“Every next level of your life will require a different you."
-- Leonardo DiCaprio
I've always loved the goldfish analogy for growth: a goldfish will only grow as big as its environment allows. So, if you put a goldfish in a small bowl, you'll barely see any growth compared to putting it in a large tank, pond, or river.
The idea behind 10x growth is very similar.
According to the author, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, what makes 10x so difficult for someone to achieve is not that 10x is so much greater than 2x or that it takes more time, energy, or effort, but rather that "most people are afraid to commit fully to the 10x process because it inevitably requires letting go of your current identity, circumstances, and comfort zone."
In other words, jumping from our small, comfortable fish bowl into a larger one requires us to change who we think we are and what we think we are capable of.
"Most people reach for just a little bit more -- a promotion, a little more money, a new personal record. Going for incremental progress is a 2x mindset, which, at a fundamental level, means you're continuing or maintaining what you're already doing. You're letting the past dictate what you do and how you do it."
10x isn't About More. It's About Less.
Often, when we think of 10x of anything, it means more, right? 2x2 is 4 but 10x2 is 20. However, the reality of 10x growth is not more steps, more gadgets, or more of anything, but rather "extreme simplification." Dr. Hardy uses Steve Jobs and the design of the iPod as his core example for this point, saying,
"[Steve Jobs] removed all aspects of owning music that people didn't want and provided technology that made the experience of music 10x better and easier."
How have you overcomplicated your activity, thinking that "more" would help you achieve more significant growth?
10x Isn't Quantity. It's About Quality.
It's no secret that our attention is a finite resource, so why do we think that if we add more activity, we will reach our potential? 2x is focused on quantity, while 10x is focused on quality. "Going 10x means your attention is directly on far less, but it's insanely more potent and impactful because it's focused rather than spread thin."
What do you give your attention to that distracts from who you want to be and what you want to achieve?
"Anything that is alive is in a continual state of change and movement. The moment that you rest, thinking that you have attained the level you desire, a part of your mind enters a phase of decay."
-- Robert Greene
10x Isn't About Any Specific Outcome. It's About the Process.
In today's culture, we have become obsessed with outcomes and metrics, and while these things play their part in our development, 10x is not just about seeing 10x results but rather is a capability we develop.
"It's an operating system you deploy for dramatically expanding your vision and standards, simplifying your strategy and focus, identifying and removing non-essentials, developing mastery in unique areas, and leading and empowering others who excitedly share your vision. 10x is the vehicle for transforming yourself and your life."
How could adopting this 10x operating system change your life and business/work?
10x Isn't About Limitations. It's About Freedom.
You might be tempted to think about an operating system or a filter for your daily activity as limiting what you can and can't do, but shifting your mindset and your activity for a 10x simpler, easier, and better way of living allows you to take ownership of your life and leads to greater freedom. Dan Sullivan identifies four fundamental freedoms that 10x-people are looking for:
- Freedom of Time: 10x allows you to spend time on the things that matter.
- Freedom of Money: 10x allows you to generate more and waste less.
- Freedom of Relationship: 10x allows you to expand your network and influence continuously.
- Freedom of Purpose: 10x gives you greater opportunities and options.
