Two weeks ago, I wrote about our company’s birthday. The Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists® turned 20 on September 6, 2021. I was inundated with notes, messages, feedback, and comments. The word that seemed to come through a lot was “milestones.” Many people told me I don’t celebrate milestones enough. They said this birthday should have been a bigger thing. For me, those are private or low-key personal things. But as many people noted, it is important to share your milestones so others can be inspired and motivated. So, I thought about recent milestones in life, and thought I would share some of them with you and comment on them.

• The company I started 20 years ago the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists® to support the sponsorship marketing sector has thrived and is 20 years old this month.
• My daughter turned 16 a few months ago. Where the heck did that time go? And OMG, she is behind the wheel of an automobile!
• My wife and I have been together for over a quarter century and married for over 20 years!
• I quit smoking 12 years ago this past June.
• I quit drinking and have been clean and sober one day at a time for 25 years this past July.
• Last Sunday, September 19, I turned 60 and have now entered my 61^st year on the planet!

When you type them out and look at them, it is WOW! I really have some milestones in 2021 and they need to be celebrated. And I do, but quietly. Publishing this is a huge step outside my comfort zone, but probably the right thing.

From doing this today and the discussions I have had over the past two weeks, I have learned that celebrating milestones is important. I have always known this and preached it to our clients. I have always said, “Don’t wait for the close to celebrate. Celebrate the little wins along the way—getting a meeting, building a proposal, the positive discussion during negotiation. Celebrate those wins and milestones.” But it was always one of those “do as I say, not as I do” situations.

So today, I am practicing what I preach and it feels pretty good—weird, but good.

As you read this, I hope you will think about the milestones in your personal and work life. Write them down even if you don’t share them (I am open to reading them and celebrating with you if you wish), record them, think about them, and be proud of them. I encourage you to share your milestones, not necessarily on the world wide web as I have done, but with people who matter.

Celebrate quietly or loudly—but celebrate!

© 2021 All rights reserved.