The Dip
by Seth Godin
Godin's small book says that every worthwhile pursuit has a dip, the long slog between beginner's luck and mastery, and that winners quit the wrong things fast so they can push through the right dip. It is an essay, not a system, and it takes under an hour. Its value is the permission to quit strategically.
Read it if…
you are stuck in the middle of something and cannot tell if you should push or stop.
Skip it if…
you want guidance on how to get through the dip; the book is about deciding, not surviving.
Three things you will actually use
- Quit dead ends early and without shame.
- Commit to dips where being the best is possible.
- Decide before you start when you would quit.
Do this first
List what you are currently pushing through and label each as a dip worth crossing or a dead end.
Our verdict
An hour-long essay that makes one decision clearer; worth it for that.
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