Dealing with the Dips

Dealing with the Dips
By John Thurman, adapted from Seth Godin’s The Dip
          Grocery stores are fantastic places to observe human behavior. The two stores that Angie and I shop at are Smith’s and Albertsons. On any given day you can observe at least three checkout models. Next time you go to you grocery store dial in your keen powers of observation and see if you see what I see.
          The first strategy is to pick the shortest line and get in it. Stay in that line, no matter what.
          The second strategy is to pick the shortest line and switch lines once (at the maximum) if something holds up your line-like the brainless person who forgot their pin number on their debit card. But that’s it, only one switch.
          The third strategy is to pick the shortest line and keep scanning other lines. Switch lines if a shorter one appears. Continue this process until you leave the store.
The major problem with the third approach is obvious. Every time you switch lines, you’re starting over. In your search for a quick fix, you almost certainly waste time and you definitely waste energy going back and forth.
          In life as in business serial quitters spend a lot of time in line. They never get anywhere because they are always switching lines, never really staying with something long enough to make it work.
          Life is full of dips, those times when you may feel defeated, depleted and basically let down. It happens in relationships, and in businesses. It is a universal problem. The issue is, what are you going to do about it.
          Here is a key principle, burn this into your brain, it will help you get through the dip. The ones who get rewarded in life and in business are the ones who don’t quit. The opposite of quitting isn’t “waiting for something to happen.” The opposite of quitting is rededication. The opposite of quitting is an invigorated new strategy designed to break you out of the dip. When you hit a dip, don’t quit. If you quit, you fail. Failing means that your dream is over. Failing happens when you give up, when there are no other options, or when you quit so often that you’ve used up all your time a resource.
So how do you get through the dip:

Remember, dips are a predictable part of life.
Don’t quit in a dip.
Redefine your dream, your why. If you can do that it will help you find the energy you need to push through the dip.
Spend time with positive people who will help you get through the dip.
Just do it!