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The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit

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  A New York Times , USA Today , and Wall Street Journal bestseller

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.

Winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can beat the Dip to be the best, you’ll earn profits, glory, and long-term security.
Whether you’re an intern or a CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you’re in a Dip that’s worthy of your time, effort, and talents. The old saying is wrong—winners do quit, and quitters do win.

80 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

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About the author

Seth Godin

151 books6,138 followers
Seth Godin is a bestselling author, entrepreneur and agent of change.

Godin is author of ten books that have been bestsellers around the world, and he is also a renowned speaker. He was recently chosen as one of 21 Speakers for the Next Century by Successful Meetings and is consistently rated among the very best speakers by the audiences he addresses.

Seth was founder and CEO of Yoyodyne, the industry's leading interactive direct marketing company, which Yahoo! acquired in late 1998.

He holds an MBA from Stanford, and was called "the Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age" by Business Week.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,566 reviews
Profile Image for Liaken.
1,500 reviews
September 13, 2011
This is a short book. Despite being short, it is very repetitive. It also advocates the philosophy that nothing is worth doing if you're not going to be #1, which is a philosophy I disagree with. However, I did find the basic concepts of this book to be interesting, even helpful. So, here's the nutshell of the book, in the book's own words. Now you don't have to read it. :-)

Excerpts from The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit by Seth Godin

Most of the time, we deal with the obstacles by persevering. Sometimes we get discouraged and turn to inspirational writing, like stuff from Vince Lombardi: "Quitters never win and winners never quit." Bad advice. Winners quit all the time. They just quit the right stuff at the right time.

Most people quit. They just don't quit successfully. (pg. 3)

Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations. Reactive quitting and serial quitting are the bane of those that strive (and fail) to get what they want. And most people do just that. They quit when it's painful and stick when they can't be bothered to quit.

There are two curves that define almost any type of situation facing you as you try to accomplish something. (A couple of minor curves cover the rest.) Understanding the different types of situations that lead you to quit-or that should cause you quit--is the first step toward getting what you want.

CURVE 1: THE DIP

Almost everything in life worth doing is controlled by the Dip.

At the beginning, when you first start something, it's fun. You could be taking up golf or acupunture or piloting a plane or doing chemistry--doesn't matter; it's interesting, and you get plenty of good feedback from teh 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. A long slog that's actually a shortcut, because it gets you where you want to go faster than any other path. (pgs. 16-17)

Important Note: Successful people don't just ride out the Dip. THey don't just buckle down and survive it. No, they lean into the Dip. They push harder, changing the rules as they go. Just because you know you're in the Dip doesn't mean you have to live happily with it. Dips don't last quite as long when you whittle at them.

CURVE 2: THE CUL-DE-SAC

The Cul-de-Sac (French for "dead end") is ... a situation where you work and you work and you work and nothing much changes. It doesn't get a lot better, it doesn't get a lot worse. It just is.

That's why they call those jobs dead-end jobs.

There's not a lot to say about the Cul-de-Sac except to realize that it exists and to embrace the fact that when you find one, you need to get off it, fast. That's because a dead end is keeping you from doing something else. The opportunity coast of investing your life in something that's not going to get better is just too high.

That's it. Two big curves (a bonus, the Cliff, follows). Stick with the Dips that are likely to pan out, and quit the Cul-de-Sacs to focus your resources. That's it.

CURVE 3: THE CLIFF (RARE BUT SCARY)

Cigarettes, it turns out, were redesigned by scientists to be particularly addictive. ...Except for that nasty drop-off at the end (otherwise known as emphysema), smoking is a marketer's dream com true. Because smoking is designed to be almost impossible to quit, the longer you do it, the better it feels to continue smoking. The pain of quitting just gets bigger and bigger over time. I call this curve a Cliff--it's a situation where you can't quit until you fall off, and the whole thing falls apart.

It's no wonder that people have trouble stopping.

The thing is, a profession in selling isn't like smoking cigarettes. Neither is making it as a singer or building a long-term relationship with someone you care about. Most of hte time, the other two curves are in force. The Dip and the Cul-de-Sac aren't linear. They don't spoon feed you with little bits of improvement every day. And they're just waiting to trip you up.

If It Is Worth Doing, There's Probably a Dip(pgs. 19-21)

The Cul-de-Sac and the Cliff Are the Curves That Lead to Failure

If you find yourself facing either of these two curves, you need to quit. Not soon, but right now. The biggest obstacle to success in life, as far as I can tell, is our inability to quit these curves soon enough. (pg. 22)

It's okay to quit, sometimes.

In fact, it's okay to quit often.

You should quit if you're on a dead-end path. You should quit if you're facing a Cliff. You should quit if the project you're working on has a Dip that isn't worth the reward at the end. Quitting the projects that don't go anywhere is essential if you want to stick out the right ones. You don't have the time or the passion or the resources to be the best in the world at both.

Quitting a Tactic vs. Quitting a Strategy

Yes, I know it's heretical, but I'm advocating quitting. Quitting often, in fact.

Not giving up and abandoning your long-term strategy (wherever you might be using that strategy--a career, an income, a relationship, a sale) but quitting the tactics that aren't working.

Getting off a Cul-de-Sac is not a moral failing. It's just smart. Seeing a Cliff coming far in advance isn't a sign of weakness. Instead, it represents real insight and bravery. It frees up your energy for the Dip. (pgs. 59-60)

"Never Quit"

What a spectacularly bad piece of advice. It ranks up there with "Oh, that's a funny dirty joke, let's tell the teacher!" Never quit? Never quit wetting your bed? Or that job you had at Burger King in high school? Never quit selling a product that is now obsolete?

Wait a minute. Didn't that coach say quitting was a bad idea?

Actually, quitting as a short-term strategy is a bad idea. Quitting for the long term is an excellent idea.

I think the advice-giver meant to say, "Never quit something with great long-term potential just because you can't deal with the stress of the moment." Now that's good advice.

