Dipping the Basketball in a Bowl of Change

In The Dip, Seth Godin attempts to motivate his readers with the concept of "The Dip" in every endeavor. It is during this dip that many people begin to grow weary of their activity and are tempted to give in. I think that this dip he speaks of can be applied to one's life in several ways. The first is the way that Godin applies his lesson. However, I believe that there is another instance of a dip in a person's life.

I mentioned in class that I am involved with teaching elementary and middle school children basketball skills during the summer. I have done this for around 8 years now and have coached several hundred young people. During that time, I have observed two main types of players and mentalities.

The first group of players believe they have all the right answers and are the best at every drill. Many times, it is obvious that they are mistaken. They do not want to be told what to do, and they generally like to talk and socialize instead of listening to their coach. Because of that, they rarely know what to do.

The second type of players are those who are receptive to criticism and instruction. They are usually not the best at each drill, but they are willing to change their actions so they may be able to improve.

Usually the first type of player is actually better than the second, but because they do not use the correct form in the exercises, they will never be able to improve beyond a certain point. That second type can very well be less skilled than the first, but they have a better chance of being a better player due to their receptive attitude.

I have told players before they need to change their shot in order to become a better player. However, they do not want to hear that. They respond, "But I can make 60% of the shots my way." That may be true, but they will never be able to make more than that. These players are on a cul-de-sac path. They can practice as much as they want, but because they are practicing the wrong way, they will never improve upon that 60%.

Say, for instance, that the receptive player also makes 60% of their shots, but they listen when they are told to modify their form. Their percentage may drop to 40% during their period of "re-learning." This is their "dip." Some players to not like that their shot percentage drops when they change their form and revert to the incorrect method. These are the players who give up when they are faced with a difficult dip. However, there are those players who heed to our advice and stick it out through that dip. True, their percentage will drop for a time, but after several weeks or months it will steadily increase. Eventually they will be as good as they were before, and before long, they will far exceed that initial skill level. They may be shooting at a percentage of 80-85% or even higher.

Those players are rewarded because they stick with it during the dip. That is what separates mediocre players from those who play at the college or professional level. They best players that I have ever coached is also the most receptive. When he is told to do something differently, he goes home, works through that dip, and returns much better than before.

The same goes for any other skill in life. If one refuses to modify bad study habits, that student may never be able attain grades better than a "C." If an athlete does not routinely change his exercise regiment, he will reach a plateau and never gain any more strength. And, if one still types "hunt-and-peck" style he will never be able to attain a very high word per minute score.

While it is very tempting to quit when one is in a dip or before one ever reaches a dip, it must be realized that if there is no dip, there is only mediocrity.