10x Is Easier Than 2x
How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less
By Dan Sullivan with Benjamin Hardy
Category: Productivity | Reading Duration: 17 min | Rating: 3.9/5 (520 ratings)
About the Book
10x Is Easier Than 2x (2023) is part call to action, part step-by-step guide to a life beyond your wildest dreams. You’ll first be introduced to why 10x is simpler, better, and more fun than 2x, then given a clear road map for immediate implementation.
Who Should Read This?
- Burned-out entrepreneurs and business leaders
- High achievers wanting to take their personal and professional lives to the next level
- Anyone seeking direction or motivation
What’s in it for me? Go 10x and watch your life become simpler, better, and more fun.
Picture this: you’re the leader of a successful startup that, at first, enjoyed a period of rapid and impressive growth. But now, you’re banging your head against the wall, stuck in a seemingly endless plateau. You’re working harder, longer, and more seriously than ever before, yet, you’re lucky to see the needle move even an inch.Sound familiar?Our current education and business structures tell us that achievement follows a linear, finite, 2x model. For every unit of effort put in, a corresponding unit of reward is meted out. If you want to double your profit, for instance, you should expect to double your hours.Yet many of us have found this doesn’t hold in practice. People working 80-hour weeks can struggle to garner the most incremental results, while those who take half the year off can reap exponential returns.Here’s where Dan Sullivan can shed some light: the individuals in the latter category are thinking and behaving 10x. That is, nonlinearly, nonfinitely, literally, 10x. If “going 10x” sounds a little daunting, you’re right, it is. Going 10x means constantly shedding the 80 percent of your vision, identity, and circumstances that no longer serve you. Going 10x means recognizing that what got you here won’t get you to your next “there.”But there’s another side to the 10x coin. If you’re willing to push past the initial growing pains, you’ll discover that life becomes simpler, better, and more fun than previously imagined. Because 10x is so seemingly outrageous, few people pursue it. As a result, the competition is far less. In fact, the 10x level is frequently home to absurdly high-value collaboration.Similarly, as 10x is so demanding, life naturally simplifies to the most essential. Only a handful of your current thoughts and behaviors will lead to this 10x reality, so you double down on those and discard the rest. Consequently, you wind up doing less while accomplishing significantly more.Sound enticing?In this Blink, you’ll be introduced to the 10x way and given a road map for immediate use. If you choose to commit, get ready to buckle up. You’ll be waving goodbye to those plateaus for good.
Chapter 1: 10x is simpler
Imagine for a moment you were asked to make a list of ways you could increase your profits by 10 percent. If given five minutes, you could probably think of quite a few.Now imagine you were asked to list ways to increase your profit ten times. It’s a much shorter list, isn’t it?If you’ve ever set a 2x goal like the former, you’ll know how overwhelming it is to stare at the sheer number of valid pathways. Which one should you pick? Should you try to tackle them all simultaneously? Either way, where in the world would you get the extra time and energy?When you set a 10x goal, as in the latter thought experiment, your options shrink to maybe two or three. Your analysis paralysis and decision fatigue will shrink proportionally too. Paradoxically, thinking 10x frequently feels like a huge relief!Now, you may be thinking, But what if I don’t want to go 10x? What if I’d prefer 2x?Aim for 10x anyway. If nothing else, doing so will clarify the highest probability path to your desired 2x and spare you the period of agonizing deliberation. You’ll also give yourself a wider margin for error. As the oft-quoted Norman Vincent Peale proverb goes, “Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” It’s far more disheartening to fall even a little short of 2x than it is to land a long way off 10x.For those who are game to go all in, you’ll soon discover a second way in which 10x goals prove simpler.Not only does thinking 10x slice the number of potential pathways to your goal, but it also slices the number of tasks and actions required for its success. If you’re familiar with the 80/20 Rule or Pareto principle, you’ll already appreciate why: in any context, 80 percent of outputs will be due to just 20 percent of inputs.Going 10x means focusing solely on those high ROI 20 percent inputs – tasks and actions – almost instantly decluttering and simplifying your life. You cut yourself free of the extraneous – and it really does feel freeing – and instead hone in on the essential.Yes, 80 percent is a lot of comfort zone to give up at each 10x leap. But only if you view it as a loss. After all, will you really miss those limiting beliefs, energy-draining relationships, and low ROI to-dos? Or is it more likely you’ll breathe a sigh of relief, lighter for shaking loose those burdens?
