“Feel the fear and do it anyway!” You may have heard this saying or have read the book by the same title. Getting past your fears and living your dream takes a lot of courage. Who do you know that is a great example of living their dream? Instead of talking about it, did they simply get out of their chair and take action? What did you notice about their behaviours that propelled them to success? Today I have the honour of featuring the story of a man who is truly living his dream, his name is Kevin Reinelt.

Kevin was what we called “a lifer” inside the telecoms industry. He’d worked for SaskTel for years and then moved to BC with BC Tel. He completed his Engineering degree and was proficient in his craft helping bridge the power of technology with real world business challenges. Customers loved him, his colleagues respected him and when the Telus merger happened he moved up the management chain. He was being paid very well and had the pension though there was something missing.

As it happened Kevin was leading a double life. We all knew his “other” passion and some of us wondered where he’d go with it. Kevin’s other passion for much of his life has been the martial art Taekwon-Do. He’s been multi-level black belt and has trained under one of the Masters. Through his telecom career we heard of his tours and accomplishments. Through those years he competed and won at a number of Masters Tournaments. Some saw it as his hobby others could see it was his passion.

What was a surprise to some was Kevin breaking the ties to the security of his corporate job. Yes, he quit his high paying six-figure job at Telus along with the comfort of the benefits and pension plan to go live his dream. In his forties and twenty some years into his telecom career he left to build a training centre called Triumph Taekwon-Do in Port Coquitlam BC. I’m happy to report that his centre is thriving though it took perseverance, courage and faith.

Kevin shared with me: “One of the Tenets of the International Taekwon-Do Federation and one of my personal core values is: Perseverance.  Only through perseverance can a person achieve challenging or difficult goals.  Starting and building this school has been a significant test of our perseverance.  But we believe we can achieve our goals.  We can see ourselves moving ahead, which is a great motivator.

I’ve been very lucky and I’m extremely grateful to have my best friend – my wife, Ramona – as a partner in this adventure. She has been incredibly important as a sounding board/reality check and source of creativity and motivation for this enterprise.

We believe that the service we are offering really helps people improve their lives.  Children learn about respect, diligence, self-control and other important life skills. Adults improve their fitness, burn off stress and discover that they can feel powerful. Everyone is encouraged to develop a positive, can-do attitude. Helping others improve their lives is a powerful motivator for us, keeping us going through incredibly busy and challenging times.

Being your own boss and building a business is not for the faint of heart. The highs are very high, but the lows are very low. Being extrinsically motivated, along with dogged determination are critical to getting going and keeping going.”

As Kevin shared with us, could you feel the strength, power and determination in his words? Kevin is a man of integrity and is one of my life’s teachers. I’ve worked with Kevin being my supplier, peer and finally manager. Consistent, forthright, dependable and honorable are words which come to mind when I think of Kevin. When my heart speaks, I hear the word “Trust.”

I am grateful for having Kevin in my life. He’s led by example and is a teacher for many. He found the courage to follow his passion instead of his pension. Where will you decide to take your life? If not now, then when? You can find out more about Kevin and Triumph Taekwon-Do at their company’s website. So until next week, remember: “in only two days, tomorrow will be yesterday, lean into it!” As I offer insights, stories, tips and career information, please contact me to share your stories opinions and comments to Don Campbell.