If It Were Easy, Everyone Would Do It

People who know me are going to get sick of me talking about the book The Dip, by Seth Godin. I was honored to speak last week to a stellar group of student leaders at my alma mater, Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. When thinking about what to tell them about what I have learned in life, this book really stood out. (cover image from Barnes & Noble’s website)

The idea is that anything worth having or doing in life is most likely going to have a "Dip." The Dip is a graphical representation of the hardest part of your journey– the "weed-out classes" in pre-med studies, the "seven-year itch" in a marriage, the middle of the marathon race. It’s the reason that not everyone is a CEO, or an entrepreneur, or a senator. Getting through the Dip, past the hard part, is what it’s all about… if it were easy, everyone would do it. I have been seeing everything through this "filter" since I read this book a few months ago.

Many of our Clutter Diet members have joined our program excited about the ideas and motivation, but soon they will probably face the Dip… they may have a difficult organizing project to do that is daunting, like a room full of papers or a bunch of emotionally-ridden inherited items to go through. The Dip is easier to get through if you know it’s there. Lean into it… embrace it… and learn from it. You’ve got to push through to the other side where success waits.

One of the major themes in this book is knowing when to quit and when to stick–when the Dip may not be worth getting through or you may be in a "Cul-de-Sac" instead. Getting organized is so much about deciding what you want in life and how your environment matches and supports your vision. This book will help you tremendously if you need to make some tough choices about your life and work.

This book is perfect for thinking about the new year to come. You can read this over breakfast because it’s really short. I hope you will read it and comment here! Enjoy!