Here are the discussion points:
Explain what it means to quit something successfully.
Take a shot at explaining what you think ‘the dip’ means. Define it for us.
The mass market is dying. Why is this good for you?
What’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
Now, do the same for the discussion points below from the second reading (pages 25-55). ONLY THIS TIME - leave responses to four of your classmates. Leave this in the comments section below at the end of this post.
“It’s the incredibly difficult challenges (the Dips) that give you the opportunity to pull ahead.” Write about a dip that you have worked through that now gives you the opportunity to pull ahead.
Why is the The Dip the reason you’re here?
What is the simple solution Godin offers to getting out of a cul-de-sac?
Which of the 8 Dip curves have you encountered?
Was there a time you didn’t quite and, thus, you had to settle for being mediocre? Briefly explain.
What is the opposite of quitting? Do you agree with this?
*** I have provided two examples of my own for you in the comments section below.
*** You should be able to log in with your myprowler account so it will log you in with your Google profile.
*** Finally, you might wish to type your discussion points in World or Drive and then copy and past them into the comments section just in case something happens. If you do it in Word or Drive you won't lose it.
Thanks!
*** I have provided two examples of my own for you in the comments section below.
*** You should be able to log in with your myprowler account so it will log you in with your Google profile.
*** Finally, you might wish to type your discussion points in World or Drive and then copy and past them into the comments section just in case something happens. If you do it in Word or Drive you won't lose it.
Thanks!
The mass market is dying. This is very, very good for us. Why? Because it means that no longer does one size fit all. This is great for your generation as you head into the job market because since one side does not fit all, there are many opportunities for your to differentiate yourselves and to stand out. If you survive the Dip (yes, I know I'm using a sentence fragment there, but it's for emphasis).
ReplyDeleteNo one wants average anymore. But for years Proctor and Gamble made average products for average people. Those times are gone.
As Godin notes there are a million micro markets now. For example, when I was your age, there were four radio stations for me to listen to (XL 93, Y 94, Magic 96, and Rock 107.5). They all basically played the same music. My choices were very limited.
If I didn't want to listen to what was on the radio, I was limited to my cassette collection (don't laugh. At least they weren't records). But even then I was limited to buying them from large chain franchise like Pamida (when it was relevant), Kmart, or Target. If I wanted something unique or rare, I had to travel to TRF to buy it from Budget (if I was lucky) or I had to travel to GF to buy it from Mother's Records (long gone now).
Today? That's a joke. I have millions of songs just a click away on iTunes. If I don't like that I have Sirius in my car. I have Pandora and iHeart Radio on my phone. And if those don't work, I can find any type of music I want on Youtube. Those are all micro markets.
This is good for us because it means that there can be a demand for what we sell or for our skills. As long as we put in the effort to survive the Dip and attain mastery.
I remember when my mom first got a cell phone. There was maybe 3 choices. All flip phones and maybe 2 or 3 colors to choose from as well. Nowadays there is too many phone choices to even remember. Like iPhone, Droid, HTC, Galaxy, etc. And there is a lot more brands to choose from. It used to be just like Verizon, Sprint, and At&t. Now you have those and Vonage, Straight talk, T-Moblie, Text Now, Virgin Mobile and dozens more. This is good for us because for me Verizon works well where I live and At&t doesn't. However my friend who lives like a mile away uses At&t because it gives her better service. All these different choices are great because now we can have a carrier that works no matter where we live.
DeleteI have had two opportunities to face major dips that allowed me to pull ahead.
ReplyDeleteFirst, In 2006 when I finished my MA in English, I was able to teach College in the High School classes. This was terrifying because I would be teaching the very best students in our school how to write. That was a major challenge. But I had put the time in previously to earn my MA in Composition Theory, so this was something I was equipped to handle. I worked hard to stay current with my readings and my learning (again, look at all the books I have amassed or all of the blog posts I have written dedicated to teaching and writing) and it paid off so well that I was awarded College Comp II. Now I have the privilege to teach our very best and brightest students.
Second, five years ago I learned of a high-end technology conference held in Minneapolis called TIES. The keynote speaker was none other than Sir Ken Robinson. Mrs. Weets, Mr. Zutz, and a handful of others were selected to attend. I was so jealous.
I made a vow to myself that I would lean into the dip I was in to learn more about technology and use it more effectively in my classes.
This led me to have the opportunity to present a few common prep sessions on technology to our staff members. That led me to teaching a few courses over the summer to other teachers and then training teachers from the surrounding area during our technology retreat over MLK Day.
Then finally last year I was selected to attend TIES. I vowed I would make new contacts and come away from the conference with even more tools.
On the way back from the conference, Mr. Vagle said the best way to be able to go back was to try and present a lesson at next year's event.
I took that to heart and read and studied all spring and summer on new technologies, especially using social media. I submitted two lessons to the TIES committee. Now, in two weeks I will be presenting those two sessions at this years' TIES conference.
This gives me that chance to pull ahead because I will make even more connections this year down at TIES than I did last year. Furthermore, I will again put in to present more sessions next year. Hopefully, this will inspire me to keep using technology to engage students and build a brand for my classroom.
I think the two stories you talked about just go to prove how important the dip is in life. The dip can be a motivator to help us go above and beyond, and at the same time weed out the people who aren’t as willing to pay for it. There is a term in economics called opportunity cost, this describes what you give up to obtain something else. Because you faced the dip head on and worked for your MA in English or a chance to speak at TIES, you gave up time doing other things, and this allowed you to orcome the dip and do things that you are passionate about. These two stories also illustrate that life is filled with many dips, and once we get past one, there are many more waiting.
DeleteOn my way to class tonight I was listening to Seth Godin on a podcast (nerdy, I know). He had a great point - and something we can talk about in class - think of yourself and someone you really admire or look up to, someone you wouldn't mind seeing yourself become like down the road. As you look at yourself now, compared to the person you admire, think of all their accomplishments and the reasons you admire them. The difference between where you are now and where they are is the dip.
DeleteI like thinking of it that way. Actually, the space between where you are now and where the person you admire is really is a series of dips. But you get the point. The only way to grown and learn and accomplish more is to go through the dips.
Explain what it means to quit something successfully.
ReplyDeleteIf you quit something successfully, you probably don’t have any regrets about quitting it. I think quitting something successfully means that in the spare time you now have after quitting activity A, you can master activity B. Whatever those activities in your life may be. Quitting successfully is when you quit something that stands in the way of a priority. Or maybe you quit something because it gave you exactly what you need, and you no longer want to waste your time. Successful quitting, over time, will push you up the ladder of your industry. And in the end, you’ll be the best in the world.
