Should you quit or persevere if you want to become the best in the world?
Many studies show that perseverance is a crucial component of success because it helps us move forward despite difficulties.
Perseverance is considered more important than talent or skills.
However, Seth Godin, in his book The Dip say’s that you need to know when to quit and when to stick if you want to become the best in the world.
I will share the main ideas of the book so that you know when to work harder and when to look for a new project so that you can become the best in the world.
You need to learn to:
“Quit the wrong stuff.
Stick with the right stuff.
Have the guts to do one or the other.”
Seth Godin
The Benefits of Being the Best in the World
Society tends to recognize and reward high achievers.
The brand, product, or person who is number one gets ten times the benefits of number ten.
When you become the best in the world, you easily stand out from the competition.
Therefore, given an overcrowded market and a limited amount of time and energy, the first option is to choose the best.
In addition, employers looking to attract and keep their highest performing employees tend to offer perks to make them feel valued.
With that in mind, being number one in anything can make you a hero and reap you phenomenal results.
This phenomenon is common in colleges, organizations, sports, and music, just to mention a few.
Why Being Number One is a Huge Advantage
Often times, everyone seems to narrow down to the best choice because of lack of opportunity and time to experiment.
No one wants to risk having a bad experience. For instance, if you’re diagnosed with cancer, chances are you’ll want to go to the best doctor in town regardless of the cost.
You will not want to risk your health by going to the cheapest and most accessible doctor.
Based on the scenario above, the best doctor may be one who is highly recommended to you.
In addition, you are likely to choose a doctor based on what you know about him, or what you believe.
Become the Best in the World for a Very Specific Market
In school, you will agree with me that teachers and parents encourage students to be good at many different things.
For instance, students may be encouraged to be good in music, sports, as well as math, literature, history, and all the other classes.
Nevertheless, performing exceptionally well in one area is more important than performing averagely in different tasks.
Now there are a million micro-markets, but each micro-market still has a best.”
Seth Godin
Therefore, to become the best in the world, it is also important that you pick the right thing.
In other words, avoid choosing something you are not talented in or something you’re not interested in.
Therefore, it is advisable that you narrow down your focus on whichever subject, skill, product, or service you are good at and enjoy.
Otherwise, you will fail to become the best in the world because you chose the wrong thing.
If you’re determined to become the best in the world, but the path you’ve chosen is frustrating, it’s important you consider quitting.
Likewise, if you own a company, it’s important you know when to quit and when to refuse to settle. Otherwise, your company will fail and not thrive.
The Dip will Help You Become the Best in the World
The dip is your secret to success.
The dip is the gap between starting and mastery.
When we start something new we are full of enthusiasm and energy. However, regardless of the project there will be difficulties and obstacles to achieve success.
Before you start something, anticipate the time, effort, and energy you will have to invest to go from your initial steps to becoming the best in the world.
It’s not only about surviving the hard work and dedication but also setting yourself apart from the rest.
If you push through the dip you will go to the next level.
“If you can’t make it through the Dip, don’t start. You’ll be a lot choosier about which journeys you start.”
Seth Godin
In addition, you need to be aware that not all the difficulties and struggles are a dip.
Obstacles could also be a dead end path.
How to Decide When to Quit
If you are struggling with a project and are wondering if you should persevere and work harder or quit, ask yourself, who are you trying to influence?
Are you trying to influence one person or the market?
Trying to influence one person is what Seth Godin calls a death end path. He advises to quit as soon as possible.
If you are trying to convince your boss about your point of view and he or she says no, there aren’t many options besides looking for another job.
On the other hand if you are trying to influence the market, you are in a dip.
Maybe you are trying to sell a product.
Even if one person says no, you still have a lot of other people who may be interested in your product.
It is a matter of finding the right market for your product.
Embrace the Dip
When you do something with purpose and determination, a Dip is inevitable.
Learn to push yourself to your limits and change the rules of your game so you can survive and thrive in the Dip.
Your ability to cope with the long Dip can make a difference.
It is important to note that if you do exceptional work and persevere, you will make it to the other side of the Dip stronger and more confident in your skills.
Remember quitting in the Dip will not only waste the time you have invested, but also make you a serial quitter.
Therefore, do not be swayed by the challenges and obstacles of the Dip. If you let that happen, you will not be the best in the world.
The Dip makes your journey worthwhile, and it can also hinder others from competing with you.
Why You Might Fail to Become the Best in the World
Here are some reasons people quit in the middle of the dip.
- Running out of time
- Running out of money
- Getting scared
- Not being serious about the journey
- Losing interest or enthusiasm or settling for being mediocre
- Focusing on the short term, instead of the long term, and quitting when the short term becomes difficult
- Picking the wrong thing because you don’t have the needed skills
Consider all these factors before starting a new project.
Rather than playing it safe or being average, you can opt to quit before you start.
Otherwise, you will not be able to become the best in the world.
You might want to compete by the rules, but to be a superstar, you need to do exceptionally well.
Otherwise, you need to quit if you can’t become number one because average is for losers.
What do you think?
Is it time to quit or persevere? Let me know in the comments below.
This is a excellent way to view life and it struggles.
This is such an interesting perspective. I do think that you need to know when to quit and when to keep going.
That very quote right there says it all for me “Quit the wrong stuff.
Stick with the right stuff. To quit entirely should never be an option.
I absolutely love this. I’m a big believer that if it isn’t working then quit it. Life is way too short do to things that don’t fit you.
it is a very interesting read and a very usual approach, I had a lot to think of
I guess it’s okay to quit if you’re very sure that you have already given your best. There’s always a struggle in goals.