The Chase

Why suspense is important after you reach your goals.

The start of any journey is alternately exciting and terrifying. I vividly recall starting brandivate in July 2020 with my business partner at the time, Kelsey Cunningham. As you may recall, that was also the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified the emotions we both felt when launching and trying to build a business from little more than an idea.

Four and a half years later, I look back on those times much differently than I thought I would. When clients were few and money was tight, I believed that while I would respect the struggle and effort, I’d find much more satisfaction with that behind me.

I was both right and wrong.

I was correct in that I don’t miss wondering if brandivate would survive or miss barely making ends meet. At the time, I was 50, my kids were entering their senior year of high school, and college – along with the associated bills – loomed on the horizon. I once heard that fear is an excellent motivator, and frankly, I was scared to death that I wouldn’t be able to provide for my family. With all candor, I can express that I don’t miss those feelings.

At the same time, those very days were the most magical because everything was in front of us. In other words, the dream of brandivate was still a dream. That’s when we got the highest highs because the potential of being successful was still out there. There are few things more exhilarating than believing you’re on the verge of achieving your goals and then achieving them.

When we attain success, it means we’ve honed our craft, learned from our mistakes, and can even be clairvoyant enough to know what a client wants before they say it themselves. Again, this isn’t a bad thing at all, but it is a phenomenon directly linked to chasing after your dream and, over time, finally catching it.

I’ve given this a lot of thought recently on why things feel a bit different after one achieves a level of success. Not better and not worse; simply different. Success is an interesting concept as it has no singular definition and means radically different things to different people. That being said (or, in this case, written), there is one universal truth about success: things become known. I’ve come to the conclusion that, from time to time, I miss the suspense the unknown can bring to a journey. A psychiatrist would likely explain that this is why I continually and intentionally seek to learn, start new projects, and dive into new technologies and experiences.

To be clear, my ambition is still very much there. The sense of purpose in doing work that matters for clients is ever-present. The excitement and fire I have to do what I do exists daily. The yearning to continue growing brandivate will never leave me. At the same time, I continue to keep chasing the unknown as it inspires me to do better and more creative work.

As I’ve done for the past four and a half years, I continue to commit to the promise of the unknown and savor every moment of the chase. Why? Because there is an unattainable beauty in the suspense.

Perhaps Willy Wonka said it best: “The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”