I’m sharing my book review on The Dip by Seth Godin, which is a book recommendation for life change. This book has dramatically impacted my life and is about knowing when to quit and when to stick it out. If you are wondering when to quit your job and the different ways you may want to go about it, this is the book for you.
In 2022, I found myself at a crossroads. I was living in midtown Toronto, and my 25-year-old son had just moved out. He was returning to our hometown, Kingston, Ontario, about two hours away. For the first time in my life, I was an empty nester whose existence, until that point, revolved around my children. I had an amazing career, a beautiful family, loyal friends, and a great life. Life couldn’t get any better, or could it? Finally, it was time for me to focus on myself.
Realization To Quit My Job Through Purpose Exercise
The executive team at work participated in a purpose exercise, bringing in Dan Pontefract, author of The Purpose Effect. We had an exercise where we were encouraged to return and share our purpose with the group the following week. This could pertain to our professional or personal lives. Seemed straightforward. When we returned the following week, and it was my turn, I took a pass. I was having difficulty identifying a meaningful purpose in my life now that the kids had grown up. Something in my life needed to change and I was determined to find more purpose.
Before I Quit My Job It Was Time for Self-Reflection
The process of finding more purpose in my life had begun. Acknowledging that I needed to make significant changes, I recognized it would take time to figure everything out. So, I began contemplating the best way to move forward in my quest for purpose, and I concluded that I first needed a reset to clear my mind.
I Had a Passion for Travel
I caught the travel bug on a recent trip to Thailand in 2020, and I knew I wanted to see more of the world. Perhaps long-term travel would be the perfect “reset” while finding myself at the same time—you know, figure out that purpose thing I was talking about. I read a book called “How to Travel the World on $50 A Day” to educate myself on world travel. I could now see myself quitting my job to travel for 12 months, and I had the savings to do it.
But what about my career? What if I walk away for a year and can’t find another job when I come back? Will my kids be okay without me for a whole year? I couldn’t just quit at 49 and travel around the world. If I did choose to make a life-altering decision and explore the world, how would I know when to quit? This is when the process starts to figure out when to quit your job, and the Dip has the answers.
Should I quit My Job To Travel? How I discovered The Dip
One day, while cleaning out my closet, I came across this little book, The Dip. I remembered picking it up at a national sales conference I attended a few years prior. After reading the summary on the back, I knew this was a book I needed to read at this point in my life.
Knowing When to Quit and When to Stick
This book was perfect for me because it’s about knowing when to quit and when to keep going. Given my desire to quit my job to travel in a quest to find myself, it was just what the doctor ordered. The Dip applies to both our personal and professional lives. The book teaches us what to do when we get into those “dead end” points in life, whether it’s a project at work, being overlooked for a promotion, or perhaps chasing the wrong goal. Should you continue to tread water or change to succeed in whatever you are doing? Or do you just quit your 9 to 5 and travel like I did? I also learned that it’s not always the travel books that inspire you to travel.
Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win – Or Do They?
The book emphasizes the famous quote, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” But do they? The author, Seth Godin, flips this quote on its head in his book. Seth’s variation, “Winners quit all the time. They just quit the right stuff at the right time,” or “Winners quit all the time, and quitters win all the time,” has stuck with me and changed my life. It means you need to know when to quit and when to stick. The Dip is one of those life-changing books that helps guide you through your own process so that you can make the right decision, especially when it comes to figuring out when to quit your job.
I did It; I Quit My Job To Travel the World
Reading The Dip was exactly what I needed to finally quit my job and travel the world in search of a greater purpose.
If you are interested in following my solo travel journey, check out my travel blog.
How Quitting My Job Changed My Life
After 14 months of exploring the globe, I had come up with eight life-changing purpose statements. Now back in Canada, I work as a marketing and sales consultant while blogging about my travel journey. I enjoy the freedom to travel long-term by paving my own career path. None of this would have been possible if I had continued my corporate life in Toronto. I am living my best life, and if I had never read The Dip, I would likely still be running on that hamster wheel. If you find yourself at a similar point in your personal or professional journey, I recommend reading The Dip. It could change your life trajectory, too.
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