The Dip: The extraordinary benefits of knowing when to quit (and when to stick)

by Seth Godin

It’s about the story you tell yourself. You grew up believing that quitting is a moral failing. Quitting feels like a go-down moment, a moment where you look yourself in the eye and blink. Of course you are trying your best. But you just can’t do it. It’s that whole Vince Lombardi thing. If you were just a better person, you wouldn’t quit. I’d rather have you focus on quitting (or not quitting) as a go-up opportunity. It’s not about avoiding the humiliation of failure. Even more important, you can realize that quitting the stuff you don’t care about or the stuff you’re mediocre at or better yet quitting the Cul-de-Sacs frees up your resources to obsess about the Dips that matter. If you’re 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.

The Key Takeaway from Seth Godin's "The Dip" - great lesson about the approach towards quitting. Usually people (myself included) treat quitting sth as a personal failure. However, when done right, it's a great strategic decision and a pivotal point.