When I was 8 years old I was diagnosed with ADHD, and for most of my childhood I felt broken.
Taking Ritalin everyday to help me “be normal” left me with a super low self-esteem and many bouts with depression, that almost ended in me taking my life in a drug crazed high speed chase.
Three things saved my life…
- The love of other caring individuals who showed up when I needed them most.
- Programming computers – as it became my new addiction.
- Entrepreneurship – as it acted as a forcing function to become a better person.
Ever since I got out of rehab at 17 and turned my life around I made a commitment to help other at-risk teenagers get through their dark moments.
Every year I would visit the Portage to talk to the kids and share my story… teach them what I had learned, and hoped to leave them inspired for how magical life could become.
I’ve always had a special place in my heart for kids struggling in the world to find themselves.
… but I never shared that part of my life.
I was all business. For 20 years. Embarrassed of what I had gone through…
That all changes today.
If you have a teen in your life who’s confused/lacks direction/struggles with purpose… I ask that you watch this with them ASAP.
I truly believe that focusing on the right project CAN save a teen from suicide/drugs/crime, etc. If we can impact just one person together, it would mean the world to me.
Please share this video with a parent that needs to see it most right now.
Insanely grateful.