What’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
Everyone will quit something at some point in their life. However, it is in best interest to quit strategically rather than just plain quitting. People who are plain quitters quit things for the hell of it. If they’re not in the mood, they quit. If they’re starting to struggle, they quit. And so on. People like that turn quitting into a negative turn. Quitting strategically is quitting something to gain something else. Strategic quitting is OK. I believe that to quit strategically you first need to get your priorities straight. Ask yourself a few questions. What is your number one focus? How badly do you want it? Is there anything getting in the way of you reaching your goal that won’t do anything for you? Ok it’s time to quit. Going back to what I mentioned earlier about the the plain quitters who quit when things start to get a little tough, I just want to clarify that if you’re doing something (even something that’s helping you), but you are absolutely miserable doing it, it’s time to quit. For your own health, happiness, and sanity. An example of this was when I quit swimming. There were lots of benefits to being in swimming: You had something to put on your resume, you make lots of friends, you get a killer workout (literally KILLER), you could consume 7000 calories a day and not gain a pound. It’s a great sport to be in, however, being in the pool everyday before school and after school made me miserable. My friends and I cried in our cars before practice so many times because our bodies just couldn’t physically handle the stress of the sport. Being in swimming for six years, I had already achieved ‘mastery’, but it was getting unhealthy, and it was time for me to quit.
I agree with your definition of plain quitters. These type of people run the risk of becoming serial quitters. I also agree with your statement about getting your priorities straight. Without knowing your priorities, is there a strategic way to quit anything? Without sitting down and thinking about it, it isn’t strategic because there isn’t an end game. One way to think about it, is how high is the activity on your list of priorities.
DeleteI completely agree with you, on quitting something successfully. When you quit something, you should start focusing on something els that could very well turn into something you love. It is a great strategy! If the activity A is in the way of activity B, something else that could benefit your life, then go for activity B!
DeleteIn read through your post and agree with you on how to quitting successfully. When you quit it is a good idea to have something else in mind to focus on next and put time and effort into it. It's a great strategy to have think of something to put your time into that you are more passionate about before you quit your current activity.
DeleteI agree with your definition of quitting something successfully. You have to have a reason - such as mastering a new thing - to quit something successfully. It is a good idea to think about why you are quitting and how it would benefit you.
DeleteI agree with your definition of quitting something successfully. When you quit successfully you won't have regrets, you should feel good about your decision. I also liked the point you made about quitting activity A will free up more time for activity B. When activity A is something you hate and activity B is something you are passionate about, it would be smart to quit activity A to make more time for something you love.
DeleteI agree with how you explain successful quitting. A person can not be the best at everything in the world. However, if they quit all the other things that take up their time and energy, then they can be the best in the world at one thing that they put their all into. If someone has a bunch of things that take up their time, then they will never be able to focus on one and achieve mastery in one area. As Seth Godin said, "A woodpecker can tap 20 times on 1,000 trees and get nowhere. Or they can tap 20,000 times on one tree and get a meal."
DeleteI agree that when you quit successfully you have no regrets. Have accomplished what you wanted and no longer need to go any further. I also agree that if they quit other things and focus on one, this will help them become more knowledgable and good at that specific thing whether it be a sport or a job.
DeleteI agree with your successful quitting. If you're quitting something for something else to make you better you won't have regrets. Why be in something when there is plenty of other things out there for you to try? There is tons of things to do in the world. So what if you don't enjoy one. Go try something else, don't waste time being miserable with something you don't enjoy.
DeleteErin,
DeleteGreat point about quitting A to master B. That’s a key distinction. The point is to quit to focus on something else. Not just to quit and leave a void.
Here is something else to think about - and this is an exercise Godin talks about in one of his podcasts - write down a goal. Then write down a reasonable time to accomplish the goal. Then write down the money you're willing to spend or the things you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish the goal. Then before you work to attain the goal - and this is the vital part - decide when and how you will quit. Be precise. Go into it with an 'exit strategy.' So when you plan on getting your degree in four years, and you suddenly find yourself on pace to graduate in six years, quit. If you plan to get your degree and graduate only $40,000 in debt, yet you find yourself $40,000 in debt after one year, quit.
No one ever thinks about it that way. They blindly go into something without ever thinking about how they will quit if it doesn't work out. And that usually (perhaps always) ends up as a disaster.
I 100% agree with your thoughts on quitting something successfully. Personally, I can relate to your thoughts. A few summers ago, I made the decision that I wanted to devote more time to tennis. This meant, that I would have to quit something I loved and continue to love; swimming. Despite the fact that I loved both sports, I was in a point in my life that I had to choose between them. In fact, both sports had been in my life since I was around 3. After a while of thinking, I came to the conclusion that I would put more focus in on tennis and less and less on swimming. I like Bretts comment "A person can not be the best at everything in the world." I believe that a person can be good at lots of things, to an extent. We are all human, and have limits with what we can and can not to. In my case, I believe that I could have stayed in both sports, but, I would have hit my max at that point. When I made the decision to quit swimming, I allowed myself to push past my "max" and become the best I could possibly be in one particular thing.
Delete1: What’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
ReplyDeleteThis is a good question. I believe that strategic quitting means you have a reason for quitting other than you hate it. Plain quitting is something like quitting a sport after you experienced one bad season. The risk of being a plain quitter is that you may turn into a serial quitter.
Take me and piano for example. I realized that I wasn’t going to ever be great, especially not the “best” in anyone’s world. So I decided not to continue the lessons and to spend that extra time on school, and keeping up with my course load. And so far it has worked and benefitted me, while I still play the piano leisurely.
I believe this constitutes strategic quitting because I quit an activity to improve on another thing.
I love the way you used the term "serial quitter"! I just wanted to say that first.
DeleteAlso, I completely agree with you. You shouldn't just quit because you hate something. With my example, yes, I did hate the activity I was in, but the reason I quit this activity was focus on another that I loved. I have not regretted my decision and am much happier for it.
I like your piano example, how you quit when you sere behind. I did the same thing. Very few of us are Aaron Fagerstoms. I also agree that plain quitting can turn into 'serial quitting' haha.
DeleteI agree on what you said was a plain quitter. Someone who may play a sport and decides to quit after a bad season. Some kids do quit after a bad day even and I think they do need to strategically quit.
DeleteI like your example about quitting piano to better yourself in school.
DeleteI use to work 6 days a week during the first quarter of the school year. I dramatically cut my hours to only Sundays so I could focus on school. I miss my paychecks, but school is much more important than serving dirty burgers at McDonald's.
I think it's awesome that you used an example in your own life to illustrate this process. Quitting successfully should look exactly like you described it, except that in most cases, it may be smarter to give up piano completely. Overall, I agree with everything you've said.
DeleteI agree with how you said strategic quitting is quitting one activity so you can improve upon another one. This is how people become the best in the world at certain things. However, I don't agree that it is just plain quitting when you quit a sport just because you had one bad season. If someone's whole season was bad for a certain sport, then they have a very good reason to quit. There is no reason to play a sport or do any other activity if you don't find enjoyment in doing it.
DeleteAlyce,
DeleteGreat example about "successful" quitting (no, that's not an oxymoron, in my book sat least). You did just what Godin suggests - you quit something that wasn't getting you anywhere and put those efforts into something more beneficial for you.
I see this occur often in college where we literally have kids failing out (why massive student loan debts) because they can't quite Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Snapchat, or Call of Duty for longer than an hour at a time. As a result, they doom their college experience.
I loved this part of your post, "I realized that I wasn’t going to ever be great, especially not the “best” in anyone’s world." I am sure that everyone can relate to this. As a child, I believe lots of kids tried out a lot of different things. Personally, I tried out just about everything. Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, football, you name it, I probably tried it. To this day, I do not play any of those sports and frankly, am glad I do not. Sport after sport, I often decided that I was not very great at it and often did not enjoy it. Looking back, I was not "the best in anyone’s world" either.
