddling!!

What an inspiring speech!!! ❤

You are so awesome. Keep inspiring😀

I was born with a learning disabilitiy dyslexia and ADHD and head injury and wanted someone to let me know being a parent is still possible. I don't work I'm on social security

Such an inspiring story on the flip side most of the people with learning disabilities are not able to find their niche in life as he did,

How inspiring it was for me thank you a ton

Thanks for this wonderful guidance ❤🧡💛

thanks. definitively encourage a group of people

This really motivation me to reach my goals thank you for sharing your story

what an AWESOME story and tyvvvvm for sharing 🙌👌😎

Bravo Awesome talk

Thank you!! ❤

Wow, it’s so inspiring! 👏

This talk will change lives and save lives too..everywhere in this world -beautiful Thank you 🫶💡✌️

اتمنى لكل الناس اللي عندهم صعوبات تعلم انهم مايستسلمو 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Best speech I’ve ever heard. ✨

Whew! This brought me to tears! The four things John named are the same four things that have kept me going! Without them, I would not be here.

Do you know how much this message meant for me preparing for a career in nursing?. This is so helpful. Thank you so much for boldly sharing your story and making to become a physician, thank you.

I really love this lecture :)

Beautiful !!!

so inspiring 😍

I'm sure some special ed teachers will be showing this to their students.💗

Bless you for sharing your story. I love the analogies. My son has a learning disability and is in that grade where your story began- 4th grade. We know what's wrong. We know how to help. And in his canoe he has two screech owls sounding the alarm that the school is letting him down. I have said since he was just a tiny dude that as long as we keep his c uriosity and joy for learning alive, he will be just fine. You make me believe Im not far off. It's been a rough school year and I needed to hear this. Thank you. Truly. Thank you.

I hate having a learning disability. I just pray to god he helps me. I want to graduate college also, I quit respiratory school because I was afraid. Now I am giving myself another shot. I won’t stop this time around. I know now no one will help me I have to help myself.

Thank you

thank you so much for thsis, i am suffering from dyslexia and add and it give me a lot of courage now that i am in journey of having my clinal master in psychology.