Pride Is the Enemy of the Smart Quitter

Richard Nixon sacrificed tens of thousands of innocent lives (on both sides) when he refused to quit the Vietnam war. The only reason he didn't quit sooner: pride. The very same pride that keeps someone in the same career years after it has become unattractive and no fun. The very same pride that keeps a restaurant open long after it's clear that business is just not going to pick up.

When you're facing a Cul-de-Sac, what's your reason for sticking? Are you too proud to quit?

One reason people feel really good after they quit a dead-end project is that they discover that hurting one's pride is not fatal. You work up the courage to quit, bracing yourself for the sound of your ego being ripped to shreds--and then everything is okay.

If pride is the only thing keeping you from quitting, if there's no Dip to get through, you're likely wasting an enormous amount of time and money defending something that will heal pretty quickly. (pgs. 64-65)
Profile Image for Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill).
1,358 reviews3,250 followers
January 12, 2023

“Winners never quit and quitters never win ”

If you are someone who believes in the above quote by Vince Lombardi, you should definitely read this book. It puts forward a concept that is entirely different from it, which might help you in your future. Seth Godin, in this book, tells us when is the best time to quit.
“Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt”

The author tells us about strategic and reactive quitting. He explains our life experiences with the help of three types of curves.

1) The Dip After the interesting initial phase you start to experience challenges. This phase is called “the Dip.” The author tells us that the “the Dip” is not an obstacle but an opportunity or a shortcut to success.

2) The Cul-de-Sac
This is essentially a dead-end. There is no progress from this phase even after we put a lot of hard work into this phase

3) The Cliff
This is usually the tipping point from where things fall apart.

What is the most important point you can learn from this book?
The author tells you never to quit if you are in the dip phase. It is actually an opportunity coming in the disguise of an obstacle. This is your best opportunity to make it big

You can quit if you face the Cul-de-sac or cliff or if you are sure that you will not become the best in your path you have selected. This book has some powerful concepts that will help you if you are going through a challenging phase in your life.
Profile Image for WhatIReallyRead.
781 reviews536 followers
May 28, 2020
I'll save you the bother of reading this book. Seth Godin's whole point is this:

Only do the things you're going to be the best in the world at. If you won't be the best in the world at them - quit right now (if you've already started) or don't start (if you haven't yet).

Which is laughable for several reasons.

From the point where you start something to the point when you make an accomplishment, a whole bunch of things happens:

- the world changes (the market, the economy, the demand/supply ratio, etc.)
- you change

The degree and characteristics of that change are impossible to predict. Before you take up ballet, you can't know how well your body will stretch and adapt to the demands of a new way of moving. YOU JUST CAN'T KNOW THAT. The whole point of going on a road is that it reveals itself during the process. If you've ever made a long-lasting prediction that proved to be accurate, it was just a coincidence.

You can know before you start whether or not you have the resources and the will to get to the end. It's pretty easy to determine whether something is a Cul-de-Sac or a Dip. (c)

No, you can't. No, it's not easy. Not even close. I can't believe the amount of power he thinks a feeble human brain has. Maybe he's never tried to make a mathematical model for predicting things and just doesn't know what he's talking about.

It's easy to be a CEO. What's hard is getting there. (c)

No, it's not easy being a CEO, you dumbass!

The other thing I have an issue with: not all the things we do are done for excellence.

He says:

The mature thing is not even to bother starting to snowboard because you're probably not going to make it through the Dip. And the stupid thing to do is to start, give it your best shot, waste a lot of time and money, and quit right in the middle of the Dip.

Yeah, dude, have you ever heard of a thing called a recreational sport? I'm pretty sure most people take up snowboarding to relax and switch from their main line of work, not to become the Olimpic champion.

... the wrongest thing might very well be this: Being well rounded is the secret to success. How often do you look for someone who is actually quite good at the things you don't need her to do? How often do you hope that your accountant is a safe driver and a decent golfer?

Um, okay. You may not need your accountant to be a safe driver. But she needs to be a safe driver for herself. The point of being well-rounded is not to pave the road to success. The point is wellness. What kind of life is a person is going to have if they are awesome at accounting and horrible at everything else? Sure, from a certain level, she might get a driver and a team of people to all the other stuff for her. But to do that, she would need to survive somehow to build that career.

"Skim through the questions and answer the easiest ones first, skipping ones you don't know immediately." Bad advice. Superstars can't skip the ones they don't know.

Um. Wow. Yeah, if you have a choice to get all the answers - by all means, do. But if you're not a superstar, get at least some questions right instead of getting stuck on one you don't know the answer to. Jeez.

All in all, most of this book was unbearably dumb bullshit, which stands no criticism. He did have a few nice-ish points, so I'm giving it two stars, but generally, it was a waste of time, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Profile Image for Ahmad Sakr.
371 reviews371 followers
October 14, 2021
تحديث: قمت بعمل ملخص كرتوني وافي للكتاب على قناتي.. أتمنى يعجبكم وتلاقوا فيه الخلاصة :))
لينك الملخص:
https://youtu.be/hu3jJGxMg8I

كتاب جميل ومتوسط الحجم تقوم فكرته الأساسية على أنه أح��انا يكون الانسحاب من طريق معين خيارًا أفضل من الإكمال فيه.. ولكن هذا الانسحاب يجب أن يكون
انسحابًا استراتيجيًا.. أي أنه انسحاب غير ناتج عن تكاسل أو خوف بل ناتج عن إعادة تقييم للوضع في الوقت الحالي..
كذلك فإن الكتاب يشجع على أهمية الإصرار على إكمال المهام وعدم الانسحاب منها، ويوضح أن التركيز على مهمة واحدة بدلًا من التشتيت هو الطريق الوحيد لتكون الأفضل.. وأن الانسحاب من بعض المهام يصاحبه التمسك بأكثر المهام أهمية
Profile Image for Daniel.
89 reviews4 followers
May 7, 2008
It's all pretty obvious, but I saw a copy of this 80-page book lying around at work and figured that I could use something to read in the gym. The main point doesn't even need that much space to get across: persistence is overrated; if one doesn't expect long-term success in something (be it a career, relationship, or whatever), it's better to quit immediately than stick with it. The Dip is the hard slog between being barely competent at something ("beginner's luck" is the phrase Godin uses) and being the best in the world at it, and if you're not going to be able to slog through it, you should give up and try something else.

