Facing Challenge or Bowing Out - ‘The Dip’

A colleague recently sent me a copy of Seth Godin’s - The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) - he knew I was juggling a number of projects at one time (I tend to do that) and he really wanted to support the success of each of them. I tend to get distracted by projects sometimes and full follow-through can be a challenge (felt that before?).

Godin’s The Dip is  fast read (a few hours at most) - but damn does it make an impact. I mean it really makes an impact. Since reading it, ‘the dip’ is now a part of my language - I recognize when I am in it and the feelings associated with it. And the best part, it is a huge motivator. 

What is ‘the dip’? It is where the rubber meets the road and you shine, where your talent rises to the occasion, where you are able to distinguish yourself from the pack.

An example? I am currently working on an RFP (request for proposal) for a significant project. This is a big project for me personally and my colleagues. We are amped and psyched. And…the process is long. Very long. Each RFP we send back is returned shortly after requesting more information about a new question. Now, as the process goes on I have watched competitors drop out of the process. Why? The process demands a lot of time and energy, patience, fortitude, creativity, and above all belief in the project. We could easily be one of those competitors bowing out - but we are in it and rising to the occasion: embracing ‘the dip’. And as a result, further satisfying the client’s need to work with us, the experts.

Nice work Godin - naming ‘the Dip’. Sometimes all it takes is a name to diagnose and treat the experience. 

The other part of The Dip? When to quit? But, let’s leave that for another post - check out the book, short read, easy to digest, and the impact is significant.

Tagged as: Inspiration, Seth Godin, Tenacity, The Dip