DeleteWhat is the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
ReplyDeleteQuitting strategically is quitting because you know you aren't getting anything out of it and you could fill the space that the activity that you are quitting is taking up for something else that you might actually enjoy. Just plain quitting is quitting because one day of it sucks and just because it is an option, and a cop-out.
I am certainly not the poster child for strategic quitting. I quit a lot of things in my junior year for, basically, no reason. If I had one bad day at one of my extracurricular activities, I would consider quitting. I did want to waste my time doing something that was difficult in anyway. I was just a negative person, to be frank. Perseverance was certainly not in my vocabulary in my junior year.
There was one activity I was in that I absolutely HATED, I was only in it because one of my team mate begged me to stay in it. I couldn't stand it at all and I wasn't gaining anything from it. I was in it for about 5 years, and hated every single second of it. In the first year, it was okay. Then, it just got worse with the upcoming years. This might be considered strategic quitting because since quitting this activity, I filled the time with practicing another thing I have a passion for.
I agree with your definitions of plain and strategic quitting, and your examples are spot on. In your strategic quitting example, I think you made the right choice. You weren't getting anything out of it and you hated it. There is no point in continuing is it makes you miserable. Now there is more time to do things that are more enjoyable. The fact that you thought it through makes it strategic quitting and not plain quitting.
DeleteI also agree with how you define strategic and plan quitting. As for myself, I am a MASTER at plan quitting. I have quit soccer, speech, softball, and key club all because of bad experiences. Although, after I quit something, I always have joined something new. I replaced all these activities with something I really enjoy, which is dance.
DeleteSam,
DeleteWhile you might have quit things indiscriminately your junior year, the great thing is that you appear to have learned from that. What you mention "perseverance" is actually one key factor in surviving dips: grit. Grit is basically the ability to buckle down, suffer, and just work . . . or as you put it to "persevere." While it may not have been in your vocabulary as a junior, hopefully it is as a senior.
Why is the Dip the reason that you're here?
ReplyDeleteYou are constantly going through some kind of Dip in your life. You make a huge investment any time you do anything in your life. If you are doing homework, playing a sport or practicing an instrument, then you are investing your time in it and will eventually approach your Dip. You invest your time and effort to get to this point. You can't just survive the Dip; You have to treat it like an opportunity and take advantage of it.
I agree with this. We all go through Dips everyday, whether it be homework, sports, or anything you decide to spend time on. It will get hard, but you have to treat it like an opportunity instead of a punishment.
DeleteI never thought about is on the smaller scale so this was interesting to read. Whenever we talk about the dip in class I've always thought about college and career dips, but you're absolutely right. We go through smaller dips in our daily lives.
DeletePeople can have two different responses to this question. If someone chose to push through the Dip, then they can say, "I am at the top because I knew eventually my hard work would pay off." If a different person is just coasting through life, and settling for mediocre, they may reply with, "I am here because I quit when things got hard and never chose to push myself."
DeleteI agree with you like Erin said. I never thought about all the smaller things in our daily lives we overcome. The dips we overcome help shape us to what we are today. Whether we encounter big dips or small dips we all have them. and many of us will encounter the same dip at different times. Ex college, career, marriage.
DeleteI like how you said you have to take advantage of the dip. It’s true, in the end it will make you are break you. You just have to decide if the dip is worth your time, whether it be a small or life changing dip.
DeleteBrett,
DeleteIn response to "If a different person is just coasting through life, and settling for mediocre, they may reply with, "I am here because I quit when things got hard and never chose to push myself" I think Godin would say that such a person is trapped in a cul-de-sac.
The great thing about the dip is the payoff at the end. Anyone who has ever worked to accomplish something knows the reward of achievement. That's the key.
What happens when you're in the dip and instead of "leaning into the dip" or working harder, some people will coast. This just prolongs the dip and the suffering. And you have people who just say "I am here because I quit when things got hard and never chose to push myself."
The big take away from The Dip is not to quit. It is this: be ready to do whatever it takes to push through the dip so you are successful. But everyone ends up focusing on the controversial issue of promoting quitting.
I agree with you. This is my favorite part; "You can't just survive the Dip; You have to treat it like an opportunity and take advantage of it." I completely agree with this. I believe that just "surviving" the dip is what we do when we take a class and learn nothing. Treating the dip like an opportunity, challenges you and reminds you of what you have to look forward to; the rewards you have to look forward to. Instead of complaining about the dip, we should embrace it and the lessons it teaches us.
DeleteExplain what it means to quit something successfully.
ReplyDeleteWhen you quit something successfully, you will still stand by your decision after you have done it. There will be no doubts in you mind because you have done what you think was a successful decision. In most cases the reason for quitting something is because it wasn’t what you were most successful in. Quitting will free up more time to do what you are good at and eventually master it. There is no point to continue something with no real long-term success. You will find more success in quitting right then and there than in the future; that’s when you have quit something successfully.
I agree that if you quit something successfully you will have no doubts about it. I like the part about quitting something to master something else. I think that is a big part in people’s success. Achieve mastery at one thing.
DeleteI agree that if you quit something successfully you won't have any doubt in your mind. Yes quitting something you aren't successful at to become a master at something is a good idea.
DeleteI agree with that when you quit something successfully you will have no doubts about it or second guess your decision. I also agree with the part about quitting something to master something else. It's a great strategy to put your time and passion towards something else once you've quit something to excel in something else.
DeleteI agree that if you quit successfully you will be happy with your decision without having any doubt or second thoughts. I agree with that you should quit sooner than later before you put in a lot of time and effort for little to no success.
DeleteIf your heart isn't fully into something, you should quit it. Like you said, there should be no regrets and no second thoughts about quitting something. Your heart is either in it or it isn't. The appropriate time to quit is when your heart just isn't in it anymore.
DeleteI agree with you. If you quit successfully you won't have any second decisions. I think it would be better if you quit sooner than later when you have put all of the time and effort into it.
DeleteMaleah,
DeleteWhen you state - There is no point to continue something with no real long-term success. You will find more success in quitting right then and there than in the future; that’s when you have quit something successfully. - you hit the nail on the head. Godin would love that. Quit if you're not going to be successful. But ultimately, focus on what you want to be successful at and then go all in and do whatever it takes (including quitting other things that distract you from being successful) in order to survive the dip and become the best in the world.
For example - when I became a teacher I loved to play video games. In college, I'd blow off some stress by spending a Saturday playing Madden or NES College Football. However, when I was hired at Lincoln, I decided that in order to be the type of teacher I wanted to be, I knew I'd have to give gaming up since I didn't want to be gaming when I could be correcting papers or lesson planning. So I quit gaming.
Actually, I was going to start playing again once I got tenure. But then I focused on a new goal: staying current on the most recent literature related to teaching. So I chose to continue to quit gaming to go after that.
Explain what it means to quit something successfully.
ReplyDeleteTo quit something successfully is to quit at the right time. You don’t want to quit when something gets tough, or you hit “the dip”. That’s when you need to work your hardest. If you’re going to quit, you should quit in the beginning after you have had enough experience to know if, whatever it is you’re doing, is for you. If you join a sport and quit after the first day of practice, that is not quitting successfully. The first day usually isn’t the best. You need to have enough experience before you quit.