One interesting point that Godin makes that I hadn't thought much about before is that while being well-rounded and good at most things is beneficial in school (I believe that the example he uses is that getting straight Bs is viewed as being better than getting Cs and Ds plus an A or two), it doesn't matter in adult life, where those who are most rewarded are those who excel in a particular field. No one cares whether Barry Bonds can write an essay or how fast Salman Rushdie can wheeze his way around a track.
Profile Image for Anu.
17 reviews302 followers
August 1, 2007
Read the book in an hour while waiting out rush hour traffic at the bookstore. While it wasn't a complete waste of time for me (I actually needed to hear some of the things Godin says in the book), the book definitely repeats the same message over and over again, sometimes using the exact same words. There were a few points I thought worth noting, and I jotted them down on a small napkin. If you're interested in this book, I suggest you save your time and read my napkin instead :).
Profile Image for Wissal H.
818 reviews347 followers
April 23, 2024
ما أجمل الكتب التي تقع بين أيدينا صدفة وهذا واحد منهم 💙

كما الحال مع هذا الكتاب اللطيف جدا ، صراحة تفاجأت من فكرته لكن وجدت بها من الكثير من الصواب !

باختصار فكرة الكتاب تتمحور حول أهمية الانسحاب في بعض المواقف و العودة أكثر قوة و تركيز ! أهمية هذا الإنسحاب و نتائجه

في البداية عندما تبدأ ما لأول مرة تشعر بالإستمتاع (ممارسة رياضة، قراءة كتاب، قيادة سيارة...) بعد ذلك يظهر المنخفض.
🔵المنخفض هو الطريق الطويل الشاق الممتد بين البداية والإتقان.

🔵المنخفض هو مزيج من التكرار الممل والعمل الكثير الذي لا بد أن تقوم به حتى تحصل على شهادة تدل على اجادتك للغوص.

🔵المنخفض هو الإختلاف بين الأسلوب السهل الذي يتبعه "المبتدئ" ونهج "الخبير" الأكثر فائدة في مجال تخصصه.

🔵المنخفض هو الإمتداد الطويل بين حظ المبتدئ والإنجاز الحقيقي.
المنخفض هو مجموعة من الحواجز الزائفة لإبعاد أمثالك.

والمنخفض مختلف عن المنحدر كما سمته الكاتبة النحدر هو الهوة التي يقع بها المحبط دون الخروج منها
اما المنخفض هو ما وجدته المرحلة الانتقالية بين رتابة ما أنت عليه و ماتريد الوصول إليه و ما يعترضك من عقبات خلال طريقك التي تتطلب منك الكثير من الصبر و التفكير و احيانا الانسحاب في الوقت السليم و الرجوع حين تجد نفسك مستعد لذالك .

من أجمل ماقرأت وأكثرها إفادة

💙
Profile Image for Obied Alahmed.
246 reviews153 followers
August 17, 2017
كتاب جيد لا بأس به
يركز على فكرة الانسحاب من المجال والمقصود بالمجال كل ما يخطر على بالك ( مشروع - وظيفة - اختصاص تدرسه - رياضة تمارسها ... )

يحاول أن يورد صور من هنا وهناك ليوضح أن الانسحاب ليس هزيمة دائما بل قد يكون خيار رابح
المهم الحكمة في اتخاذ القرار ومتى يكون وأن يكون مخطط له

بعض ما ورد في الكتاب وأعجبني :

- أغلب الناس ينسحبون ولكنهم لا يفعلون ذلك بنجاح

- المجتمع يعتمد على أنك سوف تنسحب تحت الضغط وهذا ما تركز عليه الشركات والمنظمات

- متى ما عرفت الحفرة التي يتعثر فيها الكثير فستكون على بعد خطوة من التغلب عليها

- السبب الحقيقي لأهمية الرقم ( واحد ) هو ندرة الأماكن المتاحة على القمـة ( جميل جدا )

- الموهوبون هم فقط من يقلقون من ��لأداء المتواضع

- في العالم التنافسي المحن تكون حليفا لك للتميز والنجاح
Profile Image for Yaz.
1 review
June 26, 2018
Notes I took:

The Dip.

- "Zipf's law"
(1st place and 2nd place aren't exactly very close in winnings)

• Being the very best matters
- since everyone is looking for the very best, the reward for it is enormous!
- only a few spots up there..

• Each individual's "best in the world" is different depending on factors that matter to them.
- "Best" is subjective
- don't need to be the best at everything! Pick the RIGHT thing and do it all the way.. More places to win, stakes are higher!

• Don't hope to succeed because you're the only one being considered.

Know when to "quit" and when to "refuse to settle"

Don't be mediocre at everything!

Two types of quitting: Strategic and Reactive Quitting.

Two curves for any situation:

1- (The Dip)

-Everything in life worth doing is controlled by the dip (or has a dip)

-don't just endure the dip, lean into it, push harder, change the rules.

- just because you know you're in the dip doesn't mean u have to live happily with it ..

2- (The Cul De Sac)
- french for "dead end"
- you Work work work nothing much changes..
- when you spot it, get off it fast!
- It's keeping you away from doing something else..Focus your resources on something worth it.

3- (The Cliff) -Bonus
-You can't quit till you fall off, and the whole thing falls apart.

- The dip creates scarcity, scarcity creates value.

-Success comes thru times with ability to push through the moments where it's just easier to quit.

- both the cliff and caldesac lead to failure. Our biggest obstacle in life is the ability to quit those two

> Either go full power or quit

Success
-The dip is secret to Success because those who push through it aren't settling for what they got, they refuse to abandon the quest and they're embracing the challenge.
>Brave choice: give it all and win
>Mature choice: not waste resources, save it for a true passion.
>Stupid choice: start, give it your best, waste resources, then quit in the dip. (Avoid this common one)

- The "wind" problem. The unpredictable factor that changes exactly when you don't want it to.

- The reason we're here is to solve the hard problems.

