Gabriel Couture: Making Lemonade out of Life’s Lemons

By Evra Taylor Levy

Stories of disability usually beg the questions, “How did it happen and how is the person dealing with it?” In the case of Gabriel Couture, the answers reveal an unexpected path of growth and self-discovery; and they respond to the broader philosophical question, “What do you do when things go wrong in your life?”        

Gabriel Couture

When Couture was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa as a youngster and was told that he’d be completely blind by age 25, he feared he wouldn’t be able to fulfill his dreams. Typical of someone his age, Couture’s most sought-after dream was being able to enjoy a full life. Little did he know that down the line he would, indeed, enjoy a very accomplished life — and then some. In his 37 years, Couture has achieved more than many sighted people ever dream of.

Couture’s most salient characteristic is strength. By sheer strength of character, he was determined early on to not only overcome the detrimental effects of his impairment, but to harness its power and embrace it for the good it could bring him. As a child, Couture was not able to participate in group sports and other activities with his peers, leading to embarrassment and introversion. One of his most touching childhood anecdotes is about the time when one of his friends declared in awe, “Look at the stars,” and although Couture could not witness their beauty, he pretended otherwise. He continued living in denial, exacerbated by the fact that his parents didn’t reveal to him the gravity of his condition until age 16. He recounts, “For three years I felt like I was in prison.” The negativity, however, didn’t last long. Couture rallied his emotional resources through a number of strategies. He compensated for his lack of sight by developing his personality and charisma in a deliberate attempt to not be crushed by his disability. Instead, his blindness had the opposite effect of making him work harder at ensuring his success in life.

Couture’s enviable mental discipline led him to another coping strategy, namely the decision to be happy. He describes happiness as a choice, rather than a happenstance. The emotional maturity he developed at a young age in learning how to cope with his blindness gave him a growing sense of confidence that he would be able to compete in the arena of big business — and enjoy a rewarding personal life.

Couture pursued his dream of becoming a financial planner and founded his own firm, Groupe Stratège, at age twenty-six. He has since received numerous awards celebrating his business achievements, and is an elite member of a worldwide organization composed of top-tier life insurance professionals.

Couture’s personal journey in learning how to live with retinitis pigmentosa, and his commitment to lend a hand to others with ocular impairments, led to his involvement with The Eye Disease Foundation, a Quebec City-based organization dedicated to ocular health, research and public awareness. In 2007, he was named the group’s Honorary President, providing him a platform from which to inspire others with ocular conditions.
Now married, with four children, Couture emphasizes the importance of the emotional support of his family and friends in giving him a reason to continue to overcome obstacles.

In Couture’s philosophy of life, two opposing forces exist: desire and fear of failure. One can be motivated by fear, or stopped by it. His story of living with retinitis pigmentosa is one of triumph, not despair; of winning, not victimization. He states that had he not had the disease, he would not have such a positive attitude. And to Couture, attitude is everything.