Sunday, April 12, 2009

LEANING INTO "THE DIP"

It’s only 76 pages, and they’re little ones at that.

But Seth Godin’s “The Dip” is well worth the 60 minutes and two cups of coffee it will take to digest.

“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try”.

The Dip is that place between success and failure, between starting and succeeding, between the fresh emotion of taking on a new venture and the hard realities of doubt and impatience.

“Quit the wrong stuff. Stick with the right stuff. Have the guts to do one or the other.”

I love to read, especially motivational or inspirational books that discuss life’s “recipes” for success. You will find that people who achieve success have many traits and experiences in common. One of them is The Dip, because almost everyone I have ever spoken to who has accomplished great things has hit it, and then fought through it.

“All our success are the same. All our failures, too.”

We succeed when we do something remarkable. We fail when we give up too soon. Persistence will not solve all of your problems, but it is the foundation upon which most success is built. I often tell people I am in the “problem solving” business, and that is true. Selling houses is a byproduct of solving problems. And solving problems is something we learn to do through experience and a commitment to listening intently to what people are saying. If I don’t hear you, I can’t solve your problem.

“No one quits the Boston Marathon at Mile 25.”

The Dip doesn’t come at mile 25 of your journey. It comes at mile 12, mile 15, mile 20… when finishing seems like it’s far off, and your labor doesn’t seem commensurate with your current circumstance. That’s when you have to commit to persevere. That’s when you have to lean into The Dip.

If hard things were easy, everyone would do them. Commit to doing some hard things this week. And if you would like a copy of “The Dip”, let me know. I liked the book so much I just ordered a dozen copies from Amazon to hand out to friends and clients who might need some encouragement. If it will help fortify your resolve, I’d be happy to send one your way.