8 Ways To Apply Lessons From The Dip To Your Dream

Last updated on April 2nd, 2012 at 12:29 pm

How do you know if you learned something?

If it really sank in?

My litmus test for understanding if I have learned something is looking at my thinking – has it changed?

For example – a stressful situation comes up and I need to make a decision; I would freeze up and go with what makes the other person less angry.

Instead allowing myself to freeze, I now think of the question from the book, The Dip by Seth Godin:

“Am I panicking?”

It’s moments like this which tell me an idea has been etched into my head.

You’ve heard a lot from me about The Dip this month – my ups and downs in getting to the center of what the book means to me, my business decisions and for my dream of multiple streams of income.

Here’s where the rubber hit the road for me –

8 Lessons from The Dip and how I applied them to Dreaming

1. Its OK to feel like giving up your dream

This was the hardest concept to wrap my head around. I don’t know – maybe if you aren’t launching a new venture it won’t hit you that hard. There’s so much great information packed in this book, it helps you figure out the ultimate question: Is it time to QUIT?

2. Know what it means to be “the best in the world” for your dream

My version of  best in the world is WAY different than yours. Everyone knows the concept of target market. The information in The Dip lets you take that further. Define your best. Define the world you are committed to being the best at.

I learned a lot about what I’m willing to commit to. What about your world? What does your best look like?

3. Where are you on your dream path – dip, curve, or falling off the cliff?

It is hard to see the forest for the trees. Look at the problem for 30,000 feet. Get the whole picture. There’s a reason these cliches work to describe the idea of having no idea where you are in the process of getting to your goal.

The biggest lesson I learned is the ability to figure it out, be honest with myself, and keep to the facts. What are you looking past everyday to avoid reality?

4. Find the dream Dip you are in

Seth goes over lots of version of The Dip as it applies to business that you can also apply to your dream. The model I am currently fighting with is the Sales Dip. This is the idea needing to sell your stuff in a big way. A sales force is a big idea in itself.

That may require me to think BIG about my business ventures – in a way I haven’t done yet. What does your BIG next level step look like?

5. Decide what business you’re in for your dream

Remember the old adage about prime property. Location, location, location.

Here’s what I am learning about how to define my business decisions: niche – niche – niche.

Generalists can get a little piece of everything. Specialists get the benefit of expertise, focus in the market, and opportunities for working with other specialists. You can tell me . . . what is your niche?

6. Recognize what panic in your dream looks like

Panic can kick your butt and make you do bad things as a reaction. Decisions made under panic typically come back to you in some way. At least this has been my experience.

How do you recognize when you are panicking? What’s the last panic decision you made?

7. Plan when to quit your dream

The whole planning thing I totally get. You have got to know where you are going to get there, right? The QUIT part is new for me. Another name for the concept that I’m used to is Exit Strategy, but that always sounded too big for my situation. Now I’m realizing that may just be the problem. Thinking too small and not creating the picture of what it can be.

When do you plan on quitting? Are you sure it is before you hit The Dip?

8. Admit you have the resources for your dream that you need

Resources are available everywhere. The people I work with, my business support team, my vast amount of industry subscriptions, and endless online research.

Do I need to know everything before starting? I used to think so. Now my focus is on the first step, and letting go of perfection so I can get to Step 2, and so on.

What resources have you not taken advantage of?

I know we’ve covered a lot about a little 80 page book, but when you get an impact from those pages, no matter how few, you gotta pass that on.

Try looking at just one of these ideas, and let me know how it turns out.

I’ll be checking your comments, so leave me one!

~ Heather

Heather’s dream is to have multiple streams of income, starting with launching an e-commerce website that showcases her one-of-a-kind designer jewelry, which are crafted by her. Her newly launched sites are couture jewelry available through For Your Adornment, and Twitter background designs on Twitter And Beyond Dot Com. She also teaches Social Media tactics for business, besides being CEO of her own web design company. Heather’s post day is Thursday.