I somewhat agree with what you're saying, but I think, depending on the situation, it''s ok to quit the first day. I think that if you go to practice your first day, and it's miserable, and you know it's never going to benefit you, and your gut is telling you that this is something you will never enjoy, you should save yourself time, money, and sanity and quit. Do something in place of that sport/activity that you can actually see yourself enjoying and benefiting from. And by enjoyable, I don't mean super easy, I mean something you love enough to push through when the dip comes.
DeleteJacob, the right time to quit is relative. Godin would agree with Erin. If you know deep inside that football is going to be hell for you and your heart isn't in it, then quit after the first day. You haven't gotten so far in that you've invested a lot of time and effort.
DeleteHowever, if you want to give football a try, you should make a vow from the beginning that you're going to stick it out for a specific period of time (most likely the first season). If you do that, then, as you suggest, you should go all in and work as hard as you can. When people do this, a funny thing happens: they get better.
Was there a time you didn’t quite and, thus, you had to settle for being mediocre? Briefly explain.
ReplyDeleteI was in Piano for nine years, and I hated every second of it. Music just isn't my thing. Unfortunately, my mom didn't let me quit. She saw music as a valuable skill, and forced me to go to practice every week. My piano teacher expected me to practice for at least an hour every day. I usually only practiced for 10 minutes the day before the lesson. If I practiced more, I probably would have been better than mediocre, but it wasn't in my interest to become Beethoven. Once a week for nine years, I would sit on the piano bench next to my frustrated teacher, and struggle through every note. Eventually I did convince my mom to let me quit, and even though I'm much better without piano, I was still a mediocre pianist for nine years.
I can completely relate to you. I was forced to go into an extracurricular activity that I didn't enjoy and didn't gain anything from it. I settled for mediocre since I didn't enjoy. I stay mediocre my whole way through because I didn't want to grow and be the "best in the world". I felt like I was wasting my time there. I am sure you felt the same with being in piano.
DeleteI can also relate. Except this time it was in a particular class that was required for everyone to take. I am not a fan of that particular subject, or the teacher for that matter, so I did not try as hard as I probably could have. I settled for good enough to pass the class.
DeleteI agree with you as well Erin. I joined softball in 7th grade because my parents thought it would be good for me. Mainly because they both played too. At first it was fun then it slowly started to suck and I began to dislike it. I wanted to quit but my parents made me finish out the season. Then I found and I love it. Granted my parents would rather me play a more active sport, its something I enjoy playing. Luckily I didn't have to suffer through 9 years of softball like your music lessons lmao!
DeleteErin,
DeleteGood point. You're not going to get those nine years back. This reminds me of an article I might assign over Thanksgiving break. I can't wait to see what you think of it.
There are two ways to look at your situation with piano. Had you been aware that quitting was an option early on, perhaps you could have bartered with your mother than if you quit piano (because you didn't love it or have talent for it), perhaps you could replace it with something else that your mother might deem a valuable skill. Then you wouldn't have wasted those nine years.
On the other hand, and this is true for sports as well as music, when you commit to an extra curricular, we always tell ourselves that it's a valuable activity. Well, then we should ask ourselves what is valuable about it.
Is it teaching us work ethic? Is it teaching us to be part of a team? Is it teaching us to sacrifice, to deal with loss, to deal with victory, to handle leadership, to find our role?
I think sports CAN teach us all of those things. But we should be aware of those things as we play. That is the coach's job. These are all "transferable skills" that we can use in the workplace and in college. However, do we? Do we really learn those things and (more importantly) do we transfer them to the real world?
My point is this - we should make sure that they are. I played 8 years of football and didn't necessarily learn all of those things. I did it because I was blindly following a passion without any real focus. It did teach me one thing: to love practice.
That is something I transferred to writing and studying and now teaching. Sports helped me with that. So I'm glad I didn't quit.
I just think many people aren't focused on those transferrable skills. Thus, they should quit.
1. Explain what it means to successfully quit something.
ReplyDeleteTo quit something successfully, means to quit it at the right time. It means you have become good enough at something to quit. Say like a sport, you have to become good enough and at least give it a try. When something doesn't become fun anymore to you then you should quit, and quit it without any regrets. If you quit a sport successfully then you shouldn't have a regret about it. But you also can't quit something because you have had a bad experience with something. If everybody quit when something was tough, then most people would quit a bunch of things. You have to have experience to successfully quit something
1. What’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
ReplyDeleteQuitting something successfully and strategically is quitting once you realize the dip is too big to overcome and you have many reasons to quit other than the fact that you just are tired. If you become tired of the activity, are not having fun anymore, and maybe dread going to practice everyday then quitting is an option. But just plain quitting when you get tired, don't feel good, or are mad at your coaches is not a good habit to get into. Once you start plain quitting there is the risk of becoming a serial quitter and you won't be able to break through it and end up quitting everything you start at the first sign of trouble.
I agree that you should only quit something if you have good reasons to do it. You should never quit something just because you’re angry or it’s getting difficult. You should quit if it is making you miserable. If something is making your life harder and you’re not happy, then you should quit.
DeleteI agree with everything. Quitting because you're upset with the coaches or parents or some other silly reason like that isn't a good thing to do. If the sport or activity you're doing isn't making you happy, that is when the appropriate time to quit is.
DeleteI agree with you. Quitting something because you don't like your coach is a bad reason to quit. If you like the sport a lot then you shouldn't quit just because of the coach. But if you aren't having fun at all then you should quit.
DeleteTo quit successfully means to quit at the right time. You should never quit just because things are stressful at the time. The worst time to quit is when you are getting through the "dark night of the soul" in the dip. The best time to quit is before you start. Also, if you are going to quit something, you should replace it with another hobby. If you are going to quit a sport you hate then replace it with another activity, like a club you've been interested in.
ReplyDelete1: Take a shot at explaining what you think ‘the dip’ means. Define it for us.
ReplyDeleteThe dip is the long period of time in which one has to grind away at a certain thing until they reach mastery. At first, everything is easy. Anything that someone starts will be easy at first. If it wasn't, then everyone would hate it and quit right away. However, it's this easy beginning that makes anything seem appealing to people. Everyone seems okay in the beginning because everyone is equally bad.
After awhile things start to get more difficult. It is not so easy anymore, and can sometimes be very frustrating. This is the "Dip" and also the point where most people quit. Few people choose to push through this dip, work even harder, not just settle for where they are at, and eventually they overcome the difficulties. They achieve mastery, and they are the best in the world. However, the "best in the world" don't settle for where they are at even when they do over come the "Dip". To remain the best in the world they have to be willing to constantly learn, develop, and work hard.
I don't necessarily agree with the fact that the Dip happens over a long period of time. Just think of homework as an example. There are points where you debate whether it is worth finishing it to your full potential or just settling for something that will keep your grade okay.
DeleteWell said. I completely agree with you. Especially in the end when the "best in the world" will always find room for improvement.
DeleteI really like how you said that the best in the world don't settle. People who are determined to succeed and to stand out in their work field determine to stay in that place. The best in the world are the best because they create their own Dip after getting through those that pertain to them. They set new standards and reach new heights so that they can keep being the best in the world.
