For most of our lives the message consistently received is: “Quitting is for Losers”. Well, I just read a fantastic book that takes another look at that old adage and turns it on its head.
Seth Godin’s The Dip (Affiliate Link) postulates that not only is quitting not for losers, but every winner quits, and quits often. The key, per the front of the book, is to know when to quit, and when to stick. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s time to move on from a job/career/business/relationship, this little book (less than 100 pages), may be something you need to pick up and do some thinking on.
I originally had another post on this subject, but Seth pretty much knocked this one out of the park. In a nutshell, per Seth, there are three key places anyone thinking about quitting finds themselves:
1. The Dip
2. The Cul-de-Sac
3. The Cliff
Of the three, The Dip is the most important one, but the other two can completely derail your life.
If you spend as little as five minutes Googling “How to make money” you’re going to run into literally hundreds of posts that encourage you to “find your passion”. Which is great advice!
Although completely UNHELPFUL.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think finding your passion, living your passion, is an ideal to which we should all aspire. But, friends, that don’t mean it’s going to make you money.
I know — Heresy.
Here’s the thing, Passion and Profit are two very different things. Passion for something comes from your very soul. It’s compelling and invigorating and you can’t NOT do it.
Okay, this is a hard one, no two ways about it. I think the worst feeling in the world is wanting to change your life, needing to change your life — and not knowing where to start. You can go to a hundred different websites, read dozens of books, maybe even take a class at your local college or junior college and they’ll all tell you the same thing: Find your Passion and do That.
That’s all fine and good, but what if you don’t have a freaking clue what your passion is!? Well, I feel your pain. I have been where you are, and it’s not a fun place to be. It’s frustrating and demoralizing and downright
ANNOYING.
Finding my passion was a journey, not a sprint, and it took time and patience, and a bit of help. But, I did it, and you can, too. What I’m going to suggest was the path I took. It may not work for you, but I sincerely hope it does, or, at least, spurs you on to find the path that does work for you.
What is my passion? My passion is to Communicate with the World. Sounds arrogant and lofty, yes? LOL. But, it’s true. I love to talk and read and tell people about what I’ve read, and ask them questions about their life. I absolutely love being part of the Conversation that is the Internet.
