Overcoming The Dip: The Secret Curve Behind Every Success

Every new project we take on follows a curve which starts with optimism. I saw this curve in a presentation by the awesome entrepreneur Alex Hormozi. I made a visual version of this curve with slight variations.

Every new project we take on starts with optimism. If we are not ready to overcome the valley of despair, we'll be stuck without the achievement that we planned for. Years ago, I read Seth Godin's book called "The Dip." It talked about this idea, and his takeaway was that before we reach the dip, we need to make the decision whether we are going to power through the dip or not. He advised that if we aren't going to make it, it’s better to quit before we get there.

I've always enjoyed being a Jack of All Trades, or as I call it, a "DaVincist." I think there's a lot of value in starting something even if you don't power through the whole dip because we can still apply the 80/20 rule. If we want to learn about something completely new, it would only take 20% of the effort to have an 80% understanding. We can be satisfied with those results and technically quit before we hit the dip. However, on the other side of the dip is where the 1% successful people are.

I think understanding where you are on the curve will help you gain clarity. I think an “80/20 pre-dip” approach is great for a lot of new knowledge, hobbies, and passion projects.

However, especially if we are aiming for financial freedom, we need to identify what’s an opportunity vehicle we can commit to and overcome the dip, so that we see the success we aim for.

This is why choosing the right endeavor which aligns with your energy and interests is such an important choice to make.