DeleteI like how you said 'to be the best in the world they have to be willing to constantly learn, develop, and work hard.' I agree with that by the example Reynolds told us about B. Dalton. At one point it was a major book store. But they didn't find it necessary to keep up with society and go electronic as well. Leading them to go out of business. They weren't willing to learn new ideas and develop them.
DeleteI like the last sentence that you said Bret, “To remain the best in the world they have to be willing to constantly learn, develop, and work hard.” I completely agree with you. This is why teachers can never stop learning, or anyone for that matter. This is why doctors have to retake their bar exams. They have to stay “best” in the world, and this involves constant learning.
DeleteStrategic quitting means quitting something while you're ahead. When you face an obstacle, you have two choices: back up and choose another path, or get over what's in your way. If you know your strengths, weaknesses, passions, and adaptability well enough, you can make a wise decision about whether or not to use your energy overcoming this boundary. This is strategic quitting: setting goals you know you can reach, and giving up on those that you know you can't.
ReplyDeleteJust plain quitting is never having the motivation or discipline to do anything worthwhile. When someone deals with problems, more often than not, they have the ability to find their solutions. However, some people become so excited about a new challenge because of its rewards, that they never prepare themselves for the work ahead and rather than taking the opportunity to grow, they fall into a cycle of broken overcommitment that will make The Dip all the more difficult to get through if they ever decide to change.
I like the fact that you put in there about how you can back up and take a new path or get over the obstacles. I also like your description of plain quitting. I like your cycle that you added and I completely agree with it.
DeleteExplain what it means to quit something successfully.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is a proper reason. If you have a reason to quit that makes sense and will allow you to achieve the other thing you are trying to master, then it is a good reason to quit. However, if you have a good reason, yet it doesn't work out, then you had not quit successfully. You have just quit something and got nothing out of it. You have to make sure it is something you can better yourself with before you go ahead and decide to quit.
I agree that the process through which we decide to change our paths and plans should be considered in light of the outcome it will have in our future. People shouldn't quit when doing so will only inhibit them further.
DeleteWhat is the opposite of quitting? Do you agree with this?
ReplyDeleteThe opposite of quitting is rededication. It is a new strategy to break the problem apart. I agree with this because not all the time is it that you don't quit and you just settle for less than your best. Sometimes, you choose not to quit for the sole reason and purpose to redefine yourself to master what you have decided not to quit. Sometimes, you just need to take a new route. It all depends on how you work towards your goals and what your specific goals are.
I think that the definition of our goals is the biggest part of our choice to quit or stick with something. I think that when we know that we want to be able to obtain the end results of our work and we can visualize those rewards, the struggle becomes worth it.
DeleteI agree with that quitting is better than settling for something less than your best. If you settle you will be mediocre, if your mediocre, you're a nobody. Seth Godin says you should always strive to be the best in the world. People only want the best. They don't go to the doctor and ask for there worst physical therapist, they ask for the best.
DeleteI agree that quitting is better than settling for something less than your best. If you settle for something less than your best you will be mediocre, if you're mediocre you're a nobody says Seth Godin. People only want, and only ask for the best.
DeleteI agree with you about how quitting is better than settling for something less than your best. You don't want to settle for something less than your best. People want to be the best.
DeleteI think a major factor in mastery is how bad you want it. If you are able to think long term and deal with the present obstacles, rededication shouldn't be a big problem. Not only does thinking long term help you accomplish smaller goals, it also makes you break apart the problem like you said.
DeleteI agree sometimes we need to take a new path and start with fresh ideas. Other times we need to stick with it on our way to become a master at something. We can't always quit when the going gets tough but other times it is worth quitting to move onto something better.
DeleteThe difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting is that if you plain quit something you haven’t fully tried it. It means you probably haven’t even tried making it better but you just gave up and you don’t have a plan of action for what to do next. While on the other hand strategic quitting is knowing what you’re going to do after you quit. You have a plan in mind of what’s going to happen after and how it is all going to work out.
ReplyDeleteThe simple solution Godin offers to escaping the cul-de-sac is to get out. Quit it. Why invest time and money into something that isn’t going to make you the best in the world? Why stick with mediocre when you can be the best in the world? Exactly, don’t. Because jobs aren’t looking to find someone whose okay at sales. They want the best in the world. Someone who is going to make their sales sky rocket compared to the competitor.
You're right Sara, having a plan does change the way we approach quitting. I think that having a plan B can be crucial to a lot of changes that we may have to deal with. However, this second plan shouldn't ever be relied on.
DeleteI also agree with you about investing time and money into things that we know we won't get anything out of or succeed in is ridiculous. No one should be so scared of change that they ruin their own chances at becoming something. I think that most people choose not to quit and to become average because being the best and going through the Dip is uncomfortable, but anything worth having is worth fighting for.
I agree with your second paragraph. It's pointless to invest time into something that will make you mediocre. Once you know you've hit the cul-de-sac, you need to get out. Invest your time into something that you can be the best in.
DeleteI agree it is a waste of time to keep doing the same thing and going in circles all the time. I becomes "safe" to us and we just need to step outside of the box to continue being productive. Once we have hit the cul-de-sac it is time to find an emergency exit and get out.
DeleteThe Dip is the reason I'm here because the Dip is what sets me apart. The Dip is what separates the mediocre from the best in the world and getting through the Dip is one of the most important accomplishments I will ever make. No matter what I'm doing, there will always be something that trips me up, surprises me, forces me to grow and that demand is what's being demanded by the needs of people and companies. The Dip isn't just a giant pain, it's a giant opportunity, to be the best at whatever I choose to be and to be sought out because of my abilities.
ReplyDeleteVery well said. Everybody encounters the Dip in almost everything they do. Some quit and some people persevere. I agree that it is a big opportunity, but not everyone sees it that way. It is an opportunity to help you become the "best in the world". I suppose it serves a purpose. If everyone got through every dip, then there would be many people that are "the best in the world" at whatever it was that had the dip.
DeleteThis is a brilliant definition set forth by you.I agree with your statement that no matter what, there will always be something in the way of your goal, but I believe that is what makes us stronger and sets us apart from others.
DeleteI really like the part where you say the dip is not a pain, it’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to work hard to get what you desire. Getting through it is a sign of all your hard work paying off.
DeleteI agree with that the dip is a pain but a desire to strive to be better. Once you have gotten through the dip you can look back and see what you have accomplished to get to where you are. It makes you feel more grateful for your accomplishment because of what you went through to get it.
DeleteI agree with the dip being an opportunity. If we never had any dips or hardships, how would we ever get better at anything? The dip is something that motivates us to be our best.
DeleteI love how you compare the dip to opportunity. Many people might look at the dip as being and obstacle. ( Which it is but a good one) They look at it in a more negative terms. So I like how you look at it in a positive way for making yourself better.
DeleteNaomi,
DeleteThis is a great line - "The Dip isn't just a giant pain, it's a giant opportunity, to be the best at whatever I choose to be and to be sought out because of my abilities."
As you know "the best" is relative. What is the best for you, may not be the best for me. But we live in such a micro marketing world where that is actually wonderful.
