Book Brief: The Dip by Seth Godin

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
Seth Godin
Portfolio, 2007
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Amazon.com

Synopsis

In this iconic bestseller, popular business blogger and bestselling author Seth Godin proves that winners are really just the best quitters. Godin shows that winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt—until they commit to beating the right Dip.

Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out fun…then gets really hard, and not much fun at all. You might be in a Dip—a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s really a Cul-de-Sac—a total dead end. What really sets superstars apart is the ability to tell the two apart.

Recommended For

Entrepreneurs, bootstrappers, creators, makers, innovators, artists.

The Pros

This book normalizes that stuck point of “should I stay or should I go?” and helps mediate the decision without beating around the bush. Best of all, this entire book can be read in one sitting, which will help you make that decision and get back to business.

The Cons

Godin’s books can read like a bunch of blog posts stuck together around a theme. It’s good for bite-sized reading, but those who are seeking a more philosophical, in-depth exploration will be disappointed. Then again, perhaps the philosophizing is what’s standing in the way of your decision making!

Fun Fact

At under 100 (small) pages, you’ll want to keep this on hand as a quick repeat read for future forks in the road. It’s also a great recommendation or gift for clients and friends.