Stop Standing Still, Quit Playing It Safe: The Dip by Seth Godin

“The time to look for a new job is when you don’t need one.  The time to switch jobs is before it feels comfortable.”  Seth Godin

Comfortable. My guess is that many teachers would love to teach the same grade or subject, at the same school, in the same district, with the same teachers, for the entire length of their careers. It is safe, predictable, and comfortable. It is also dangerous to you becoming a better teacher.

Seth Godin, in his beautiful little book The Dip, explains why quitting, yes quitting, can sometimes be a valuable tool.

“Doug needs to leave for a very simple reason. He’s been branded. Everyone at the company has an expectation of who Doug is and what he can do.” Doug could be teacher at your school. He has taught the same subject or grade for several years. He is good at it. He is on the same committees year after year. He is good at that too. But is Doug growing as an educator? Are you?

“If he leaves and joins another company, he gets to reinvent himself.”  Could a new school or grade level help you reinvent yourself?  Could a new challenge be just the thing to push you out of your comfortable safe zone, and into a new period of challenge and growth? 

According to Seth Godin, “If you are trying to succeed in a job or a relationship or a task, you’re either moving forward, falling behind, or standing still. There are only three choices.” Obviously we don’t want to be falling behind. Standing still is a very easy and very common choice. Standing still is safe. Standing still is predictable. Standing still is comfortable.

But is that going to improve you as an educator?  Is that going to improve education?  Obviously, the answer is no. So that leaves us with the choice but to move forward. According to Seth, “Measurable progress doesn’t have to be a raise or a promotion.”  We don’t control those sorts of things in education anyways, but Seth also says, “The challenge, then is to surface new milestones in areas where you have previously expected to find none.” 

So what new milestones could you set for yourself today?  What new skill could you develop? I started “TWittering” and getting interested in using the web as a collaboration tool. What new skill could you develop? I moved out the classroom and into a management position. I try to speak Spanish to my parents. I tying some very uncomfortable things. I still have a goal of earning my PhD or EdD. What goals or milestones could you set for yourself? What are you doing that is "uncomfortable?"

Stop doing what you have always done. Stop standing still.

To complete your Essential Education take a few minutes to watch friend Steve Cunnigham's great video summary of the book The Dip by Seth Godin

Comments

[twitter.com/cyndidannerkuhn]

OK, I changes jobs a year ago, was teaching at a small university, my husband passed away, a wonderful opportunity dropped in my lap and I took a leap of faith and took it. Sold my house moved 3 hours away and now teaching at a division 1 university.Best decision I have made in quite some time. Love it, feel inspired and re-born. I am so glad I leaped!! http://www.cyndidannerkuhn.info

[twitter.com/ctbliss]

Yes! Quit - it creates a space where anything is possible. I was teaching in a computer lab at the elementary school where my kids went to school. Great teachers, fine people, great kids - too much keyboarding. I needed a challenge. Earned my masters, applied to the new district. Now I am teaching teachers how to use technology during this incredible paradigm shift sometimes called Web 2.0 instead of enabling teachers not to learn it. . . and I get to learn something new every day. Excellent decision.

[Rob Jacobs]

Cyndi and Colleen, you both displayed a great deal of courage in staying out of the "dip" and forcing yourself to do the uncomfortable. I need to take a lesson from you both.