Private jets, fancy country dubs, uncheckedĭecision-making power. The same thing happens to people who dream of the un told riches and power that accrue to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. They're gone, unable to get through the Dip. They've invested time and money t build a product, to create a marketing organization and rent booth space-aU in an attempt to break into a lucrative mar ket. At trade shows, you see dozens of companies trying t, break into an industry. Your grandmother can't believe her good fortune! But soon, the incredible grind of organic chemistry kicks in, and you realize you're doomed. At the beginning, when you announce that you're premed, you get all sorts of positive feedback and support. If you can't handle or ganic chemistry, well, then, you can't go to med school. Organic chemistry is the killer class, the screen that separates the doctors from the psychologists. Academia doesn't want too many unmotivated people to attempt medical school, so they set up a screen. H you took organic chemistry in college, you've e),-peri enced the Dip. The Dip is the set of artificial screens set up to keep people like you out. The Dip is the long stretch between beginner's luck and real accomplishment. Technique and the mare useful "ex-pert" approach in skiing or fashion design. The Dip is the difference between the easy "beginner" The Dip is the combination of bureaucracy and busywork you must deal with in order to get certified in scuba diving.
A long slog that's actually a shortcut, because it gets you where you want to go faster than any other path. The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery. Whatever your new thing is, it's easy to stay engaged in it. Over the next few days and weeks, the rapid learning you experience keeps you going. ou could be taking up golf or acupuncture or piloting a plane or doing chemistry-doesn't matter it's interesting, and you get plenty of good feedback from the people around you. Visit and click on Seth's head to read his blog.Īt the beginning, when you first start something, it's fun. He is also the editor of The Big Moo, the founder and CEO of Squidoo, and one of the most popular business blog gers in the world.
SETH GODIN is the author of the bestsellers Permission Marketing, Unleashing the Idea virus, Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside!, All Marketers Are Liars, and Small Is the New Big, among other books. If you are, The Dip will inspire you to courage to quit-so you can be number one If you can become number one in your niche, you'll get more than your fair share of profits, glory, and long-term security. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt-until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons. Which will never get better, no matter how hard you try.Īccording to bestselling author Seth Godin, what really sets superstars apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly while staying focused and moti vated when it really counts. But maybe it's really a Cul-de-Sac,Īnswers. Maybe you're in a Dip-a temporary setback that you will overcome if you keepĪt something else. Harder and less fun, until it hits a low point: really hard, and not much fun at all.Ī Dip that's worthy of your time, effort, andĪnd then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Whether you're a graphic designer, a sales Rep, an athl'ete, or an aspiring CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you're in The old saying is wrong-winners do Quit and quitters do winĮvery new project (or job, or hobby, or com Oh yeah, it's also the key to your career, your company's future, and maybe your ultimate happiness. if in fact you're chasing the riqht goal.
It's any rough patch you have to get through before achieving your big goal. It's the middle of the marathon, when the excitement of the starting gun is a dim memory, and the joy of the finish line is a distant dream. It's the seventh time you fall on your butt while learning to snowboard. It's the garage band playing to an empty club In the middle of nowhere. It's the fifth job interview where they never even call you back.