Tips on how to make yourself keep going and succeed when you have autism
Written on 3rd Oct 2013 by Alex Lowery
Alex says, ‘If I didn’t have autism I would’t have to be so determined.’
Some of the things I have to do in my business are really hard for me.
One of the things I have to do is practise my speeches over and over again. I have to memorise them because I would struggle to read notes without getting stuck and I am not very good at just thinking of what to say.
I find all this practise tires me out and I feel exhausted. I really feel I don’t want to do any more. I have found a way to make myself keep going. I reward myself for practising the speech.The other day I allowed myself to watch the new Hobbit trailer after I had finished practising. This helped me a lot. I think using a reward to get through the difficulties really helps when you have autism.
Alex enjoys stroking and playing with Sooty this is one of the ways in which he copes.
I really enjoy preparing the PowerPoint slides and giving the speech, this is just part of my job that is hard work for me. I realised when I was 15 that if I was going to make anything of my life I was going to have to work a lot harder than other people. I once said to my mum, ‘if I didn’t have autism I wouldn’t have to be so determined.’ My dog Sooty is a great friend and he helps me to feel relaxed.
I have to work a lot harder than other people, my brother Ben says he just has to run through a speech once before he does it. He can use notes whereas I have to memorise it.
If you know someone with autism remember they may have to work harder than other people to get things done and a reward for their hard work goes a long way.
Below is the Hobbit trailer incase you are wondering what I am talking about.
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that is very good of you Alex. A reward after doing something that a person find difficult is a great way of getting things done. As you have said it help a lot when this approach is used with someone on the spectrum.
I look forward to watch the Hobbit part 2. I will have to watch the first part before going to watch it.