- Be happy wind issue exists because without it you're easily replaceable!

"The dip is the reason you're here"

• It's not enough to survive through the dip. You get what you deserve when you embrace it and treat it like the opportunity that it really is.

- Woodpecker peck 20 times on thousand trees an get no where but 'keep himself busy'
Or, peck 20,000 times at One tree and gets himself dinner?

- Quitting is DIFFICULT. Requires you to admit that you're never going to be no. 1 in the world. (at least not at this..)
- sometimes the dip is too big, too deep to get through with the resources you have available.

Step 1:
Knowing that you're facing a dip.

ABS **you're always using your muscles.. But they don't grow. Because you quit using them at the point where the stress would cause them to start growing. Natural reaction because stressed muscle hurts and (feels unsafe) but it's This Reflex that creates scarcity..

• Quitting when you hit the dip is a bad idea. If the journey you started was worth doing, quitting now will just waste all the resources you already invested.

-Quitting a lot in the dip makes you a Serial Quitter: one that starts many things but accomplishes little.

(If u can't make it thru the dip, DON'T START) -know the journeys you choose..

A "superstar" is the best in the world at what she does"

Want to be a superstar? Choose the field with the "steep dip" because not a lot will.

But you have to get through it to the other side..

-Not enough: need to also quit the cul-de-sacs that are currently sucking away from you.

You Fail to become "best in world" when:
-run out of time (quit)
-run out of money (quit)
-get scared (quit)
-not serious about it (quit)
-lose interest or enthusiasm or settle for MEDIOCRE. (quit)
-focus on short term not long term (quit when short gets hard)
-you chose the wrong thing (because u dot have the talent for it)

Eight Dip curves to watch out for:

- Manufacturing Dip
- Sales Dip
- Education Dip
- Risk Dip (invest to get through dip, or investing in a risky crapshoot?)
- Relationship Dip
- Conceptual Dip
- Ego Dip (it's easier when it's all about you. Giving up control and leaning into organization gives you leverage: most people can't give up control or spotlight, they're stuck!)
- Distribution Dip

• See the curve in advance and quit the Cul-de-sac.

-Nothings wrong with optimism. Pain comes when optimists have to make hard choices while stuck in the dip.

"..if you can keep going when the system is expecting you to stop, you will achieve extraordinary results."

If your going to quit, quit before you start. Reject the system. Don't play the game if you realize you can't be the best in the world!

- When faced with the dip, most people suck it up and try to Average their way to success.

The temptation to be average is jus another kind of quitting ..

If you're not able to get through the Dip in an exceptional way, you must quit. Right now!

It's easy to be seduced by the new money and the rush to the fresh. -leads to addiction and a very short attention span.

How to get through it?
Relentlessly changing tactics but never quitting the big idea.

-Market wants to see u persist. It demands a signal from you that you're serious, powerful, accepted, safe.

The opposite of Quitting.. is an invigorated new strategy designed to break the problem apart.

Short term pain has more impact on most people than Long term benefits do. Which is why it's so important that you AMPLIFY the long term benefits of not quitting.

Strategic Quitting:

-Look for a new job, when you don't need one!

- Never quite Something with great long term potential just because you can't deal with the stress of the moment.

- Pride can be you enemy when u need to quit.

Forget the cliche "never give up". Sometimes giving up is exactly what you need in order to get back up.
Profile Image for Amir Tesla.
161 reviews727 followers
November 23, 2017
پیشنهاد به: همه اونایی که دوست دارن "فوق العاده" باشن

موضوع
کتاب در خصوص مفهومی به نام شیب هست. چیزی یا بهتره بگم شرایطی که در هر پروسه ای از پیشرفت به وجود میاد و جاییه که آدمای معمولی و فوق العاده موفق از هم جدا می شن.

به طور کلی کتاب دو تا موضوع اصلی رو بررسی می کنه. یکی مقاومت در برابر شیب، و دیگری ترک کردن کاری که بهش مشغول هستین. برعکس خیلی از ضرب المثل ها و شاید انتظاراتتون، نویسنده نمی گه دست کشیدن از کار یا مسیری که درگیرش هستین کار بدیه. و می گه اگر در کار یا شرایطی هستین که پیشرفت شما متوقف شده اتفاقا باید اون رو ترک کنید:
"Quitters never win and winners never quit." Bad advice! Winners quit all the tine. They just quit the right stuff at the right time
چکیده کتاب
چیزی که خیلی باید در مسیر پیشرفت و رسیدن به خواسته هامون باید بهش آگاه باشیم، و این آگاه بودن به ما کمک می کنه مفهوم دیپ هست که شکلش اینه:
description
محور عمودی میزان نتیجه ای که می گیریم رو نشون می ده و محور افقی میزان تلاش.
فرض کنید یک کار جدیدی رو شروع کردید (از یاد گرفتن زبان یا موسیقی گرفته تا شروع کردن یک بیزنس جدید). اوایل مسیر اغلب با یک مقدار تلاش کم نتایجی رو آدم می گیری تا اینکه جلو تر می ره. به یه جایی می رسیم که کارا سخت می شه و هرچی انرژی می ذاریم و تلاش می کنیم نتیجه چندانی نمی گیریم. نکته اصلی کتاب همینه که اینجا فرق آدم های موفق و آدم هایی که همیشه توی هر کاری معمولی و متوسط می مونن مشخص می شه. کسایی که با ظاهر شدن اولین ناملایمتی های مسیر تسلیم می شن شایسته رسیدن به قله نیستن.
هر وقت به سختی خوردین بدونید راه درستی در پیش گرفتین ;)

در نهایت تلاش کتاب این هست که این سه تا مفهوم رو که شرط به قله رسیدن هست روشن کنه:
1. Quit the wrong stuff
2. Stick with the right stuff.
3. Have the guts to do one or the other.
بقیه کتاب صرف تعریف این خوب و بدها می شه تقریبا و پر هست از جمله های رنگارنگ و مثال های جالبی که خاص استایل سِث گادین، نویسنده کتاب هست که در ادامه جهت جلای روح بهترین هاش رو آوردم:

Selected
-Extraordinary benefits accrue to the tiny minority of people who are ale to push just a tiny bit longer than most

-Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations. Reactive quitting and serial quitting are the bane of those that strive (and fail) to get what they want. And most people do just that. They quit when it's painful and stick when they can't be bothered to quit.