This is a great point. Let's talk more about this in class on Wednesday.
Like everyone else, I also like this line; "The Dip isn't just a giant pain, it's a giant opportunity, to be the best at whatever I choose to be and to be sought out because of my abilities." I believe that the dip happens constantly throughout our lives, we just have to see the dip as an opportunity as well as something that we have to fight through. Yes the dip can be hard, yet it can be very rewarding. Personally, I can relate this to APSUH. APUSH, was an enormous pain. In order to stay on track, I looked for the longterm rewards and the doors APUSH would open for me. APUSH turned out to be a giant opportunity that was a pain at the time, but rewarding for a lifetime.
DeleteExplain what it means to quit something successfully:
ReplyDeleteWhat it means to quit successfully it to quit at something to take up other opportunities. The other opportunities may help you open up doors to other opportunities that may help and open up contacts. To quit successfully can help you in the long run if you take up the right opportunity and quit at the right time.
Why is the Dip the reason that you're here?
You constantly face a dip in whatever you do, big or small. You face a dip in sports when you have a hard practice. You can also face the dip just doing your homework. You get to a point where you the homework becomes challenging. You can either quit, or get help and succeed at it. Some Dips can be easily overcome and some not so much. Either way, you have to put in the time and effort to overcome the. In the end, bog or small, they are worth it.
I agree with your second paragraph! You will always face a dip, no matter what. They are a challenge that you must face in order to obtain mastery. They o range form easy to extremely difficult, but if you get out of the dip, then it should all work out and you should gain and grow from it.
DeleteI agree that the dip is everywhere. You face it every single day. Some are larger than others, some are more difficult to get out of, but they're all dips we face. I agree that you can either quit or succeed. Those that quit may turn into serial quitter and quit everything in life. Those that succeed will the the ones who are the best in the world. They have achieved mastery.
DeleteKeenan,
DeleteI like this - You can also face the dip just doing your homework. You get to a point where you the homework becomes challenging. You can either quit, or get help and succeed at it. Some Dips can be easily overcome and some not so much. Either way, you have to put in the time and effort to overcome the. In the end, bog or small, they are worth it.
As Godin says about skiing (which is a great example of a dip), no one ever had a wonderful ski run and then said, "That's great. Let's go in and have cocoa and then go home."
That's not the point. The point is to keep seeking out more and more dips. Or as Godin put it, "The point isn't just to have one great run down the hill. The point is to get as many good runs as you can before the sun goes down."
Life, my friend, is a series of dips.
I agree we need to push through the little stuff in order to see the big picture. If something seems hard we can't just quit we need to push through, the best is to come.
DeleteWhat is the opposite of quitting? Do you agree with this?
ReplyDeleteRededication is the opposite of quitting says Seth Godin in The Dip. If you are quitting something to excel in another area or another sport than it is a good reason to quit. I agree with this because if you quit something for the wrong reason you will end up regretting it and second guessing your decision. If you quit because you want the achieve mastery at something else you will forget about your decision to quit because all of your focus will be on achieving mastery in something else.
I agree that you should quit to focus on something else. If you quit something you should take the time you put into it and put it into something else. Rededication.
DeleteI agree that if you quit something for the wrong reason, you will regret it and second guess your decisions. You should quit something for good reasons.
DeleteI agree. I really like how Seth Godin pushes the concept of mastery, and to get to mastery, we need to destroy anything that gets in our way.
DeleteI agree that by quitting other things you can take that focus from those things and use it on one thing. This will help you succeed in that one thing. You will be able to spend more time on that one thing other than many other things.
DeleteI agree. It is a good thing to quit something to excel in another. I faced a decision like this, and it was very good for me. Quitting something and then regretting it is like a second language to me. In my Junior year, I used to quit, just on a whim; Big things and little things. Not a very good thing, I don't recommend it.
DeleteI agree that if you quit something for the wrong reason you will regret it. I quit because public speaking was stressful, but it was something I actually enjoyed. I thought that my peers thought people in speech were lame (this was back in 8th grade). I quit speech for the wrong reasons.
DeleteI agree with what your saying. If you quit something for the wrong reason you with regret it. So you should take the time to think over if you should quit or not. If you quit, then you should put in more time to something else.
DeleteGood observation Riley. Think of a person you consider to be successful or "the best in the world" in an area. If you examine their backgrounds and choices, you can be sure they quit many things in order to rededicate themselves to what they want to be great at.
DeleteIt reminds me of when Godin says "Average is for losers."
Do you want to be an average son? An average brother?
I don't want to be an average teacher, so I quit several things in order to rededicate time and effort and resources to trying to be a better teacher. I don't play video games anymore. I rarely watch TV. I took the hours spent on those activities and redirected them to reading and learning about teaching. I don't want to be an average father. So I quit being on my phone when I'm with my kids. I quit bringing so much homework home. I quit watching game after game after game on Sundays. I gave all of those up to spend more quality time with my kids.
Why is the dip the reason you’re here?
ReplyDeleteYou face a dip in almost everything you do. You face dips in sports, relationships, school, work, and other things. There is always a time when it gets harder. You invest time and effort into all these things, to make it through the dip. Making it through the dips says a lot about you. Are you going to quit when it gets tough or are you going to work that much harder?
I agree with that you face dips in everything you do. But whether you quit when it gets tough or persevere and push through is what defines you. Are you willing to quit easily or push harder when things get tough? I think that there is more to be proud of when you push through things when they get tough.
DeleteI agree that how you handle the dip makes you who you are. It's in your everyday life and if you quit whenever things get tough, you will never be successful. Being able to overcome there dips will set you apart from the rest of the world.
DeleteI agree that how you handle the many dips in your life helps you become who you are. Because things do get tough but if you work hard and get through the dips and get through the 'dark night of the soul' things will get better.
DeleteI agree that times do get hard and how you handle it says who you are. Yes everything you do in life does have dips.
DeleteI agree that times do get hard and you have to handle it. Everything you do has a dip to it.
DeleteWhat is the simple solution Godin offers in getting out of the cul-de-sac?
ReplyDeleteHis simple solution to get out of the cul-de-sac is to quit. You’re wasting your time in something that you’re not going to be “the best in the world in.” It’s time to get out. Quit over-investing in something that’s only going to make you mediocre. If you can’t be the best what’s the point in continuing? People don’t want mediocre they want the best. When Godin made his point about cancer, it really started to make sense. If you have cancer you’re not going to spend months looking for doctors. You’re going to go to the best doctor right away. “Why screw around if you only get one chance?”
I agree completely. I really like Godin's example with cancer too. Why look for someone who might be okay and possibly help you or find someone who is good at what they do and will help you. The best way to get out of the cul-de-sac is to quit. You are going to go anywhere so quit and turn your focus to something else that may benefit you more.
DeleteThis reminds me of what Mr. Reynolds said yesterday in class: “Average is for losers”. Nobody works hard at something to be average. And when somebody needs something they don’t look for someone who is average, they want the best.
DeleteI think that this applies to a career. I don't think that you should quit something just because you're not the best, such as a sport. I'm not the best dancer in my team but that's not a reason to quit. I don't think that someone should quit things because they're mediocre. Although, I do think this could apply to a career. I also think that if you aren't going to go "all in" you shouldn't be there in the first place.
