Godin Dip

Seth Godin: The Dip ISBN:1591841666

My notes:

• there are Increasing Returns on being Number One at something (A-List), even a tiny Niche Market

• to get to be Number One takes lots of work, esp to push through The Dip, where increased effort seems to give no result (Virginia Satir Change Model - see Learning Curve).

• this much effort will crowd other things out (Opportunity Cost)

• sometimes it's not a Dip that you'll ever get results from, it's a Cul De Sac/Dead End (where you work and work but nothing happens or changes, everything stays the same.), or a Cliff (where you can't quit but you end up falling off, and the whole thing falls apart)

  • when/why?

    • he focuses on external factors, like trends against Newspaper Publishing

• he recommends

  • pick a niche to Focus on (Specialization)

  • make sure it's not a Cul De Sac or Cliff - if it is, Quit Fast (Fail Fast)

  • push through the Dip to become Number One

http://www.squidoo.com/theDipBook/ Losers, on the other hand, fall into two basic traps. Either they fail to stick out (Grit, Self Control) the Dip-they get to the moment of truth and then give up-or they never even find the right Dip to conquer.

interview with Guy Kawasaki: Smart quitters understand the idea of Opportunity Cost. The work you're doing on project X right now is keeping you from pushing through the Dip on project Y... Too many organizations are willing to make a half-assed effort to try a new tactic, but require a writ from the Pope to quit a tactic. This not only dilutes their ability to execute-witness a9.com-but it also leads to an impotent organization that rarely breaks through, even when they're on to something. This means that the Dip isn't pain; nor is it something to be avoided. The Dip is actually an ally. Because when the Dip shows up, you're know you're close to a breakthrough, to getting to the other side, to mastery, and to being the best in the world.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/the_dip/

Jul'2007 (found Oct'2010): Venkatesh Rao says I recommend the book and the idea, and suggest you keep it in mind qualitatively, but don’t expect it to make your life significantly easier. Here are 7 ways I think you’ll see Dip-based decision making break down...

Mar'2008 Marc Andreessen writes: entrepreneurial judgment is the ability to tell the difference between a situation that's not working but persistence and iteration will ultimately prove it out, versus a situation that's not working and additional effort is a destructive waste of time and radical change is necessary. I don't believe there are any good rules for being able to tell the difference between the two. Which is one of the main reasons starting a company is so hard. (startup)