- The difference between a mediocre Tennis player and a regional champion isn't inborn talent, it's the ability to push through the moments where it's just easier to quit.

- A woodpecker can tap twenty times on a thousand trees and get nowhere, but stay busy. Or he can tap twenty-thousand times on one tree and get dinner.
Profile Image for Peiman.
463 reviews134 followers
March 3, 2024
کتاب شیب به طور کلی در دسته‌ی کتب موفقیت با تمرکز بیشتر بر کسب و کار قرار میگیره. به طور خلاصه حرف کتاب اینه که برای موفقیت در کسب و کار باید بهترین باشید، چرا؟ چون با توجه به محدودیت منابع و زمان مردم معمولا ریسک اشتباه کردن رو نمی‌پذیرند و سراغ بهترین میرن. (این حرف در صورتی درسته که فرض کنیم همه توانایی استفاده از خدمات بهترین رو دارند، مثلاً اگر شما بهترین گوشی رو با قیمت ۵۰ میلیون تولید کنید، نود درصد مردم اصلا توان تهیه رو ندارند و به دنبال بهترین مناسب بودجه خودشون هستند) در ادامه توضیح میده که این بهترین بودن بستگی به مدل و هدف کسب کار می‌تونه بهترین در جهان باشه یا بهترین در یک شهر مثلاً. پس اگه می‌بینید در کاری بهترین نیستید و نخواهید شد و در واقع جای پیشرفتی ندارید، منابع و انرژی خودتون رو هدر ندید و کار رو رها کنید. نویسنده میگه با این جمله که افراد موفق هرگز تسلیم نمی‌شوند به شدت مخالفه چون افراد موفق اگر بن‌بست ببینند به سرعت تسلیم میشن و دنبال راه درستی میگردند. اما مهمترین عبارت کتاب اسم کتابه، شیب. اینجا مطرح میشه که گاهی شما در بن‌بست نیستید و به یک شیب در کسب و کار رسیدید و اینجا جاییه که اگه تلاش کنید و ازش عبور کنید موفقیت شما تقریباً تضمین میشه چون بسیاری از رقبا در این مرحله شکست رو میپذیرن. در ادامه هم چند مسئله برای نحوه‌ی رها کردن و استراتژی و از این مسائل میگه. اما سوال میلیون دلاری چیه؟ الان در بن‌بستم یا شیب؟ این سوالیه که کتاب براش جواب قابل قبولی نداره.ه
Profile Image for Gene Babon.
188 reviews85 followers
September 3, 2022
I'm a fan of simple and this book is simple. The message is clear:
Being the Best in the World is Seriously Underrated
The Dip refers to "the long slog between starting and mastery." Extraordinary benefits accrue to the tiny minority who are able to get through The Dip by persisting longer than most.

To be the best at anything you have to quit. You have to quit the right stuff at the right time. Quit the cul-de-sacs of life—those dead ends that aren't likely to take you anywhere. Once you quit cul-de-sacs (dead-end projects, hobbies, jobs, etc.) you can refocus your resources on getting through The Dip and mastering those few things in life that matter to you most.

How do you know which projects to quit? You should quit if the project (hobby, job, etc.) has a dip that isn't worth the reward at the end. Never quit anything with great long-term potential just because you can't deal with the stress of the moment.

Final thought: "A woodpecker can tap twenty times on a thousand trees and get nowhere, but stay busy. Or he can tap twenty-thousand times on one tree and get dinner."

I chose dinner over staying busy.

Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on Business Leadership and Business Strategy at Pinterest.
Profile Image for Yasmine Alishzadeh.
38 reviews15 followers
July 20, 2021
• تقریبا هر چیزی که در زندگی ارزش انجام دادن را داشته باشد، توسط شیب کنترل می شود.
• شیب، همان تقلا و تلاش سختی است که بینِ شروع یک کار و استاد شدن دریک کار وجود دارد.
• مرداب شرایطی است که شما کار می کنید و کار می کنید و کار می کنید و تغییر زیادی به وجود نمی آید. نه خیلی بهتر می شود، و نه خیلی بدتر. فقط به همان صورت باقی می ماند.
• گر شما نتوانید به مرحله ی بعدی بروید، فکرتان می رود، و انرژی شما را برای یاد گرفتن چیزی دیگر و غیر ضروری هدر می دهد.
• اگر نمی خواهید زندگیتان را پایش بگذارید، ارزش ندارد وقتتان را صرفش کنید.
• نه تنها شما باید یک شیب را پیدا کنید که بتوانید از آن بگذرید، بلکه باید از تمام مرداب هایی که در حال حاضر بیهوده در آن ها هستید هم خارج شوید. شما باید از پروژه ها و سرمایه گذاری ها و تلاش هایی که چنین فرصت هایی برای شما ایجاد نمی کنند خارج شوید. این کار سخت است، ولی خیلی خیلی اهمیت دارد.
• خروج استراتژیک یک انتخاب آگاهانه است که بر مبنای انتخاب های پیش رویتان انجام می دهید. وقتی متوجه می شوید در راهی قرار دارید که آینده ی درخشانی در انتظارتان نیست، و راه دیگری وجود دارد که ارزش سرمایه گذاری را دارد، خروج نه تنها یک انتخاب منطقی است، بلکه یک انتخاب هوشمندانه است.
• هر کار معمولی ای که انجام می دهید در حال اتلاف وقت و انرژی خود هستید. اگر بهترین کاری که می توانید بکنید همین است، مشکلی نیست، می توانید به کارتان ادامه دهید.
• این انتخاب – که بدون هیچ پیشرفتی در جا بزنیم – تلف شدن است. چرا که باعث می شود بسیاری از فرصت ها را از دست بدهید در حالی که می توانستید در همین زمان کارِ خیلی بهتر و خیلی لذت بخش تری انجام دهید.
• برای گذشتن از شیب باید از تمام کارهای دیگر خارج شوید. اگر قرار نیست کارتان تاثیری در این دنیا داشته باشد از آن خارج شوید.
Profile Image for Fotooh Jarkas.
100 reviews1,160 followers
October 15, 2016
I loved it!

