I recently read a new book by uber-marketer Seth Godin called "The Dip". It’s a very short book and you can even listen to the audio book version in your car in about an hour. Full details on Amazon.com.
The main idea behind The Dip is summarized here:
“Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point-really hard, and not much fun at all.
And then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Maybe you’re in a Dip-a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s really a Cul-de-Sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try.”
It was short but had a lot of “truth” packed into it. It’s something we all know, but putting it so bluntly and showing graphics really made it hit home. We’ve all been there (in the dip) and we can all think of times when we fought through it and times when we gave up at that point.
WHY YOU DON’T SEE ME ON TV PLAYING IN POOL TOURNAMENTS
As an example, I used to play pool quite a bit. I read books on it and practiced constantly. Each day I was getting better! I was moving up in tournaments and feeling really good. I loved it!
Then I hit a period where I stopped getting better. I still practiced all the time, but I seemed to have hit a wall. In fact, some days I felt I was getting worse! It was unbelievably frustrating. So frustrating that I eventually quit playing.
I now realize that I was in The Dip at that point. If I would have stuck through it and worked even harder, I most likely would have broken through to the other side, and then moved up and joined the truly great players.
THE DIP APPLIES TO BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS
An interesting note is that this applies to working out and dieting BIG TIME. We all get fast results in the beginning and are super motivated. Then our results slow down a little (or we take steps backwards from time to time) and it gets a little boring and frustrating. So we give up. Then we spend the next few months losing the gains we made and trying to get back into our routine. Then we go through the exciting period again (fast results, body weight changes, lifting more each workout), etc. It’s a cycle that keeps most people from reaching their bodybuilding and fitness goals.
THE UNDERGROUND SECRET TO BODYBUILDING AND FITNESS SUCCESS?
The biggest “secret” to bodybuilding and fitness success is so simple, it’s deceiving:
“Stick with it over the long term.”
That’s it. That’s IT! Workout, eat right, and take the right supplements for years without stopping (or with SHORT breaks) and you’ll have the body you want. That’s the big secret that everybody is looking for on our site, in the news, in the latest fad book, etc. Like the message of “The Dip”, it’s also simple and obvious when you think about it.
HOW BODYBUILDING.COM HELPS OUR VISITORS GET THROUGH THE DIP
So I think our main job at Bodybuilding is to make it so people can get through The Dip. Here are the main ways we do it:
1. BodySpace Progress Tracking - Tracking progress each day/week is a huge help here. It’s hard to see the 1.5 pounds of fat you lost over the last two weeks if you aren’t closely monitoring it. It may seem you are plateauing, but if you can see the small progress, it’s motivating! At least you are moving forward! Also, you can learn from the times when you really do completely plateau, get advice, change things up, and start progressing again.
2. Proper Supplements - Not only do supplements help you get better results (which is motivating by itself) but they are also fun and exciting. You also make sure you do not skip your workout when you’ve been popping pills and creatine for the past 48 hours. If you skip your workout… all that supplement taking and money was wasted! Also, pre-workout energizers can give you the energy you need so you are always in the mood for working out. And besides, you’ll never get the promised results if you are at home on the couch eating edamame and Otter Pops and watching "So You Think You Can Dance". (Trust me, I’ve tried it.)
3. BodySpace/Forum Friends - They keep you motivated and accountable. The social side of life and bodybuilding is big. You are more likely to make it to the gym today knowing that your friends will be asking about it later. Do you want to give them an excuse or do you just want to go to the gym and get ‘er done? Also, you don’t want to look like a failure to your friends and family. That’s why I recommend telling EVERYBODY that you know about your new quest to transform your body. Won’t it be great to show them your results? Wouldn’t it suck to have to explain why you quit?
4. Transformation/Motivation Stories - Seeing how others stuck through The Dip and reached their goals is very motivated. "I can do it too! It’s worth the effort!" This is true in our articles and on the forum and BodySpace.
5. Helpful Articles And Forum Posts - Learning HOW to do it right is motivating, since you feel more confident and get better results. Nobody likes to do things that make them feel stupid or make them think that everybody else knows a better way. Are they just spinning their wheels using a program/diet/supplements that aren’t that effective?
6. Entertainment - The more they come back to the site just for fun, the more likely bodybuilding and fitness will stay at the front of their mind, instead of behind all the latest stresses in life, like work, relationships, and that stupid credit card bill that keeps getting bigger each month. These things make it hard to stay focused on fitness. Next thing you know you are skipping workouts and eating trash.
These are just a few ways that we help people reach their goals! We’re constantly working to do more and improve our existing services.
Let me know your thoughts!
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