Tanner Gers (@TannerGers) is an author, entrepreneur, and paralympic athlete. Blinded in a car crash at age 21, Tanner has learned entirely new methods of communication and working.
In this conversation, Tanner discusses some of the technology — both lo- and hi-tech — he uses to experience the world in the absesnce of sight. We also share all-purpose productivity tips and examine his morning routines.
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- Download The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 88 (MP3, 48:43, 17.7 MB)
- Download The Busy Creator Podcast, Episode 88 (OGG, 48:43, 21.2 MB)
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Show Notes & Links
- Tanner describes himself as “Creative and Successful”, hence the Creative Success Podcast
“I get the most fulfilment from serving other people.”
—Tanner Gers
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- Tanner is a Paralympian sprinter
- Tanner is also a speaker, author, blogger, podcaster, producer, and coach
- Todd Henry, and other writers, have been on the show previous (here, here, and here, for example)
- Tanner embarked on a “personal development journey” after being struck blind
“I use Technology to do everything, and I'm so grateful for it.”
—Tanner Gers
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- ADD
- The importance of reading to your children
- Tanner turned to music (and dancing) in his new blindness. That turned to creative writing for lyrics, and other prose.
“A picture's worth 1000 words. I was quite the talkative person; I would overcompensate for the lack of visual input.”
—Tanner Gers
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- Screen reading software, build into Mac OS X, iOS as “voiceover”
- Jaws, screenreader for Windows
- Ray Charles
- Blind people are remapping their senses via “sonar”
- Human Echolocation
- The British boy learning from “Bat Boy”
- Spark from CBC Radio
- Spark 268, the episode covering sight-aiding and other sensory technology
“I'm very blessed to know what a 747 looks like, what a sunset looks like, what blue looks like.”
—Tanner Gers
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- Dan Greene, born blind now writes missile-guidance software for Raytheon
- Putting Your Pen to Paper, episode 5 of Creative Success show
- Braille — Grades I and II
- Tanner had a question about “Quest Ion”
- Morse Code
- Tanner took a sleep study; was disturbed 100x in 6 hours
“Installing a daily routine will take your game to the next level.”
—Tanner Gers
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“Education is what remains after you've forgotten everything you learned in school.”
—anonymous
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- Prescott studied Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics
- Laminar Flow
- Adiabatic Compression vs. Isothermal Expansion
- Thermal Expansion Valve (Refridgeration)
“When you split the atom, energy escapes. When you switch tasks, attention escapes.”
—anonymous
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- Amy Porterfield
- Hal Elrod (leader of “The Cult of 5:00am”)
- Professional Rugby League in America
- Creative Success Show
- Tanner Gers on Twitter
- Tanner Gers on Facebook
- Tanner Gers on Instagram
- Tanner Gers on LinkedIn
- Tanner Gers on YouTube
Tools
- Brainport, let’s you “see” with your tongue
- Jaws
Techniques
- Turn off technology when it’s time to focus on content
- Develop a verbal memory so you don’t have to re-read what you just wrote
- Sleep with earplugs if you wake easily due to noise
- Sleep with music at low volumes (like Prescott has done since 1999)
- Test different methods; don’t blindly follow gurus
- Alternate hard days with lighters days regarding fitness training. Use those recovery days.
Habits
- Stick to your daily routines
- Go through mental routines first thing in the morning (gratitude, etc.) before you get out of bed
- Serve someone else early in the day
- Read daily and track/remark on what you read
- Block your day into half-day chunks
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Add your experiences in the Comments section below.
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Prescott Perez-Fox is a graphic designer, brand developer, and educator with 18+ years experience in branding, packaging, graphic design, and web design. He runs The Busy Creator.
