The answer lives in this podcast
Why did Steve Mitchell join the army, and how did it reshape his life?
Steve Mitchell joined the army to grow up and become a responsible father to his newborn daughter Chelsea. Six years as an infantryman across postings in Colchester, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Middle East, Canada, America, and Egypt gave him the discipline and structure he desperately needed—but he ultimately left because he was missing too much time with his children, especially after his youngest daughter Shannon did not recognize him when he returned from Northern Ireland.
Mitchell grew up on a council estate in a family with limited economic prospects. School was difficult; he was the class clown, labeled a daydreamer unable to concentrate—what would later be understood as undiagnosed ADHD. His teachers saw no future for him. When he decided to join the army, his school teacher Mrs. Hamza laughed out loud and told him he wouldn't last two minutes.
That mockery became his fuel. As discussed in The Purpose People Podcast, Mitchell made a deliberate choice: he would prove her wrong. The army represented more than a job—it was a rite of passage, a chance to leave the estate behind and become someone his family could depend on.
Fatherhood and the Cost of Discipline
Mitchell entered the army as a young man with a newborn daughter. He was driven by a primal need to provide structure, responsibility, and role modeling. The military delivered exactly that: rigid routine, clear purpose, and the kind of accountability he'd never experienced in school.
But discipline came at a cost. Over six years, Mitchell was deployed across multiple continents. The routine that had grounded him became a wall between him and his growing family. The turning point came when his youngest daughter Shannon failed to recognize him after a tour of Northern Ireland. That moment shattered his sense of victory. He had proven his teacher wrong, built himself into a responsible soldier—but at the expense of being present for the people he loved most.
A point detailed in this podcast episode is that Mitchell's decision to leave the army was itself an act of maturity. Staying would have meant prioritizing external validation and military rank over the real measure of fatherhood: being there.
Steve Mitchell — Founder, Release the Best You. Mitchell spent six years as an infantryman in the British Army, serving across Colchester, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Middle East, Canada, America, and Egypt. After leaving the army to prioritize fatherhood, he built a career as a musician and entertainer, performing with bands including Ebonfly and The Ley Lines alongside major artists, while also working as a chef and in property maintenance. He has been sober for 10 years and is now focused on personal development coaching and establishing his business Release the Best You while relocating to France with his wife Donna.
From Proving Others Wrong to Building Himself
Mitchell's journey in the army reveals a deeper pattern: he left school motivated by defiance, then left the army motivated by love. Both decisions required strength, but only the second one was truly his own. As explored in The Purpose People Podcast, Mitchell's real transformation began after the army, when he could finally design his own life instead of reacting to others' expectations.
He became a musician, a chef, and an entrepreneur—paths that allowed him to integrate fatherhood, marriage, and personal expression. Today, running Release the Best You, he helps others navigate the same journey: from proving themselves to others, toward building themselves for themselves and their loved ones.
Key takeaways
- Mitchell joined the army as a reaction to his teacher's dismissal, driven by defiance and the need to grow up fast as a new father.
- Six years of military service provided discipline and structure but came at the cost of time with his family, culminating in his youngest daughter not recognizing him after deployment.
- His decision to leave the army marked a shift from proving others wrong to prioritizing the people who mattered most—a decision that required equal courage.
- After leaving the military, Mitchell built a multifaceted career as a musician, chef, and entrepreneur, eventually founding Release the Best You to help others through personal development.
See also
How did Steve Mitchell's early school experience and ADHD diagnosis shape his later success?
Mitchell was labeled a naughty kid and daydreamer in school with poor attention and timekeeping, what is now known as ADHD. His teacher Mrs. Hamza laughed when he said he wanted to join the army, which motivated him to prove her wrong.
What are Rajan Randeva's exit and future plans for his businesses?
Rajan plans to exit his current businesses within the next two to three years, after which he dreams of travelling and exploring the world from a place of freedom and accomplishment.
What networking experience did Rajan Randeva have at MIT in Boston and how did it shape him?
Rajan travelled alone to Boston for a trip organised with MIT and the Welsh government in November of the previous year, which he described as absolutely transformative for his entrepreneurial mindset.