What if the very thing you have been told is a weakness is actually your greatest competitive advantage?

I sat down with Dr. Phyllis Books, who calls herself the Brain Changer for Game Changers, to talk about how dyslexia and ADHD shape some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world.

Dr. Books has spent 30 years helping kids change the trajectory of their lives by removing obstacles from learning. For the last decade, she has focused specifically on entrepreneurs with dyslexia and ADHD, combining neuroscience, chiropractic techniques, and holistic wellness to help clients improve focus, processing speed, and overall brain function.

Growing Up Around Dyslexia

Dr. Books grew up in a family where dyslexic traits were common but rarely understood.

Her father was a brilliant entrepreneur who ran his own company but could barely spell. He would call her from his office asking for help with things most people take for granted.

She saw both the advantages and disadvantages of the dyslexic mind firsthand.

“You think outside the box. When other people are giving up, you’re just revving up because you don’t expect things necessarily to come easy. Because you don’t learn the way other people learn.”

That perspective shaped her entire career. She understood that dyslexia and ADHD are not deficits to be fixed. They are different ways of processing the world that come with unique strengths.

Why So Many Entrepreneurs Have ADHD or Dyslexia

Dr. Books explained something that surprised me: a disproportionate number of successful entrepreneurs have ADHD, dyslexia, or both.

“For 30 years I specialized in helping kids change the trajectory of their lives by removing obstacles from learning. For the last 10 years I’ve been focused on entrepreneurs with dyslexia and ADHD. I call myself the brain changer for game changers.”

Dr. Phyllis Books

The reason is simple. People with these neurological traits develop extraordinary resilience, creative problem-solving skills, and the ability to see patterns and opportunities that others miss.

“The smart kids, the ones who got it easy, give up a lot easier too. Because they never had to work so hard for something.”

When you have spent your entire life figuring out workarounds and alternative paths, you develop a grit that traditional education does not teach.

That grit becomes a powerful engine for entrepreneurship.

The Brain Compensates and It Costs You

One of the most eye-opening parts of our conversation was about how the brain compensates for weaknesses.

“The brain compensates, and it costs you. Entrepreneurs with dyslexia and ADHD have developed incredible workarounds, but those compensations drain energy. When you optimize the brain instead of just compensating, everything changes.”

Dr. Phyllis Books

Dr. Books explained that when certain neural pathways are not functioning optimally, the brain recruits other areas to pick up the slack.

This compensation works, but it is exhausting. It is like running a car engine in a higher gear than necessary. You can still drive, but you burn through fuel much faster.

For high-performing entrepreneurs, this often manifests as unexplained fatigue, difficulty sustaining focus, and burnout that seems to come from nowhere.

I have talked about the impact of burnout on entrepreneurs with Ryan Herpin and this conversation added a whole new layer to my understanding of why some people burn out faster than others.

Nothing Needs to Be Fixed

The most powerful message Dr. Books shared was about identity.

“There’s nothing to be fixed because there’s nothing wrong with you. How you view the thing matters. Whether you’re the boss or talking to yourself or talking to your kids, that perspective changes everything.”

Dr. Phyllis Books

“Whether you’re the boss or you’re talking to yourself or you’re talking to your kids, how you view the thing is like there’s nothing to be fixed because there’s nothing wrong with you.”

This reframe is essential for anyone who has grown up being told they are broken or not enough.

Dyslexia and ADHD are not diseases. They are neurological differences that come with real challenges but also real gifts.

The work is not about fixing what is wrong. It is about optimizing how your brain functions so you can access your full potential with less effort and less exhaustion.

Practical Brain Optimization for Entrepreneurs

Dr. Books shared several practical approaches for entrepreneurs looking to optimize their brain function.

She combines neuroscience-based exercises, chiropractic adjustments, and holistic wellness practices to help clients strengthen the neural pathways that are underperforming.

The goal is to reduce the brain’s need to compensate, which frees up mental energy for the creative, strategic work that entrepreneurs do best.

If you are someone who has always felt like you are working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep up, this conversation might change how you think about your own potential.

Key Takeaways

• Dyslexia and ADHD are not weaknesses. They are neurological differences that often give entrepreneurs extraordinary resilience, creativity, and problem-solving ability.
• The brain compensates for weaknesses by recruiting other areas, which works but causes exhaustion. Optimizing brain function reduces this hidden energy drain.
• People who had to work harder for everything early in life develop a grit that becomes a powerful advantage in business.
• There is nothing to fix. The goal is to optimize how your brain works so you can perform at your best with less effort.
• Combining neuroscience, movement-based therapies, and holistic practices can significantly improve focus, processing speed, and overall brain performance.

If this conversation resonated with you and you want to explore strategies for performing at your highest level, visit coachcanfield.com and let’s talk about what is possible for you.

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