The Giant Dipper of Success

Have you ever been to Santa Cruz, California? If you have, then you're familiar with the Beach Boardwalk. And beyond that you're familiar with the roller coaster there: the Giant Dipper. What makes this roller coaster so unique is it's made of wood. And so when you're riding it, you hear it all ~ the creaks and groans of the boards as the weight of the coaster moves over them. I hate roller coasters. Let me qualify that. I like roller coasters ~ except when I'm riding one. (That's a little nicer than: I hate roller coasters.) I've ridden on the Giant Dipper roller coaster at Santa Cruz. It reminds me a little bit about the process of success. See if you agree. We get buckled in to the work force and up we go. We're heading for the top. The top (in many minds) is prestige, money, a name, applause, recognition, appreciation. (If you're a blogger, it's lots of visits to your blog and a high ranking on Alexa.) Okay. So we get there. To the top of our profession. But then what happens? Most people aren't ready for it. And it may not happen right away just like on a rollercoaster. Once you reach the top there may be a little bit of level track between there and the next surprise. The Giant Dipper isn't named that for nothing. Down you go. Right? The website says at speeds up to 55 mph. It's the same with success. The "dip" comes (it has to) where you go down after being on top. The question is: How will you deal with it? Some people "lose their lunch" (euphemism for barf). They don't deal with it very well. Others come through it okay to enjoy the next upturn. Success is an up and down process. Knowing there's a down is the first step to handling it. (And not eating too much before you get on the ride.) (Giant Dipper picture under the Creative Commons License: HERE. Thanks Larry Pieniazek.)