Having a Drip, Drip, Drop mentality isn’t always easy. Especially when crawling up, what seems to be, an impossible hill to climb.

Most never start, some begin but give up, and few make it. It’s difficult, no doubt about it, but the reward is magnificent.

Seth Godin’s written about The Dip before, and I think it’s a great way to look at life’s adventures. However, I want to focus on the slant that faces so many of us soon after we start something new. This steep hill, or (apparent) “brick wall”, usually surfaces when we experience difficulties such as: we hit a learning curve, things start falling apart, we encounter road blocks, etc, etc. We all know what it looks like, but how do we become that 1% that takes a deep breath, and runs up the hill as fast as we can? Determination, perseverance, resiliency? Yeah, sure…these are all necessary but I would argue that passion is the driving force behind these qualities.

Why is the hill so steep!

Of course, the hill is steep for a reason. It exists, simply to discourage the masses. And give, a select few, the opportunity to be great. Mediocre won’t cut it. Being average won’t do. In fact, good isn’t good enough. The only way to make it to the top of the hill is to struggle. Yes, struggle.

I’m not talking about running a 10k, I’m talking about finishing well in the New York Marathon. Of course, we all live in our own little worlds. I have what I consider to be an impossible climb. You have what you consider to be an impossible climb. Each hill is unique for that individual…but what we do with that hill is what matters. It’s a choice really. Will you settle for being average? I struggle with this each and every day…but it’s a struggle I don’t think we can pass up.

Let’s face it, we all get a little frustrated and disappointed when people don’t notice or embrace what we’ve written, created, or talked about. Whether it be your own blog, product, or presentation, people may not care and trust may not have been built yet.

I’ve talked about wanting attention before and how it can be a slippery slope, but on the other hand we also need others to notice and interact with what we’ve done, before they become fans or followers.

So, how do we build trust? Do we bombard them with information and overwhelm them with enthusiasm? Trick them? Deceive them? No. It’s all about the Drip, Drip, Drop – that steady stream of value, accumulated overtime, until finally, unexpectedly they become a fan. A true follower, once a skeptic now a believer. Which drip was responsible for convincing them to cross over? No one knows. But each drip, as small and as minuscule as it may seem was part of the flood that they now trust and respect.

The Drip, Drip, Drop requires patience, perseverance, and dedication. You can’t just expect people to latch on and become die hard fans over night. It takes time, commitment and most people give up just before it starts paying off. Seth Godin talks about “Drip, drip, drip goes the Twit” and how it can help you build a strong foundation for something you want to launch in the future. I think it’s a great idea, and that’s partially why I joined Twitter.

One thing we have to remember though is the Drip has to be something great. Nobody wants to read a mediocre blog post, use a worthless product, or listen to a boring presentation. Every single drip must be excellent. After all, a potential fan may just see one drip. That’s it.