“I’m having doubts about my web design career. There is too much competition. Will I be successful?” – This is what someone asked me recently in an email. So I responded with an explanation of “The Dip”.
The Dip is a concept I first heard from Seth Godin in his book titled “The Dip” in which he describes it as that place most people find themselves while trying to reach a goal. Its the place between the starting point and the end goal. Its that place where you have to push and work really hard to get out of it.
Every time doubt creeps into my mind about reaching a particular goal or every time I hear someone raise doubt about getting into the Web Design business (or any difficult field for that matter), I think about the Dip.
The Dip is the reason why I have recruiters calling me constantly and sending me emails with 4 to 5 job potential job offers a week. The Dip is the reason why I consider “Web UI Design” a recession proof career. Web Design and UI Design skills has value (and all thanks to the Dip).
To be successful in Web Design, you must get through the Dip. You must learn and master all the skills it takes to do good work. This requires pushing through the Dip and reaching the other side. But many people quit while in the Dip. That’s why there’s value in what I do. Not many have succeeded. Many have quit. And that’s why I am thankful there is a Dip. If the Dip didn’t exist, I would not have recruiters calling me all the time. I wouldn’t have an easy time landing a UI/UX design job. The market would be saturated with too many web designers. But because there is a Dip, you have a chance. Everyone has a chance.
The web design field is not crowded. Its a myth. It might be crowded with folks who have started the process and quit during the Dip and are now calling themselves web designers. But it’s not crowded with folks who have pushed through the Dip and have gotten to the other side. That should be your objective. That’s the end goal.
To get through the Dip, all it takes is passion, practice and patience. Anyone can do it. I dropped out of college because school was too hard. I quit while in the “Dip of School”. I was never really book smart, but when I found web design, something that I enjoyed, something that would make me happy, I went after it. I was just determined to be good at something. After hard work, long nights, hours of practice, I eventually made it through the Dip of Web Design. Seriously, If I can do it, anyone can.
Don’t think this is too hard. Push the doubt aside and go after what makes you happy. The web design field is wide open for anyone to grab. Embrace the Dip and you’ll be rewarded heavily once you make it through.
