I went quiet here for a while.
About eight months, actually.
No dramatic reason. Life got busy. Real estate deals, businesses, family, content, health, getting outside — life.
But there was another reason too.
I wasn't completely sure what I wanted this newsletter — or even my personal brand — to be.
A few days ago, on a beautiful September afternoon, I was out walking my dog Rip, doing the two-mile walk I've been making a habit of lately.
I highly recommend it, by the way.
There's something about getting outside, moving, clearing your head, and looking up at the sky that puts things in perspective.
And as I walked, watching the clouds drift by, something that should have been obvious finally clicked.
I'd been asking the wrong question.
For years, I've tried to figure out which box I fit into.
Am I the real estate guy?
The entrepreneur?
The political commentator?
The guy talking about America, freedom and the Constitution?
The outdoors guy?
Health? Fitness?
And suddenly I realized:
I'm all of those things.
Because that's my life.
I don't need to invent a personal brand and then figure out how to squeeze myself inside it.
The brand is simply an extension of the life I'm already living.
I buy houses. I build businesses. I love this country. I believe in faith, family, freedom, ownership and personal responsibility. I love being outside. I'm working on getting stronger and healthier. I like fixing things, building things, taking risks, exploring the Adirondacks and hearing stories about ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.
And yes, I have some pretty strong opinions about what's happening in this country.
But my life is bigger than politics.
That realization changed something for me.
What I really want to talk about here is building a good life in America — creating something of your own, taking care of yourself, loving your family, getting outside, pursuing opportunity, taking responsibility for your future, and living life on your own terms.
And appreciating, protecting and actually using the freedom we've been given to pursue it.
That's what The Pursuit Is Happiness is going to be.
(If you signed up for this back when it was called American Grit — same guy, better name.)
One short letter every Friday.
A story, an idea, something happening in my life, someone worth knowing about, or something I think is simply worth sharing.
No need to make it more complicated than that.
I also rebuilt my website around this idea and wrote more about the road that brought me here and what Dave Brown USA is really about.
Thanks for sticking around.
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P.S. Hit reply and tell me what you're building, pursuing, or working toward right now. I'd genuinely like to hear it, and I read every reply.