The Cost of Getting Better

Seth Godin writes about the natural growth cycle of a business or career. He talks about your "local" (or historic) max out point (where you comfortably earn what you can earn at the top level you've known to date) and then the later "big max" point that offers greater rewards ($$$), if only you can get through the dreaded dip that occurs before you do the large boost up to that big max point.   Basically, he quantifies on a chart the principle "you can't make money without spending money."   He talks about the fear that occurs as you move beyond your comfortable high earning point (he calls it your local point) to a higher vision only to find yourself in a plung downward first. 

He doesn't answer the question why we go through a natural dip as we strive to get bigger and better, faster and richer.  Is it that in order to dream and achieve larger visions for ourselves, we have to take our eye of the day-to-day and make time for new creation?  Do we need to devote resources away from making our regular money and put them into building more infrastructure.  He talks about fear rising up that keeps people where they are at.  For example, "I couldn't change jobs, that would be risky."    I'm stuck on this one. I wish this dip didn't occur as we aim higher.  For me personally, I recognize this trend.  I think of it as the investment you make for continued success.  How can you hope to stay no. 1 in your niche, if you refuse to reinvent yourself?  Reinvention takes time and money. It's the cost of staying no. 1.