DeleteVery well put. The best solution when you realize you are stuck is to just quit. Then you can focus your time and energy on something that you can be the best in the world at. There is no point to wasting your time on something that you know you won't be good at.
DeleteQuitting is the easiest way for people to get out of any situation or problem they are facing. Sometimes it is ok, but other times people ned to stick it out and get through the dip, because that could lead to some other opportunity that that person may have never seen possible prior to entering the dip. Sometimes the dip can be a blessing in disguise, if we make it through.
DeleteWhy is the dip the reason you're here.
ReplyDeleteThe dip is everywhere in your life, its in everything you do. It is here to challenge us in our life. Its in sports, school, at home, at college, its literally everywhere. There are dips in sport you have invested a lot of time into. You will have dips in the sports you do and when you survive the dip in the end you will most likely be rewarded.
I agree that the dip is everywhere. Everyone has faced a dip in there life. In sports, school, in anything. The dip is everywhere, we just have to realize it.
DeleteI agree with what your saying. Everyone has faced the dip or will at some point in there life. It is everywhere around us.
DeleteI agree that the dip can be anywhere in life. We just need to realize it, and get through all of them.
DeleteThere is no area of our lives that we won't encounter a Dip. As you say, "They are everywhere." Where ever we end up in our lives will depend on how we handle these Dips. We can either choose to give up and coast through life, or we can choose to push harder and come out on top.
DeleteWe do face many dips in our lives. We have already been through plenty of dips in our lives, and we will continue to face them. Knowing when to keep fighting through the dip and to quit is a skill nessecary for being successful in life.
DeleteI agree the dip is everywhere we look. Everyone faces a small dip each day, but we work through it. If everything were to come easy for everyone then we would all be lawyers and doctors.
DeleteMany things contribute to quitting successfully. If you quit something in order to pursue another passion of yours and end up being very successful at it, that is a prime example of quitting successfully. The timing also needs to be correct. Mr. Mumm quit coaching football a few years ago, and he told me it was because he loved the game. He didn't want to quit coaching football because he grew tired of the sport and didn't like it anymore. He wanted to quit while he still loved the game and loved coaching.
ReplyDeleteI like your Mr. Mumm analogy. I think it fits perfectly with quitting successfully. I also agree with your statement that quitting something successfully means you are able to pursue your other interests, and hopefully more successfully.
DeleteCoach Mumm is a great example of quitting strategically. He did a lot of soul searching and reflection when it came to making that decision. And what has he done with all of that extra time? I'd argue he is in the best shape of the past 20 years. He has poured more time into teaching and presenting and being a staff leader.
DeleteThe Dip is the reason why I'm in this class. I could have taken the easy way out with Lit & Lang 11, but I knew College Comp would benefit me much more. I know that if I would have taken the easy English classes my junior and senior year I wouldn't be nearly as prepared for college. I could have passed Lit & Lang 11 with an A, but being average means to play it safe. I would rather get a lower grade in a harder class and learn something, than get an A and learn nothing.
ReplyDeleteThis is very true. By choosing to take college comp, we took on a bigger Dip knowing that it will pay off for the future. We could have chosen to take Lit and Lang 11 like most of the other kids, but in doing that we would have settled for being mediocre. By challenging ourselves a little more right now, it will help us become the best in the world in the future.
DeleteI think this example applies to the whole class. We all had the same idea of challenging ourselves in this class. We don't want to be average and took the risk of getting a lower grade. In the end, it'll be worth it because we will have learned so much more. We will be more prepared for college than the students who took the easy way out.
DeleteI agree that everybody in this class took it because they wanted to challenge themselves. We all could've took lit and Lang 11 and maybe just had to show up to class to do well. Taking on challenges and getting through the dips in our hard classes will prepare us for our college years.
DeleteI agree that the dip is the reason we are in this class. We could have taken Lit & Lang 11 like most of our classmates will, but we wanted a challenge. I agree that this class will indeed help us get prepared for college.
DeleteAll of us could have taken lit and lang 11 and gotten an Easy A. But why do that? We learn so much more in this class. The college level course and college credit is deffinitely worth working through some long papers and boring books. The easy route is not always the best route
DeleteYessss! The easy way out is not always the best option. This class will expose you to what it's like to write at a college level (and to get you college level credit). So that's a great example of working through a dip.
DeleteI agree. We could have just taken lit and lang 11 and been average. Instead we push our selves to achieve a higher goal. Somethings in this class might seem like a dip, but looking back after this class is done it will be worth while.
DeleteLove this! I can relate to what you are saying about Lit and Lang 11. I also could have taken the easy way out and taken Lit and Lang, yet I would not be as prepared for college as I am taking College Comp. I can also relate this to APUSH (I am sure you can too.) I could have easily taken the easy way out and taken regular U.S. History and achieved an A. Yet, What would be the challenge in that?
Delete2. What is the opposite of quitting? Do you agree with this?
ReplyDeleteThe opposite of quitting is rededication. This is thinking of the problem in a new way so that you are able to overcome it. I do not agree with this statement very much. If someone has tried to work through the Dip and got stuck it may be time to quit before they waste even more time and energy. There are certain times that you have to accept that you have taken on too great of a challenge and can not achieve your ultimate goal. Once you realize that you aren't going to be the best in the world, then it is time to quit. Rededication may very well fail and you will still be stuck in the Dip. At this point the Dip has turned into a cul-de-sac and it is a never ending thing. This will be very frustrating because you are trying to get out of the cul-de-sac, but you are getting nowhere.
I agree that if someone is in the dip and has gotten stuck, then maybe they should quit to save time and energy. Yes there are times that people do take to big of a challenge and don't achieve anything from it.
DeleteI agree that rededication is the opposite of quitting. Any way you can think of to get over a problem and out of the dip is a good way, just as long as you get out of it. Also, if you have been in the dip for an extended amount of time, I think it might be time to quit and pursue something else in your life. Being stuck on one problem can blind you from other possible opportunities that could be knocking at your front door.
DeleteExplain what it means to quit something successfully.
ReplyDeleteQuitting something successfully means that you don't have any regrets for doing it. Maybe you just quit the activity because it was a waste of your time. I think that quitting successfully means you quit an activity to get better in another activity that means a lot more to you. Successfully quitting something with help you get better and become the best in the world.
The dip is a period of time when you are struggling with something. Maybe a series of events have happened that haven't worked in your favor. Maybe you're in a slump in athletics. Maybe you're having troubles with academics. The Dip is just a time when nothing seems to be going right for you. What you do to get out of the dip you're in is what really matters. Are you going to curl up in a little ball and give up? Or will you stick with it and get through the dip and end up having success.
ReplyDeleteI agree that some people are stuck and need to realize that they are in a cul-de-sac and need to quit. But there are also sometimes when they should maybe work harder and get through the dip if it is possible. But if not possible then they need to quit.
ReplyDeleteSo they key is to know when to quit and when to stick. How do you know that?
DeleteRededication is the opposite of quitting according to Seth Godin. If you are quitting something to get better in another area or another sport than it is a good reason to quit. I agree with this because if you quit something for the wrong reason you will end up second guessing your decision.