It's about how not to talk yourself into quitting your (work ,relationship, project, ..etc) just cuz it hurts or cuz you can't deal with the stress of the moment



and taking the Quit as an intelligent strategic decision to give up the called dead-end situations, something with poor long-term potentials.


The main point was awesome, but 85 pages were just too much !
Profile Image for Saeed.
173 reviews59 followers
October 22, 2017
این کتاب کتاب رقابته، میگه اگه تو زمینه ای که داری کار میکنی رسیدن به اونجایی که هستی برای رقبا راحته پس تو بهترین نیستی و مسلماً جامعه جوایزش
رو برای نفرات اول قرار داده و شما که بهترین نمی تونید باشید نمی تونید انتظار پاداش های بزرگ از جامعه این چنینی داشته باشید

،دیپ یا گودال یک استراتژی است که شما شرایط رو برای رقبا بسیار سخت میکنید تا نتوانند به شما برسند
از اسم انگلیسش هم معلومه که کتاب خیلی خوبیه

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

Life changing book: only 80 pages
Profile Image for Sara Bakhshi.
1,305 reviews321 followers
January 3, 2021
شیب/ دره/ فتح قله ؟
جا زدن / کم آوردن ؟
تلاش کردن ⇦ موفقیت رسیدن ؟
راهی یافتن/ راهی ساختن ؟

کتاب خوبی بود؛ اصولن از این مدل کتاب‌ها خوشم نمیاد ولی این واقعن خوب بود. برای من نیاز بود حداقل.
احتیاج داشتم از جایی غیر از خانواده بشنوم جا زدن هم وقتی با منطق، به جا و غیر احساسی باشه، نیازه گاهی.

اینکه بتونی تنبلی رو از جا زدن تفکیک کنی
اینکه بتونی بن‌بست رو از مسیر سخت جدا کنی

قاعدتن با چهارتا کلمه تو این کتاب نمی‌شه، ولی برا مایی که عادت کردیم که هی تلاش کنیم هی تلاش کنیم تا در رو باز کنیم، گوشزد اینکه یه سری وقت‌ها دری نیست که باز بشه یا دیواری نیست که ارزش ریختن داشته باشه مفیده.

برا یه سری هم‌سن‌ها و اطرافیانم که دارن مسیر ناخواسته و به نظر خودشون غلط رو ادامه میدن، ولی هنوز هم نمیرن پی چیزی که دوستش دارن و توش موفق ترن، فقط چون «تا نصف مسیر اومدن» یا «حالا دو سال مونده همه‌ش» ، یاداوری این نکات مفید میتونه باشه.


حالا بعدن بیشتر میام میگم. امروز کتاب تموم شد ولی فعلن امتحان دارم چیزی براش تایپ نکردم که سریع بذارم اینجا، باید برم بشینم با حوصله بنویسم.
Profile Image for ولاء شكري.
740 reviews337 followers
October 28, 2022
هذا كتاب موجز عن موضوع الإنسحاب أو التخلي عما نسعى إليه، يهدف الكاتب من خلاله إلى التأكيد على أن ليس كل إنسحاب تقوم به هو قرار خاطئ، و لكن قد يكون إستمرارك  - فى عمل أو علاقه فاشلة - هو القرار الخاطئ إذا كان لا يحقق لك ما تطمح إليه، ولكن ينصح الكاتب قائلاً :
" لا تترك أبداً شيئاً له إمكانيات عظيمة على المدى الطويل لمجرد أنك غير قادر على التعامل مع ضغوط اللحظة الراهنة".
Profile Image for Hesam.
156 reviews18 followers
December 13, 2018

موفقیت از آن ِ اقلیت کوچکی ست که کمی بیشتر از اکثریت مردم پافشاری میکند و دوام می آورد
موفقیت از آن ِ اکثریت کمی ست که جسارت ول کردن سریع و تمرکز روی کار جدید را دارند.

یک مساله مهم وجود دارد؛ جسارت انتخاب یکی از دو مورد زیر:
ول کردن کارهای اشتباه
و
چسبیدن به کار های درست

سعدی هم شاید همین مضمون را (و چیزی فراتر از سخن گفتن ِ صرف را) در اندیشه داشت آنگاه که گفت:

دو چیز طیره عقلست دم فروبستن
به وقت گفتن و گفتن به وقت خاموشی


مساله مهم دیگر اما این است که قبل از شروع هر کار بدانید که کجا و تحت چه شرایطی این کار را ول خواهید کرد.

شیب مسیر طولانی و اغلب دشوار و دیوار بلندی ست که متمایزکننده یک حرفه ای و یک آماتور است...شیب منجر به کمیابی می شود و کمیابی ارزشمند است چون هر کسی را یارای ِ پیمودن ِ این راه نیست...

پس به زبان ساده : اگر از عهده شیب برنمی آیید بهتر است اصلا آن را شروع نکنید
Profile Image for Foad Ansari.
252 reviews38 followers
February 10, 2017
I get two important lesson from this small but amazing book.
firstly: we should have exit plan for our business for example determine the exit time during my job and answer to this questions: in which situation i have to leave my job?
secondly: if you can not be great and famous or popular in wide market try to find a Niche Market and be the first one in small market.
after all : highly recommended
Profile Image for Chris Burd.
341 reviews6 followers
September 13, 2013
I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Godin and was looking forward to reading this book. I found quickly, however, I fundamentally disagree with much of his reasoning. I think that knowing when to quit - and not to sink time and money into something that isn't profitable - is an important lesson, and I was hoping to learn his thoughts on how to identify the right time to quit. Instead, his advice is to quit if you don't think that you can be the very best - because anything less is not worthwhile.

