Seth Godin’s book “The Dip” encourages habitual quitting to reach your goals. It sounds like an odd suggestion, but the strategy narrows ones focus to increase the chances of success. In essence you are targeting the dead weight in any process and eliminating it before it drags the entire project under. It proposes a much scarier alternative to simply staying disciplined and slogging it out, something Godin argues is often a waste of time. Regular quitting requires individuals to actively reassess their work and situation.
So how can you know what to quit? “The Dip” is based on intensive planning, not knee-jerk reactions. You quit because you planned to quit. What this requires is a clear picture of what success means to you. Say want to be a rock star. Will regional club gigs, a local residency and a loyal fan base cover it, or do you need a Columbia Records contract and sold out shows at Shea Stadium? Be honest and be as specific as possible. Not defining where you are going makes it tough to know when you’re getting off track, and just as frustrating, it makes it impossible to know when you’ve arrived.
When considering these goals think about your market. As Godin points out, “best” in any market is subjective according to the individual and their “world” is a selfish definition based on what each person has access to. This means “best in the world” in a regional market is entirely different from a national or international market. Defining your goals means defining your market and considering what is required to reach that market. If you need to sell out Shea Stadium think about who already does that: Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, U2. You have a lot of work ahead of you, but you also have models to work from.
These models of success help exemplify the work, resources, and output necessary for a given market. Godin calls this balance “creating pressure”. This is your Goldilocks space. Not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Once you have defined your target market take stock of your resources. How much money and time do you have for this venture. If these resources match with your defined market it’s time to get to work. If your assessment shows you have enough resources to easily flood the market, perhaps you should pursue a larger goal. The same rings true if you currently have limited resources available. Want to be a rockstar but you work 9 to 5 with only Saturday nights free? That’s ok, but perhaps your first target market should be performing as a regional act and building up demand for future growth, not packing Madison Square Garden.
An important note: When considering resources commitment to getting through the dip, regardless of its size, should never be in question. If commitment is a limited resource quit now. You will be saving yourself both time and effort.
Note: This article is part 1 in a 3 part series on Seth Godin book The Dip. The next installment in this series will discuss how to marshal your resources in order to increase the likelihood of success. Read ahead to part 2 and part 3.
To read more about The Dip I suggest you purchase The Dip by Seth Godin. Seth is a writer/blog/marketing evangelist with several best selling books on business and marketing. I also recommend checking out his blog and his book website for The Dip.