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Many people won’t admit that they went through a ‘quarter-life crisis’. After drifting for two years, Daniel finally found his purpose and it wasn’t in the medical field, as everyone expected. That ‘crisis’ phase was instrumental because it helped him to outline his goals and change the direction of his life. Daniel is now a personal development coach, director at ReBIT Limited and a newly minted author who wants to transform the millennial mind and help others reach their potential. This is how he got there:

My family and I lived in Santa Cruz, before moving to the island of Curacao for two years. After returning to Trinidad, we bounced around from St. Augustine to Curepe, and then settled back into our previous house in Santa Cruz. I grew up in cramped conditions with my three younger sisters but that didn’t impact my quality of life nor the amount of love I received from my parents, extended family, and a massive community of very close family friends.

To my family and close circle, I was a personable child but, in my mind, I was an outcast. I don’t know if it was due to living in a foreign island for a short while or growing up with three sisters, but I felt “soft” when compared to the other boys. They were always obsessed with showing feats of toughness around the girls and getting into little fights, but I had no interest. One day, one of the students in my class approached me and began teasing me because I was “too quiet” and that I was “weird for never saying anything”. Truth be told, I was and probably still am a real people watcher who prefers to remain ‘quiet’ when necessary. I guess that’s how I was able to observe people and write a book, intended to change behaviours.

The pressure to become

When I entered secondary school, there was a lot of pressure to decide on a career. I had no point of reference outside of the subjects I had chosen, and those didn’t really help me make informed decisions. I hesitantly decided to follow the path to become a doctor because I was good at and liked Biology. Back then, I honestly thought I would become a doctor.

It was when I was unable to commit to applying to medical school that I realized that I was lost. At the time, I was not only having a quarter-life crisis, but a crisis about my life’s purpose. This caused me to drift through life aimlessly for about two years.
The wandering ended when my parents introduced me to personal development coaching by walking me through a personal development programme, which honestly changed the trajectory of my life.

I was finally able to articulate my purpose in life and outline my goals. I knew then that I wanted to help other millennials experience the same level of fundamental understanding to achieve their goals and dreams. Luckily, I had the helpful guidance and coaching of my parents who had been coaches for 10+ years. I also drew inspiration from popular personalities and coaches like Robert Kiyosaki, Paul J Meyer, Steve Harvey, and Jim Rohn, to name a few.

While naturally, there may be personalities and people who may possess qualities that we admire, I don’t think that there are sufficient role models for black males in our country. At the highest success level, they are few and far between. However, I believe that this gap should encourage others to rise to the occasion to address the need that exists.

Throughout my journey, I received a lot of support from my friends and family. Their honest feedback and willingness to share my message, not only pushed me along, but empowered me to continue pursuing new ventures and avenues to be able to make a difference. My recently launched book is a testament to the importance of having a great support team.

Any young man, who is confused or unsure about his career path, should ask himself “what motivates me internally? What am I most passionate about? What can I do every day and still love it?”

After responding honestly to those questions, he should then carve out his career based on those revelations.

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After completing his secondary school education at Fatima College, Daniel went to Loyola University, New Orleans, USA where he graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Biology/Pre Med and a minor in Latin American Studies. He is currently a personal development coach and the Director, Youth Development at ReBIT Limited. Over the last three years, he has done workshops and sessions with youth groups, schools and agencies within the private and public sector. His recently launched book, “The Millennial Mind: Success Secrets for Unlocking Your Full Potential” and his digital show “Up in Yuh Business,” reinforce his core messages and beliefs. He is also part of the League of Extraordinary Entrepreneurs and lends support to the Rotaract Club of POS West. When time permits, he does event management for large-scale events with EEEmpire.