I could, perhaps, even consider an economic rationale for that advice in business. (It would be an interesting argument to explore - although even then I'm not sure I can agree.) However, Mr. Godin takes it to a much simpler and, in my opinion, less palatable conclusion. If you can't be the best (or you aren't willing to put the energy into being the best) don't do it. He uses examples of personal hobbies, such as snow boarding, crafting or golf. The idea that there are reasons that someone might do something for reasons other than being the best is outside of his realm of understanding. The idea that someone might simply enjoy doing something - even if they aren't very good at it and don't intend to train obsessively - is not even a consideration.

My biggest complaint about this book, though, is that it is a BOOK at all. While this is a short book, it could have gotten the same point across in a medium-length blog post. The book itself is extremely vague and repetitive - perhaps giving you a new perspective but not providing concrete steps to take. I was also often puzzled by the examples he chose to utilize, as they did not seem to always illustrate the point he was making. I felt like he was stretching a bit for relatable examples.

Not Mr. Godin's best work.
Profile Image for Shahrzad Pakgohar.
18 reviews12 followers
October 24, 2017
کتاب شیب یک مفهوم کلیدی دارد که سعی میکند باور به آن را به شیوه‌های گوناگون در ذهن شما نهادینه کند. محور کلیدی کتاب آن است که هدفتان را بیابید، وقتی را آن را یافتید برای بهترین شدن در آن در حد جنون تلاش کنید.
این مفهوم را میتوانید در کتابهای دیگر هم ببینید. به نظر من کتاب سرسختی آنجلا داکورث و نبرد هنرمند استیون پرسفیلد هم همین محور کلیدی را دارند. آنچه که شیب را از کتابهای دیگر متمایز میکند پرداختن به مفهوم "رها کردن" در کنار مفهوم ثابت قدم بودن است. ست گودین بر خلاف آنچه که تا به حال شنیده بودم، رها کردن را در مقابل عزم و اراده نمیداند، بلکه آنرا مکمل سرسختی معرفی میکند. ست گودین توصیه میکند اگر گمان میکنید شیبی، شیب شما نیست و نمیخواهید و یا نمیتوانید به قله آن برسید بهتر است هرچه زودتر آن را رها کنید و منابع تان را صرف فتح قله هایی کنید که در آن بینظیر خواهید شد. دنیا دنیای بهترینهاست. اولین گام برای بهترین شدن آن است که بدانید میخواهید در چه چیزی بهترین شوید، و در چه چیزی نمیخواهید بهترین شوید. آنگاه جسارت آن را داشته باشید که همه چیز غیر از آن موضوعی که قرار است در آن بهترین شوید را رها کنید، و مانند یک مجنون در بالا رفتن از شیب هدفتان پایداری کنید.
Profile Image for Saeed Ramazany.
Author 1 book75 followers
April 23, 2019
کتاب خیلی کم‌حجمیه و رو یک ایده‌ی خاص خیلی خوب تمرکز کرده. ارزش مرور و خوندن داره. شاید که ایده‌ش جدید نباشه، اما مطمئنا کمک‌کننده‌س.

ایده اصلی کتاب اینه که در موقعیت مناسب باید ادامه داد و پشتکار داشت و در بقیه (اکثر) موارد باید بیخیال شد. اون گودی قبل شیب رو بهش تو کتاب میگه Dip و میگه رد شدن و بالا رفتن از Dip سخته، اما اونی که میره بالا موفق میشه. و اصلا سیستم‌ها روی این ساخته شدن که خیلیا پشیمون میشن و برا همین تعداد زیاد پشیمون‌هاست که خیلی چیزا ارزونه.

از بخش‌های کتاب، نقل قولی از یک دونده‌ی مارتن داشت که خیلی خوشم اومد. مضمونش این بود که قبل از شروع ماراتن باید تعیین کنی در چه شرایطی بیخیال مسابقه میشه و ول می‌کنی. اگه حین مسابقه بخوایی تصمیم بگیری، میگی آخ پام درد کرد، آخ نفسم بالا نمیاد و این حرفا و خودتو توجیه می‌کنی. اما اگه قبل مسابقه تعیین کنی، دقیقا میدونی کی باید بیخیال بشی و به خودت آسیب نمیزنی و تا جایی که میتونی میری جلو.

کلا خوندنش رو پیشنهاد می‌کنم.
Profile Image for Randa Mashnouk.
78 reviews14 followers
August 26, 2017
لا و لن أفهم لم كتب التنمية لا تزال تتصدر قائمة اهتمامات الجميع
Profile Image for Ramy.
1,196 reviews777 followers
February 2, 2017

فى صغرى كنت تافه كنت امتعض من الكتب و الافلام ذات النهايات المفتوحة

لكن بعد 15 سنة من هذا السلوك
و تدريجيا بحيث لم اعرف ابدا فى اى يوم تحديدا ربما منذ ان مررت ب السنة ال 30 من عمرى
بدأت احب بل و احترم الكاتب او المخرج الذى يترك فيلمه او كتابه بنهاية مفتوحة ...
مجرد عرض ل فكرة ما و عرض كل الاراء حولها و التى تتنوع ما بين الاقدام و الاحجام القبول و الرفض
و فى النهاية انت تختار الى اى فريق تنضم او ربما حتى تكوّن فريق جديد ثالث او حتى رابع

المهم ان هذا الكتاب من الكتب ذات النهايات المفتوحة ..يذكرنى ب كتاب لا اريد المزيد من الجبن اريد الخروج من المصيدة
لا أريد المزيد من الجبن أريد فقط الخروج من المصيدة

يعيب كتب التنمية البشرية من وجهة نظرى انها كلها فكرتها واحدة
...هذه هى دائرة راحتك هى قم فز اخرج منها فورا و الا فأنت فاشل ...الا تستحق الافضل لنفسك ؟"
لذا اعجبنى جدا كتاب الكيزن
One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way

حينما يشرح انه سلوك بشرى سوى فى تركيب مخنا ذاته و فى عقلنا كلنا اللاوعى المحب لدائرة الامان
و انه من الصعب فسيولوجيا و عصبيا على امخاخنا و خلايانا العصبية ان تتحمل و تستوعب فكرة الخروج مرة واحدة من دائرة الامان و لكن هناك طريقة سوية لفعل ذلك الخروج التدريجى منها

