Walked around the blogosphere to visit some old good blogging buddies - and found that many who started around the same time with me has slowed down posting or even stopped writing…
And this leads me to think about this concept of ‘quitting’.
Why you quit?
Have you ever asked yourself why you quit something - blogging, playing piano, going to gym, a relationship, a job… Large and small, why you quit?
Boredom, change in circumstances, change in your interest, lack of patience, obstacles, no/slow progress, no/slim prospect / things turn out not as expected…
Why we quit?
I have heard that those who persist win - for as 90+% of people quit when the new becomes familiar, or then the first obstacle appears, competition is not that fierce at the extra mile.
I have, nevertheless, heard that the successful quit more often - they quit so as to free up their time and energy for their big things (provided that you can differentiate a dead-end with a dip).
The dip Vs Cul-de-Sac
When to stick, when to quit?
The following questions listed in Seth Godin’s little book, “The Dip” may help you approach your situation with some clarity:
- Is this a Dip, a Cliff, or a Cul-de-Sac?
- If it’s a Cul-de-Sac, how can I change it into a Dip?
- Is my persistence going to pay off in the long run?
- Am I engaged with just one person (or organisation), or do my actions in this situation spill over into the entire marketplace?
- When should I quit? I need to decide now, not when I’m in the middle of it, and not when part of me is begging to quit.
- If I quit this task, will it increase my ability to get through the Dip on something more important?
- If I’m going to quit anyway, is there something dramatic I can do instead that might change the game?
- Should I really be calling on IBM? Should I really be trying to get on Oprah?
- What chance does this project have to be the best in the world?
- Who decides what best is?
- Can we make the world smaller?
- Does it make sense to submit a resume to every single ad on Craigslist, just to see what happens?
- If I like my job, is it time to quit?
- Is doing nothing better than planning on quitting and then doing something great?
- Are you avoiding the remarkable as a way of quitting without quitting?
If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.
Quitting, or deciding whether to quit can be much more complicated than you think. A rational, instead of an emotional approach, would do you good.
If you wanna think deeper into the subject, I do recommend you to read Seth Godin’s The Dip.
Related posts:
- Grasping The Opportunity… Zhang Ziyi, Shu Qi, Tang Wei
- Why It’s Easier For The Optimists To Succeed?
- Bearing In Mind The Concept Of Opportunity Cost When Making Decisions
- Success, Failure, Persistence - The Story Behind the Stories of Lee Ang
- “What Is It You Were Unwilling To Do” Vs The Next Level - Inspired By The Interview Of Tony Leung of Lust, Caution
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Good thoughtful piece, Grace. Guess you’re right that there seems to be a slowing down among some bloggers. Maybe some have gone into the Dip or cul-de-sac. It looks like 2008 is seeing some new directions taken by bloggers. Some of us have come to realize that being a blogging social butterfly is taking up too much precious time. Social visitors are not very good for those who are trying to make money online. The thinking now is to get true search engine visitors and move into the niche blogs scene. You can keep one personal blog for all the thoughts you want to put in there while niche blogs will quietly grow and earn residual income for niche bloggers without much attention from the owner.
Once bloggers are better focused, they don’t need to “force write” everyday. Most don’t have the energy and mental power to chug along this way. There’ll be a time when one gets into a writer’s block mode or entering a burnout phase. As for me, I’m slowing down with a purpose. No point scurrying around the blogosphere. Blog with a sharp focus on things and don’t worry about the herd.
Hi there Markk, most glad to hear from you.
Yes, I think you are right. It after all, boils down to what ultimately you want from your blogging - whether it’s blogging for blogging’s sake, or hoping to make some real money. After a trial period, we are all free to choose our way.
Do miss some who actually write well tough.