By Paul Mack
MDI Contributor
“I see my success story as a series of challenges I’ve been able to overcome.”
After being born blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other, my retina detached in 1999 when I was 29 years old. I was left totally blind. It took two years for me to come to terms with that, but in 2001 I made the decision to get my first guide dog.
In early 2003, after having to put down my first dog due to kidney cancer, while I was at the Guide Dog School getting my second dog, I met the woman who became my wife and the mother of my now 17-year-old son Colyn.
Toward the end of 2005, when Colyn was eight months old, his mum took him and walked away, out of our home. There followed a protracted and vicious custody battle in which I was subjected to extensive verbal and psychological abuse. I had to take her to court many times in order to be able to continue seeing my boy, but I stuck it out for his sake. After winning joint custody, I forged a strong relationship with him.
This is where Mentor Discover Inspire comes in.
Just when things were at the worst, in 2016, I joined my MDI Men’s Team, and with its support, I was able to get to the point where I had Colyn living with me full time. It’s also thanks to my team that I was able to find the true love of my life, who I have now been with for four years.
But perhaps the greatest breakthrough of all – one I couldn’t have reached without my team’s love and support – was with my new business.
I’d spent my entire life feeling like I didn’t truly have a purpose, which is something I was truly passionate about. Through building my confidence and leadership skills on my team – along with some insights gained at the Legacy Discovery Weekend – I figured out that my purpose is to help others become their best selves.
This in turn has led to my realizing that I wanted to fulfill this purpose through becoming a Professional Life Coach!
Until I joined Team Catalyst in MDI, I didn’t even have any male friends. Let alone the courage and ability to be the Captain of a Men’s Team. Let alone launch my own business. Let alone be the man and leader I really needed to be.