A Daily Dose of the American Dream

Sample 6

Stephen Cannell Overcomes Dyslexia

"Everyone has handicaps. Don't give into your handicaps."

- A.P. Gouthey

We see the final product of someone's work and we immediately come to the conclusion, "The person who created this has it all together." We may never think that this work of art was a labor of love, that it was conceived and created by someone we would call too handicapped to do such a thing. Stephen J. Cannell was convinced that he was a loser by the time he was eleven. Raised in an upper-middle-class family, he attended private schools but flunked classes almost every year and had to repeat three grades. Stephen had a condition known as dyslexia, and often saw words and numbers transposed. He had trouble reading, writing, and doing math. Many thought it impossible that Stephen would ever be able to perform anything but the most elementary jobs.

Somehow, Cannell found the gumption and fortitude to make it through college. He then went to work for his father's design company in California. Even though he had trouble putting things on paper, he had a dream of writing for a living. Encouraged by his wife to pursue his dream, Stephen began to write for TV. Although he admits that he was "scared to death," Stephen persevered and penned his first successful series, The Rockford Files. Following that has been Baretta, Baa Baa Black Sheep, and others. Now an internationally known producer/writer, Stephen J. Cannell has shown that he is also an overcomer. He stands as an example to those who would not let handicaps stand in their way of success.

CONSIDER THIS: When we overcome a person weakness (or challenge or handicap), we often end up with greater skills in that area than those who have never had to struggle.

This story is adapted from A Daily Dose of the American Dream, by Alan Elliott, published by Rutledge Hill Press. The book contains 366 stories, one for each day of the year.

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