KellerINK Summer Book Rec: 10x Is Easier than 2x

In 10x Is Easier than 2X: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less, authors Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy try to zero in on how achieve remarkable growth by setting goals that essentially force us to break our brains.

“Going for incremental progress is a 2x mindset,” they write, “by contrast 10x is so big and seemingly impossible that it immediately forces you out of your current mindset and approach” (13).

A 10x goal isn’t going from a 3.1 mile/5K to a marathon of 26.2 miles, but instead like going from a 5K to doing an event like a Barkley Marathon  which has 100 torturous miles. So how do you make such a leap? Dan and Ben share three core principles to the 10x approach that can help you lace those trainers and head off toward the horizon.

Principles

1. 80/20

For fans of The ONE Thing, the Pareto Principle is a familiar force. It says that 20 percent of actions are responsible for 80 percent of your results. Getting clear on what those 20 percent actions are is the foundational step for moving toward extraordinary results.

For a 10x-er, defining the 20 percent of their current life serves as the basis for learning what they must detach from, delegate to others, or simply stop doing to better use their efforts.

2. Level Up

For Dan and Ben, productivity is less a matter of tasks and priorities, but instead one of identity. They write that one of the key characteristics of high achievers is that they have the ability to accept new identities. If you want to be someone who is capable of doing ten times the amount of what you do now, you must be able to shed your current identity and evolve. If you’re used to thinking of yourself as a manager, you must think of yourself as a leader. This mental shift will help you fit into your new context.

They write, “Your identity as a person is what you’re most committed to. It’s the story of yourself you’re most committed to and your personal standards” (70).  If you are committing to your 10x goals, you are changing your story and your standards exponentially.

3. Increase Value

The last of the 10x principles states that every person has a Unique Ability. This ability is the most pure and valuable thing that a person could do — and expressing this ability is what will bring their success and wealth to the highest degree.

The goal of a 10x life or business isn’t to accumulate money, though that can be a by-product of it. Rather, the goal is to create a life based on freedom. This freedom means that you are fully inhabiting your 20 percent and providing value through your unique ability. By committing yourself to value, you become a magnet for value in turn.

Once someone who aims to 10x their goals understands these three principles, it’s time to put them into a plan. As Gary and Jay say, “The truth about success is that our ability to achieve extraordinary results in the future lies in stringing together powerful moments, one after the other.” Your 10x goal may break your brain a little bit, but unless you put your dominoes in line, it will remain on the horizon.

Have you ever made a 10x leap in your life or business? What do you think your Unique Ability is? Let us know on our Facebook page and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more insights and deep dives.