Caught up in the Dip

I just finished “The Dip” by Seth Godin and I wished I would have read the book years ago.  For the past three years I was firmly immersed in Godin’s “Dip”, a valued contributor to the multi-national company I worked for, but not reaching my personal and professional growth goals. 

The concept of “The Dip” is simple—if you’re not moving forward in a job and you see no measurable progress in sight, why stick with it?  According to Godin, “If you’re trying to succeed in a job or a relationship or a task, you’re moving forward, falling behind or standing still.  There are only three choices.”

I wasn’t moving forward.  I was firmly planted in The Dip.  In hindsight I was caught up in the “company man” mindset of years past.  Like many I was raised with the notion that you get a job with a good company and put in thirty years and then retire with a nice vested pension.  The problem with that notion is that the loyalty that builds a thirty-year career is not often reciprocated by the company you work for.

That’s not to say you should quit.  When you’re in The Dip you don’t necessarily have to quit your job.  You may want to change your approach or your tactics.  If you see personal and professional growth it may be worth “leaning in and busting through”, as Godin says in the book.

The biggest takeaway is to recognize when you’re in The Dip, then take action.