When we embark on a journey following our passion, dream job, idea to write a book, idea for a startup etc, we presume that it is a linear curve, one that increases proportionately with time.

But in reality it looks like above curve. We reach our ‘Local Max’ and assume that our ‘Big Max’ is just around the corner. But we have to plough forward through troughs ‘B’ and ‘C’. It takes humility, patience and a great deal of courage to wither the storm. Once you cross ‘C’, You just have to stay on course to reach ‘Big Max’. Usually, people stop at troughs such as ‘B’ and ‘C’ and retreat to their ‘Local Max’.

Adapted from Seth Godin’s “Understanding Local Max”