On June 16, 1997, I established the company that now bears the name Three Deuce Branding. That was exactly 19 years ago.
I celebrated the way I celebrate most days, by starting the day with 90 minutes of hot yoga. Tonight, the wife and I enjoyed some fish tacos and grilled prawns at GT Fish & Oyster. It’s the little things.
It was a pretty normal day in most other respects, though I was able to catch up with an old friend who has recently taken the soloist plunge himself. He’s extremely sharp and is going to do just fine.
I also spent some time with my gratitude journal. Sonja Lyubomirsky recommends this weekly exercise in her book, “The How of Happiness,” which I highly recommend if you have any interest in the topic. It’s short on empty platitudes and feel-good New Age-isms, and long on science and practice.
The point of the gratitude journal is to commit to paper all the things for which you were grateful in the past week. So I’m also able to look back on all the good things in the past year.
The past 12 months have included the lowest lows (I lost my mother) and the highest highs (I married my favorite person). There’s plenty of gratitude to be found in both. And both have helped to shape, once again, my perspective on my consultancy and the role I want it to play in my life.
And, as always, I’m a little overwhelmed by the number of people who have made these 19 years possible – clients, partners, teachers, friends, family, sounding boards, and so on.
Thanks to all of you. I’m a very lucky guy.
P.S. Two years ago on this date, I asked the universe for a US victory over Ghana in the World Cup. Thanks, universe! Am I pressing my luck if I ask for a win over Ecuador tonight in the Copa America?
About Matthew Fenton: Matthew helps challenger brands to focus, grow and win. Since founding his consultancy, Three Deuce Branding, in 1997, he’s helped hundreds of brands to achieve “brand clarity.” His consulting services and speaking engagements help brands to focus on what matters through positioning, strategy and ideation. Contact Matthew here. He calls Chicago home.
Copyright 2016 – Matthew Fenton. All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this article with the original, unedited text intact, including the About Matthew Fenton section.
