From Struggles to Success: My Personal Journey of Transformation
Hi, I’m John, and I was that kid. The one who couldn’t seem to sit still, who was always in trouble, and who, no matter how hard he tried, felt like it just wasn’t enough. If you were to meet me back then, maybe you’d think I wasn’t smart. But that wasn’t it at all. My brain just couldn’t process the world the way it was supposed to.
I’ve been on a hell of a journey—from the boy who couldn’t focus or eat properly to becoming a chef and now dedicating my life to helping others find their stride. I can’t sum it all up in one blog, but I hope by sharing some of my story, maybe you’ll see that no matter how stuck you feel, progress is possible.
I Was “That Kid” Who Struggled to Concentrate
The Early Struggles
I remember one day in primary school—I’d decided, “Right, I’m going to really try my best today.” I was determined. The teacher asked the class a question, and in my head, I actually knew the answer. But for me, that question swam through thick Weetabix in my brain, and the answer had to do the same on its way out again. By the time I raised my hand, the teacher had already moved on.
I sat back, probably swinging on the back legs of my chair—as you do—and thought, “I really tried today, but it still wasn’t good enough.”
This was every single day at school. Imagine that happening to you, day in and day out. At some point, you’d just give up trying. And that’s exactly what happened to me. Talking to the person beside me, making paper planes, throwing a rubber across the classroom, constantly sharpening my pencil—that became me. Desperate to escape the frustration, I became that kid who disrupted the class.
Talking to someone across from me usually wasn’t just me messing about. It was because I’d fallen behind, and by the time the teacher rubbed the words off the blackboard, I’d be panicking, asking the person next to me, “What was the last part?” Of course, I’d be shouted at yet again, “Stop talking!” or sometimes removed from the room altogether.
Getting up to sharpen my pencil was the perfect excuse for constant movement. I couldn’t stay in one place, couldn’t sit still no matter how hard I tried. My pencils became so tiny, sharpened to nubs, and I even remember one or two sharpened on both ends. It was during these moments of trying to cope in my way that I became the class troublemaker, but no one really saw what was going on beneath it all.
The Big Breakthrough
My mum did, though. She knew I was trying in my own way, and she refused to give up on me. That’s when she discovered the Learning Breakthrough Program. To be honest, I didn’t think much of it at the time. I just did the exercises. But the results? They surprised me.
Bit by bit, my brain began to change. Suddenly, concentrating wasn’t this impossible task. I could sit through classes, stay focused, and even answer questions without feeling lost. My ADHD symptoms eased, and for the first time, I felt like I was capable of more. My brother, who struggled with reading and writing because of his dyslexia, made massive leaps too. This program didn’t just change my life; it gave me a second chance to be me
I’ve come a long way since then, though, and my story is proof that transformation is possible—even when it feels out of reach. Today, I want to share a personal story told through a 3-part video series. It’s about my struggles, my breakthroughs, and why I do what I do now.
If you’ve got a child, a family member, or even an athlete struggling with focus, frustration, or coordination, there’s hope. My life changed, and so can theirs.
From Picky Eater to Professional Chef
A Troubled Relationship with Food
Now, if there was one thing worse than concentrating at school for me, it was food. I was the fussiest eater you can imagine. My meals were beige, bland, and boring. Veg? Forget it. Chicken breast? I’d chew it so much that it was dry and stringy by the time I tried to swallow it, tried to, I would usually gag before that happened. Certain smells made me gag, too. Beef stew? To me, it smelled like a farmyard.
It wasn’t just that I didn’t like food. My brain couldn’t work out the textures and flavours. Even the smells overwhelmed me. It was frustrating and isolating. I wanted to like food, to just eat the same as everyone else, but I just couldn’t.
Rewiring My Brain and Transforming My Taste Buds
But something amazing happened after I started the Learning Breakthrough Programme. It not only helped me focus, sit still and get the answers to the questions faster; it rewired the way my brain processed everything. Slowly, I started to experiment, I remember the first time I tried lettuce, it was in a Chicken Fillet burger, from a well-known fried chicken restaurant. I then tried it with the mayo too, my mum couldn’t believe it! I started eating proper chicken breast, not the processed, frozen chicken nuggets I used to love, but real chicken, as I no longer chewed it into oblivion.
I now wanted to taste things. I started enjoying flavours I once avoided.
The boy who gagged at the smell of beef stew ended up training as a chef. I travelled the world, honing my craft and learning how to create dishes that celebrate every ingredient, texture, and taste. Food became a central part of who I was, and I wanted to taste it all.
Turning Passion into a Career
I spent years immersing myself in the fast-paced world of kitchens around the world. I thrived on the creativity, the pressure, and the exhilaration of bringing flavours to life. There was something about the energy and constant motion that I loved. I took pride in having the most organised station, and before long, I advanced to working ‘The Pass.’ That’s where the real coordination happened.
At The Pass, I was the one calling out orders as they came in, orchestrating the chaos of the kitchen. It was my job to ensure every dish came together perfectly. I had to time everything down to the second, knowing exactly when to tell the chefs to start cooking the steak so it would align with the sides, and nothing would sit under the hot lights for too long. It was a relentless dance of precision, but I thrived in it. It felt like controlling the heartbeat of the kitchen.
The irony isn’t lost on me, I went from refusing to eat vegetables, and gagging on chicken to working with food every single day. It all came down to giving my brain what it needed to flourish.
Why I Left the Kitchen to Help Others
Realising My Purpose
By 2018, something started to change. My mum had been asking me to join the family business for years, but I brushed it off. I told myself I wasn’t ready or experienced enough. But deep down, I knew the truth, I was that kid. The one who teachers thought was “too much.” The one who gagged on everything but mashed potatoes. The one who couldn’t process what was going on around him. I was living proof that the Learning Breakthrough Programme works. It saved my life and helped me to prove how smart I really am, and now I had the opportunity to help others going through the same mess.
That’s when I knew it was time to leave the kitchen. Helping others unlock their potential became my mission, my purpose.
Helping Kids, Adults, and Athletes Find Their Potential
Today, we’ve rebranded the programme as Performance Breakthrough, recognising that the term “learning” doesn’t resonate with everyone. Athletes, for example, aren’t looking to improve under a learning banner. They’re laser-focused on enhancing their performance, just as a child wants to excel in school or an adult wants to feel less stressed at work or strengthen their social skills. For athletes, it’s about gaining that extra 1% advantage over the competition, and they’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that.
Alongside my mum, we help not just kids like me and my brother but also adults and athletes struggling with focus, confidence, frustration, and coordination. We’ve witnessed amazing transformations in people’s lives, even in families who thought they’d never find the support they needed.
It’s no longer just about learning. It’s about unlocking growth, potential, and providing the tools to help people truly thrive. That’s exactly why I do what I do.
Join Me in Unlocking Your Potential
It’s funny how life works. I went from being the kid who struggled to focus, couldn’t sit still, gagged on food, and didn’t think he’d make anything of himself in life, to being a qualified chef and now leading a programme that changes lives everyday. I know what it feels like to feel stuck, to have that sick feeling every time I woke up, to feel like progress isn’t possible. But I’m living proof that it is.
You don’t have to settle for life as it is. There’s a big world out there waiting for you when you unlock your full potential.
Thanks, I look forward to seeing you soon.
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