Sorta Random Sunday: The 10X Rule

Ok…time to review some interesting concept from a book that I read a bit ago. And this one is The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone.

I picked this book up last year when Selenid and I stopped at Barnes & Noble. It may be weird today but I still prefer to read books that I can hold. I like the satisfaction of flipping the pages. And I do use Amazon when I know ahead of time what book I want to buy. But this was truly a browsing session.

Anyway, I picked up 4 or 5 books that seemed interesting and The 10X Rule is one of them.

I do have to admit that I knew (and still know) very little about Grant Cardone outside of what I have read in this particular book of his. But the concept seemed really interesting and I love learning about success. Like anything, I take what I like from different sources and throw out what I don’t. But even if I don’t like something, I always learn.

What is the 10X Rule?

I’m heavily paraphrasing here, but the 10X Rule basically says that to be successful, we need to:

• Think ideas that are 10X bigger than average
• Prepare for obstacles that are 10X more difficult than imagined
• Set goals that are 10X more ambitious than we usually think
• Take actions that are 10X greater than anything we imagined

In Grant’s estimation, constant, persistent, and focused action will create success. And the 10X Rule is the only difference between success and failure.

Meaning that effort and action are more important than your idea, product, the market, or any other factors typically impacting success…

The natural state of humans

Another interesting philosophy expressed in his book is that the natural state of humankind is towards constant action. In Grant’s estimation, this is evidenced in children before it is sort of worked out of them by society’s enacted norms.

It’s an interesting take. And I struggled to figure out how I felt about it.

On the one hand, I love action and working towards goals and purpose.

But on the other hand, I have experienced how this can go haywire when taken to an extreme with my burnout in medicine in the past.

It also suggests that we are always seeking something outside of our reach, which sounds like a recipe for unhappiness and discontent.

So, my first reaction towards this was not positive. But I also could not reconcile my own desire to constantly pursue my big goals…

But then I remembered the GAP and the GAIN

You can check out a quick refresher on the GAP and the GAIN here.

But in summary, one of the promises of this other book is that we need to measure out success and happiness against our past, not our future. Looking constantly at our ideals in the future places us in a constant pursuit of happiness without ever achieving it. By measuring against our past, we can appreciate our gains and feel that fulfillment and happiness we desire.

But, our ideals and goals still serve an important role. And that is to guide us into the future. We don’t stand still. We use the goals for our success as our compass, constantly looking back to appreciate what we have accomplished and where we have been in the context of where we are going.

In my mind, the 10X Rule and the Gap and the GAIN go perfectly hand in hand

This is how I have reconciled the 10X Rule in my life. Because I do like the concept. I have seen in many areas in my life where constant action driven by purpose and passion have led to success. This blog is an example of that…

But, taken on its own, the 10X Rule lacks context. And I think that the GAP and the GAIN philosophy give it that context and balance.

So, no matter what you are pursuing, I encourage you to incorporate aspects of both philosophies in your life!

For example, if you are pursing financial well-being and freedom, consider taking the following actions to the 10X degree!

• Check out my best-selling book, Money Matters in Medicine!
• Watch my free masterclass webinar on The 12 Steps to Financial Freedom for Physicians right now!
• Develop your own financial plan
• Calculate how much you need to retire using my 5 step FIRE calculator
• Design a loan repayment strategy
• Learn about how real estate can accelerate your path

What do you think? Have you heard of the 10X Rule? Have you used it in your life? What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments below!