We’ve all been there. You take on a fun, new endeavor—learning a language, building a business—and get good feedback from the people around you. You’re engaged and enjoying the fruits of your efforts.
But then the Dip happens. The Dip, writes Seth Godin in the book of the same name, is a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. [1]
But not all Dips are alike. Sometimes, a Dip is a Cul-De-Sac, a dead-end, a situation that won’t improve no matter how hard you push. Sunk costs and Cul-De-Sacs are a formidable pair.
Godin argues that the best in the world can differentiate between a Dip and a Cul-De-Sac. If they’re in a Cul-De-Sac, they get off it, fast. They realize that Cul-De-Sacs rob them of Dips that are worth their efforts.
The best in the world, or superstars as Godin also calls them, seek the right Dips to commit to and conquer. They realize that the bigger the barriers, the bigger the rewards for getting past them.
Understand, you need to find Dips that are worthy of your time, effort, and talents. This is what Derek Sivers means when he talks about quitting something you love. [2]
To bring something new into your life, you need to make space. And that sometimes means giving up something you love, and perhaps are even good at, for something that will serve you and others.
The last word belongs to Godin,
“Quit the wrong stuff. Stick with the right stuff. Have the guts to do one or the other.”
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