The Dip
JP lent me The Dip by Seth Godin. It is a really quick read and Godin poses a pretty interesting idea. Far too often, we’re told we just need to keep pushing and “winners never quit”. But what if we’re trying to win at the wrong thing? What if the effort we’re putting in on the current project could be better used to really win big on a more important (and fruitful) one? Also, it turns out we are trying to do too many things at once. He points out that the ones who really wing big are those who focus and are in first place. There is a significant drop-off between #1 and #2. So the first point is to only take on projects where you can win.
His next idea introduces the concept of his 'curves’ – the 'Dip’, the 'Cul du Sac’, and the 'Cliff’ – mapping results vs. effort. The trick , it seems, is being able to recognize which curve you happen to be on. If you find yourself on the Dip, then it makes sense to keep pushing through. If you’re on a Cul du Sac, according to Godin, you need to get off it right away; it’s a dead end keeping you from doing something better. The Cliff is pretty rare where everything just falls apart one day.
Later, he talks about generalization vs. specialization. We grew up being told we had to do well in all areas of school. (I actually think that’s a good thing – give yourself the broadest base and most opportunities to choose from). But, as Godin points out, do you really care if your doctor did well in English Literature? Do you care if your auto mechanic or accountant are good tennis players? No, you care that your doctor is good at being a doctor, your mechanic can fix your car, and your accountant can manage finances. You are glad they specialized and are good at what they do. If they happen to be good at something else, great; you’re not going to pay them for that.
While the book is definitely an interesting read, I’ve had a tough time with a couple things. First, just because you can’t be #1 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try at all. There is still value in being #2. Even though #1 reaps the most rewards, #2 still gets something. Of course, striving to take the #1 spot away is always good, and you can always create your own niche where you are #1. The second issue I have is that while Godin describes the curves, I never really quite got a feeling for how to tell if one is on Dip vs. a Cul du Sac vs. a Cliff. My job seems pretty tough right now and I want to quit. But is this feeling of wanting to quit merely a Dip (meaning I should redouble my effort), a Cul du Sac (I’m never going to be compensated appropriately) or a Cliff (the company decides to lay me off tomorrow)? It is pretty difficult to tell which curve you happen to be on when you are on it. You can only tell once you’ve passed the dip or cliff (if they happen to be there at all).
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