الكتاب هنا يشرح مفهوم المنخفض فى حياتنا كل مرحلة صعبة نستمر بالعمل على امر ما و لكننا لا نجد جدوى او نتيجة فنستسلم و هذا الخطا لاننا لو اكملنا مجهود و مثابرة عليه لخرجنا من المنخفض و لصرنا من الندرة و هنا نجنى الثمار

يعيبه فقط جملة قالها :" امام المنخفض ما يحدث هو اما نستسلم او نحتمى فى الاداء العادى خوفا من الخطأ..البطل لا يستسلم و لاا يقوم بما هو عادى بل بما هو استثنائى"

عن نفسى مؤمن بفكرة ضرورة الخروج من دائرة الراحة فى قرارة نفسى و لكن ذلك ��ابد و ان نفعله بالاحتيال على عقلنا الواعى و اللاوعى عبر التسرسب..نعم التسرسب فعل ما هو خارج دائرة الامان حثيثا بحيث تتوسع الدائرة لا شعوريا فما كان غير آمن قبل الان يدخل حثيثا الى داخل حدود دائرة الامان الجديدة الاوسع

ملخص الكتاب:



الكتاب القادم : عقلية الناجح : 8 استراتيجيات يستخدمها أصحاب العقول العظيمة لكي يحققوا النجاح
Profile Image for Ebrahim Awachi.
22 reviews9 followers
February 27, 2016
إنتهيت من قراءة كتاب المنخفض لسيث جودن والمنشور من قبل مكتبة جرير في العام 2010 أستعرض لكم ملخصا بأهم ما يقدمه الكتاب في النقاط التالية:

1. يعلمك الكتاب متى تنسحب ولماذا وأن الإنسحاب ليس بفشل بل هو إعادة تموضع في مكان أفضل وفرص أوفر حظا

2.على الرغم من كون الكتاب صغير وصفحاته فقط 80 الا ان المؤلف نجح في عرض نظرية الرقم (1) ونظرية المنخفض؛ بالنسبة لنظرية الرقم (1) فيستعرض المؤلف الأسباب التي تجعلك وتقودك للسعي بأن تكون الأفضل والمركز الأول فقك ولا شيء سوى ذلك فيضرب أحد الأمثلة بأنك عندما تمرض بمرض عضال يكون لا وقت لديك لتعرض نفسك على الأخصائيين المتميزين ليشخصوا المرض بل ستبحث وتبذل جهد عن الأخصائي رقم (1) فقط لذلك كل الناس تبحث عن رقم 1 وفقط لذلك كن أنت الرقم 1

وبشأن نظرية المنخفض فانه بكل بساطة تمثل التحدي الذي اما ان ينقلك للقمة لو يقودك للهوية ويشبه للى حد كبير المصطلح الاقتصادي Opportunity Cost وباختصار يستعرض الكاتب بان اسباب فشل اغلب الناس أنهم لا يعرفون متى ينسحبون بل وأن الملل هو الدافع الاساس للانسحاب الخاطىء أو غير المدروس ، فعلى سبيل المثال اثبتت الابحاث بأن الذين يعملونةفي التسويق غالبا يتوقفون عن متابعة عملائهم المحتملين بعد 5 عمليات محاولة بينما تثبت ذات الإحصائية بأن العملاء يحتاجون 7 محاولات ليقتنعوا . ان انسحاب العاملينةفي التسويق في هذه المرحلة هو عدم قدرتهم على اجتياز المنخفض وانهم اصيبوا بالملل

3. استعرض الكاتب اشهر 7 أسباب للانسحاب وهي التالية
أ) نفاذ الوقت
ب) نفاذ المال
ج) نفاذ الشجاعة أو الشعور بالخوف
د) فقدان الاهتمام او الحماس او قبول المستوى المتواضع
ه) التركيز على المدى القصير بدلا عن الطويل
و) اختيار المجال الخاطىء

4. ابدع الكاتب في توصيفه بقبول الواقع او المستوى الحالي بأنه سبب من اسباي الفشل وعدم تخطي المنخفض

حياتنا مليئة بالمنخفضات ووقتنا ضيق فلنبحث عن الرقم (1) فقط في كل خياراتنا ولنسعى لأن نكون الرقم (1) دوما

أنصحكم بالكتاب خفيف ومفيد وأقيمه ب 4 نجوم

أخوكم
إبراهيم عواچي
27 فبراير 2016
#البحرين_تقرأ_ألف_كتاب
#لأن_حياة_واحدة_لا_تكفي
Profile Image for Beth Melillo.
170 reviews17 followers
May 29, 2013
The quickest lil pamphlet ever.

Don't agree with the stark division between figurative winners and losers. Don't agree that going on a "quest" to be the best will always result in being the best (even if you follow all the rest of his advice). Don't agree with the fact that grit and trying hard will change everything (although he doesn't quite go that far... only implies it.) Certainly don't agree that there's only one way to see "the best." Don't agree that being the best means that you must be the best in the world, or even be nationally visible. Don't agree that any one person hold's the definitive answer to what the best is - *even* if statistics can be found to support their opinions. Certainly don't agree that there aren't structures in place that keep people from being the best, despite all their efforts.

All that said.

I will keep in mind that when things stop challenging me I should quit, when there is not a future in sight on the path I am on I will quit, and that sometimes there are good reasons to plan to quit, and simply good reasons to quit.

Think it could have been said just as well in a 1200 word blog post though.

Profile Image for Michelle.
7 reviews3 followers
February 26, 2009
This book was a disappointing read with only two points - either stick with it if you think you'll be successful or quit and do something else that you will be successful at.
Profile Image for Mahshid Parchami.
107 reviews21 followers
April 30, 2017
کتاب دوست داشتنی ای بود؛ "اگر نمی توانید از عهده شیب این کار برآیید پس اصلا آن را شروع نکنید. اگر این قانون ساده را به خوبی یاد بگیرید، نسبت به شروع هر کاری بسیار سختگیرتر خواهید بود."
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