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

by Seth Godin · 2007

In a nutshell

Seth Godin's concise guide helping entrepreneurs and business leaders understand when to persevere through challenges and when to quit strategically to focus on winning endeavors.

Overview

The Dip is a short, powerful book about knowing when to stick and when to quit. Seth Godin shows that winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt—until they commit to beating the Dip.

The Dip

Every new project starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point—the Dip. The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery.

Key Concepts

The Dip: The long stretch between beginner's luck and real accomplishment

The Cul-de-Sac: A dead end where effort doesn't lead to progress

The Cliff: When quitting becomes painful and expensive

Strategic Quitting

  • Winners quit the right stuff at the right time
  • Quitting before you start is better than quitting in the middle
  • Focus your resources on opportunities where you can be the best

Applications for Startups

  • Deciding which products to build
  • Choosing markets to enter
  • Determining when to pivot
  • Allocating limited resources

Available for approximately $10-18.

Reference

The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) — publisher / official page. Summary adapted from the Awesome Startup Books collection.

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