ReplyDelete2: What is the simple solution Godin offers to getting out of a cul-de-sac?
ReplyDeleteHe simply tells us to get out now and not soon. When you hit a Cul-de-Sac, there is no where to go. You are trapped in this spot until you realize it and get out. You have hit a dead-end and the only thing you could possibly do to get anywhere is to quit. And right away.
I agree we have to realize when to quit and when to work through it. If we don't realize we are stuck how are we supposed to move on with life. If you want to go in and do the same thing every day (Average) then good for you. If you want to keep evolving you need to get through the dips.
DeleteWhat’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
ReplyDeleteIf you go and just plain quit something, you’re probably having a bad attitude towards the thing you’re quitting. You are probably frustrated and think you can’t handle it anymore. You might quit right on the spot when you get mad. This is the worst time to quit because you are probably not thinking about how everything will fall into place. If you would be strategic about quitting you would take the time to really think it through. You need to think of good reasons why you are going to quit. You may have no happiness from this thing. It might be causing you to get down on yourself. You may not have any support to keep doing this thing. Once you have reasons to quit, you will have to think about what you will gain from this. You will think about the positives. Next your going to have to have a plan of what will be replacing this or what you will be doing different now. Strategic quitting is much, much better to do than plain quitting something.
Replying to Erin-
I agree very much that you should not regret quitting. If you have any doubts about quitting something you should maybe think it through a little more. If you quit something and you’ve gotten much happier and there is no regrets, you know you have quit successfully.
Replying to Alyce-
I disagree that plain quitting is quitting after one season of a sport. I think if you have gone through a whole season of a sport and you still dislike it that you want to quit, you should probably quit. If after one bad practice you want to quit, that would be plain quitting.
Why is The Dip the reason you are here?
While I was in my moms stomach, my dad was in a car accident and was killed. This was very hard for my mom, especially with me on the way. But she had, and still has support from all of our family. She survived the hard times, and now I’m here. She could have given me up for adoption, and who knows where I would be right now.
Also, I have gone through many dips. All my choices that I make revolve around dips and quitting.
Replying the Keaton-
I agree that if you quit something for wrong reasons, you will second guess your decision. This would be like quitting after one bad day of practice. You will have major regrets if you are making up bad reasons to why you should quit.
Replying to Brett-
I agree to disagreeing to rededication. I think if you have worked on something long enough and haven’t gotten anywhere, you have probably focused too much on this thing. This should just be time to quit for you.
Replying to Chelsey-
Surely agree with choosing to be in the harder class to actually learn something. We could have all chosen Lit and Lang 11, but we knew that we should be challenging ourselves. This is part of our dip, and we are pushing through it.
Replying to Naomi-
I love how she said the dip is an opportunity, not a pain. Everyone should honestly think like this. But people don’t, and that’s why everyone are not superstars.
Awesome job guys. I'm blown away. Before I logged on to comment, there were 120 comments. That's a record for my class blogs. Great job! I'm so proud of you!
ReplyDeleteTo quit something successfully it means that you are quitting it at the right time. You are quitting it to move on to do something else that will take you somewhere. When you quit you need to do it at the right time, you cannot quit during the dip. We need to be able to push through it to be successful in our lives. Quitting is part of moving on to that thing you are passionate about.
ReplyDeleteI am here because of the dip. I worked my way through Honors Lit and Lang lang and pushed through the dip. I could have taken the easy way out and taken lit and lang 11. Writing the braided essay was a dip for me but I got through that and I learned something for next time. We have the option of dropping out of school but many push through that dip and continue for a better life.
ReplyDeleteLove this; "I could have taken the easy way out and taken lit and lang 11." I believe that everyone in this room has faced the option of taking the "easy" way out some time in their lives. I also believe that we all have the option of taking the easy way out, like, we all have the option of taking the "best way through." We will always face obstacles choosing to take the "best way through" yet, we will also always have the benefits of it to make everything that much more worth it.
DeleteWhat’s the difference between strategic quitting and plain quitting?
ReplyDeleteI have yet to meet someone who has not quit something in their life. Frankly, I believe that quitting is vital to the development of a person. For example, quitting swimming helped me become the person that I am today; a tennis player. Despite the fact that quitting is vital in life, quitting one way (Strategic quitting) is better than quitting another way (Plain Quitting). I would consider “Plain Quitting” quitting for the hell of it. I would consider plain quitting the “easy” way out. Plain quitting often happens when someone is not in the mood and/ or are struggling with what they are doing. Typically, plain quitting does not result in something positive. With plain quitting, a person does not gain anything. Personally, I can relate to “plain quitting.” In 6th grade, I quit Boy Scouts for the hell of it and because I was struggling. Quitting Boy Scouts did not help me in any way. I had enough time for homework, a personal life, and for my other activities, yet, things were getting rough so I took the “easy” way out and quit in the heat of the moment. Despite the fact that I would have quit boy scouts anyway, I could have handled quitting a little bit better. On the contrary, Strategic quitting is quitting that is done for something positive. Strategic quitting is also done with a prior plan and is not something done in the heat of the moment. Throughout life, everyone will quit something. Strategic quitting is often the best way to quit. For example, people who are trying to quit smoking, usually do not quit “cold turkey” instead of quitting instantly, they will quit “strategically” in order to have a better chance at staying off the cigarettes. Strategic quitting is also done to benefit something else. Strategic quitting can be seen as readjusting ones priorities. There often comes a time in a persons life, that something is no longer enjoyable or beneficial to that person, this is often when strategic quitting comes into play. Personally, I have used strategic quitting throughout my life, which, has benefited me greatly. Ever since I was about 4, I have been in swimming and tennis. Both of these sports were very important to me and were things I enjoyed doing. However, there came a time that I was unable to break through my “Max.” As everyone else was getting better at tennis, I was lagging behind. I wasnt able to put in the time with swimming in my way and was growing frustrated with my lack of progress. In order to get better at tennis, I realized I would have to give up swimming in order to improve my game. I quit swimming with a strategy, instead of just saying “what the hell, I am just going to quit swimming,” I thought out my options and considered each until I knew what would be best for me in the long run. Society often tells us to never quit. However, quitting is just a part of life and developing oneself. Quitting is often seen as a negative thing and also seen as only “plain quitting.” Instead of giving quitting a bad rap, we should look at “strategic quitting” more than we currently do. When it comes down to it, strategic quitting can be tough and something that people may not always want to go through, yet it is the best type of the inevitable quitting that we will be doing throughout our lives.
Like most, I believe that the dip is the reason I am here. In a typical life, a person will follow the graph of the dip. At first, life is easy. Instead of having to do a lot, we are given everything. We are quite literally spoon fed through this stage of our lives. As we start school, and start to have responsibilities, things get a little bit harder. As our years in school progress, we get closer and closer to the dip. I believe that we hit this dip in college. College is where we think about what the hell we will do with the rest of our lives. Some people do not figure this out right away and stay in the dip longer than others. As we find out what we want to do and get a job, we make our way back up. Things get easier again and we may begin to see the "light at the end of the tunnel." During this part of our lives, we may face little dips. These "little dips" can be a career change or maybe even a job change. Once we are able to retire, we hit the top. From this point on, life is "smooth sailing."
ReplyDelete