The Dip

Seth Godin’s book The Dip reminds me a lot of George Leonard’s book Mastery. Both of them talk about the non-glamorous middle period after the excitement of the beginning wears off where many, if not most, people quit. Here is Godin’s description of The Dip:

At the beginning, when you first start something, it’s fun.…it’s interesting, and you get plenty of good feedback from the people around you. Over the next few days and weeks, the rapid learning you experience keeps you going. Whatever your new thing is, it’s easy to stay engaged in it. And then the Dip happens. The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery…The Dip is the combination of bureaucracy and busywork….The Dip is the difference between the easy “beginner” technique and the more useful “expert” approach…The Dip is the long stretch between beginner’s luck and real accomplishment.