After very recent personal experience which involved “quitting” (or being quit to be more precise) I found Seth Godin’s book The Dip talking directly to me.

It’s a book that makes you examine closely where you’ve been, where you are, and where you plan to go.

The saying “Winners never quit and quitters never win” is a fallacy, according to Godin. In fact, there are times when quitting is the smartest tactic you can employ, as long as your long-term goal remains foremost in your mind. Knowing the difference depends on understanding, and recognizing, what Godin calls the “Dip.”

“Almost everything in life worth doing is controlled by the Dip, Godin writes. When you embark on a project, hobby or learning experience, it’s usually fun, interesting, and rewarding. Over the first few days, weeks or months, your interest in the endeavor keeps you engaged.

Until you encounter a Dip.

“The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery. A long slog that’s actually a shortcut, because it gets you where you want to go faster than any other path,” says Godin.

Successful people don’t just ride out the Dip, Godin advises. They lean into it, pushing harder and changing the rules as they go.”

The author also stresses the value of quitting before you reach the dip. Not starting doing something if you believe you won’t be able to get through the dip, that is. “There is no point in quitting once you are in the dip because you’re already experiencing the pain – if you are going to quit – quit before the dip – it’s cheaper and it’s smarter.”

Seth also writes about getting off the cul-de-sacs that breed mediocrity. Getting off the cul-de-sac is the art of strategic and tactical quitting.

“You can realize that quitting the stuff you don’t care about or the stuff you’re mediocre at or better yet, quitting the Cul-de-Sacs, frees up your resources to obsess about the Dips that matter,” he writes.

It took me a while to realise but it’s very true. Quitters can win. And what’s more – quitter do win. Every recent book from big company CEOs and succesfull businessmen demonstrates that.

Truth be told I did quit a lot of things in the dip. Even the good ones. I tried a lot of things in my life – I’m mediocre at chess, poker, golf, German, never quite made it as a public speaker, ended good relationships because of minor problems…

It took a dip that I thought is fighting for that unfortunately wasn’t open to it for me to realize that. Now I feel empowered to enter some old dips worth overcoming and fighting for… And finally make it!

Wish me luck