I have an ambition to become a TV Presenter and I will never give up until I achieve my dream. I also have Asperger’s and I believe that this is the reason why I am so driven and determined to achieve my ambition of becoming a TV Presenter. My name is Alex Manners and I am 21 years old. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s when I was 10 and at the time I did not have a clue what Asperger’s was. As soon as I was diagnosed with Asperger’s my dad told me that a lot of our family had Asperger traits and that it gave us “special powers”. I believed him and so from that day forward I have viewed my Asperger’s as something positive and that I feel lucky to have.
For me, a normal 9-5 job would be awful and would probably leave me feeling depressed and completely unmotivated. Unless I was doing a job that I really enjoyed or that could lead me to where I wanted to be I would feel as though I had failed. I just don’t see the point in doing a job you don’t enjoy and I live by the phrase “Pursue your Passion”. I want to do a job that I enjoy and that I will be remembered for. I am not fazed by hard work and in my opinion the harder a job is to get, the more rewarding it will be once you have got it. One trait of my Asperger’s is that I can’t wear dark coloured clothes. If I am wearing black or grey, for example, then I can become depressed and feel like I am hiding my personality. However, if I am wearing colourful clothes then I feel as though I can conquer anything. As so many jobs require you to wear a certain uniform then this aspect would be a real struggle for me.
Every day I work towards my ambition of becoming a TV Presenter, sending emails, writing articles etc. and if it takes me until I am 70 to achieve this then so be it. No matter how big or small or famous somebody is the worst that anybody can say to you is “No”. That is why I contact so many current TV personalities and Presenters. I have had emails from Michael Portillo, Fiona Bruce and I have connected with Cbeebies Presenters and Strictly Come Dancing professionals on LinkedIn. I also carry out many interviews and talks on my Asperger’s and without my Asperger’s I would not have had nearly as many interviews and articles or know nearly as many people within the TV industry. Many people with Asperger’s would find speaking to an audience very daunting and they would probably be feeling worried for days beforehand. However, I could stand up and speak in front of 100 people with no worries whatsoever. Also, people with Asperger’s can sometimes struggle to have conversations but I on the other hand feel that my Asperger’s enhances my communication skills. Therefore, I do not have any problems when having a conversation.
Another area that I love is video which is why I have my own YouTube channel. I enjoy creating videos so much that I have started my own Video Production Company, one as a way to make money and two as a way of having something to fall back on whilst I pursue my ambition to become a TV Presenter. As with my TV work, I send countless emails to companies about my services and my recent video work. I never let a “No” faze me and will just keep searching until I get a “Yes”. I know it’s extremely hard to set up your own company but I am determined to have a life doing things I enjoy and “Pursuing my Passions”.
I really enjoy all of the work that I do whether that be creating video, writing articles or conducting talks on my Autism or presenting my own children’s radio show on Solihull Radio. To be honest my work does not actually feel like work. I will never stop until I achieve my dreams and ambitions and will always “Pursue my Passion!”
You can find more information about Alex on his website – https://www.thealexmanners.com/ or watch the videos and interviews that he has made on his own YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/user/thealexmanners
