The Dip, by Seth Godin

We start this week with an introduction to my favourite book of all time, it’s a simple book by Seth Godin, called The Dip — The extraordinary benefits of knowing when to quit (and when to stick).

This book has has shaped my thinking more than another book I’ve read (and I’ve read quite a few). It’s also one of my favourite books to recommend and gift to others. It’s 86 pages, large typeface, and some wonderful illustrations by Hugh Macleod from Gapingvoid. 

The premise of the book is simple. 

• Every new project (or career, or relationship) starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point — really hard, really not fun.

  • At this point, you might be in a Dip. which will get better if you keep on pushing

  • or in a cul-de-sac, which will never get better no matter how hard you try.

• The hard part is knowing the difference and acting on it. 

What sets successful people apart from every else one else is their ability to give up on the Cul-de-sacs whilst staying motivated through in Dips

Over the next few days, I’ll leave a short blog post every day that reviews this book in more detail. And share some real life examples of how I’ve used this book in my personal and professional life. 

If you don’t own a copy yet, I’d seriously recommend you buy a copy