The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
Strategic quitting beats stubborn persistence. Winners quit the right things at the right time to focus resources on pursuits where they can be the best in the world.
Core Concept
The Dip is the long stretch of hard work between starting something and achieving mastery. Every worthwhile pursuit has one. Most people quit in the Dip—which is exactly why pushing through it creates scarcity and value.
The Three Curves
- The Dip — Initial excitement drops, then a long slog before success. Worth pushing through if you can be the best.
- The Cul-de-Sac — No matter how hard you work, nothing changes. Quit immediately.
- The Cliff — Things go well until sudden catastrophic failure. Quit before the edge.
Key Insight
"Best in the world" doesn't mean globally supreme. It means best in your world—your niche, your market, your customer's options. The goal: be so good at something specific that you're the obvious choice.
When to Quit
Quit when you're in a Cul-de-Sac. Quit when the Dip isn't worth the reward. Quit when you realize the resources needed exceed what you're willing to invest. Strategic quitting frees resources for better pursuits.
When to Stick
Stick when you're in a Dip and the prize at the end justifies the pain. Stick when quitting would mean wasting the progress you've already made through the hardest part.