Don't Fear The Dip

In January 2018, I took a break from social media. I was feeling bogged down by it all. I thought a few weeks off might do some good. 

Guess what happened next. 

I got really bored. 

Sitting on the Metro with no Instagram or YouTube was really boring. My mind wandered and I itched for entertainment and stimulation, but I couldn’t find it. At least, not at first. 

In October 2018, I started my first 30-day blog sprint. After about a week of pre-planned blog topics, I either ran out of good ideas or didn’t feel up to tackling the few remaining good ideas I had on my list. 

Guess what happened next.

I wrote some really boring blogs. 

Forcing myself to write and publish every day created some really boring blogs that weren’t helpful to anyone. I scraped my mind for good, inspiring ideas, but I didn’t find any. At least, not at first. 

After a ride or two on the train, something amazing happened. My brain refused to be bored any longer. It started coming up with great ideas. Questions I had pondered for months became clear. Decent business ideas emerged effortlessly. 

After a few days of writing boring blogs, something amazing happened. My brain refused to create things it was embarrassed by any longer. It started coming up with solid concepts that excited me. Insights from previous experiences walked right up to me, begging to be written about, and shared. 

The boredom I experienced on the train, and the boring blogs I published were just me going through the dip. 

Between the hills of inspiration and meaning, there is a valley. It is the dip. Don’t fear the dip. Stay in it. It won’t last long. The view from the other side is well worth it. 

I leave you with a quote from my late Grandpa Jim: “Right answers to all our concerns tend to float to the surface of the quiet, trusting mind.”