Chapter 2: 10x is better
If given the choice, would you spend your days in the zone of mundanity or mastery?The 10x life may not be for everyone, but what is for everyone is the existence of this choice.As mentioned in the previous section, when you set a 10x goal, your focus will naturally shift from quantity to quality. That is, to the high ROI 20 percent.Liberated from the extraneous 80 percent, you’ll be freed up to double down on the quality of the 20 percent itself. And it’s this attention to the quality of the quality, if you will, that enables your 10x goal to become a reality.In practice, this will mean a fundamental shift in your identity and your standards. Your identity is your story about yourself which you consciously or unconsciously reinforce through your thoughts and actions. For instance, you may be running an internal script that says you’re not “the type of person” who can achieve a 10x life. Consciously or not, you’ll think and act accordingly, in this case, by limiting what you perceive as possible for your life.Similarly, your standards will remain unconsciously held commitments until you make them conscious. Your standards are the minimum bar your thoughts and actions must pass, stemming directly from your concept of self. For example, the standards of someone who believes they can’t achieve 10x will differ drastically from those of someone who believes they can.Consider your current identity and standards. Is your self-story carefully crafted or accumulated archived narratives? Is your minimum bar allowing stagnation or inspiring transformation?There’s no judgment if you’re sitting in the latter camp today – we all start somewhere. And fortunately for us, Sullivan has mapped out a four-step process we can follow to 10x our identity and standards to meet our 10x goal.The first step is committing to transformation. You have to want to grow for growth to happen.Then, in order to take action, you have to summon the courage to shed your 2x goals, identity, and standards. To leave that 80 percent of your comfort zone behind.As you take action, you’ll develop the new capabilities your 10x goal, identity, and standards require. And as you double down on these capabilities, you’ll gain a sense of profound self-confidence that will, in turn, empower you to go 10x again and again.Just as some people love extreme sports, you can start to love 10x leaps. Don’t let the initial fear hold you back from the richness of experience waiting for you on the other side.
Chapter 3: 10x is more fun
Perhaps jumping out of an airplane would be at the bottom of your “fun” list. But as alluded to in the last section, there’s another kind of jump – the 10x jump – that can be the source of tremendous satisfaction and enjoyment.The final aspect of 10x we’ll explore before turning to two practical exercises lies in the difference between wanting and needing.Life lived chasing “needing” plays into the scarcity mindset. Unfortunately, this is society’s default mode. Everything has to be justified. Everyone has to be on their guard against everyone else.On the other hand, life lived following “wanting” fosters an abundance mindset. By default, manifesting a 10x life means manifesting opportunities and resources that didn’t exist before. In fact, it’s possible that these opportunities and resources would never exist if it weren’t for you proactively creating them.In this way, the concept of wanting is actually the opposite of selfishness. Abundance becomes a reality for you and those around you only with this perspective.What this boils down to is twofold. First, a wanting mindset and a 10x identity go hand-in-hand. No one “needs” exponential, nonlinear growth, but you transcend both these limits and become someone who does.Second, 10x goals simply require a wanting mindset. 10x goals can only be born of abundance, and abundance can only be born of wanting.When you become unapologetic about wanting what you want because you want it, you identify and learn to develop what Sullivan calls your unique ability. 10x goals are deeply personal. Nobody is going to want exactly what it is you do. As a result, the 10x identity you step into as you double down on your 20 percent will be radically unique and specialized, making you infinitely more valuable. You’ve moved past competing with others and moved into flow. Life then becomes intrinsically energizing and rewarding, and offering such nuanced mastery to others becomes one of your greatest joys.It goes against everything you’ve ever been told, but you’ll soon discover it to be true: 10x really is simpler, better, and more fun.
Chapter 4: You’ve gone 10x before
Sullivan is one of those “there are two types of people in this world” kind of guys. For him, some live in “the gap” while others live in “the gain.”Those who live in the gap measure themselves against where they believe they could – or should – be. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with ideals, they can become problematic when used as the sole barometer for self-worth. Ideals are like the horizon: they can provide direction but can’t be reached.Those living in the gain measure themselves from where they started. Instead of constantly feeling less than their future self, they’re always feeling more than their past self.This appreciating rather than depreciating mindset means those in the gain view life as happening for them, not against them. Even the most challenging and demanding moments are framed as opportunities to learn, grow, and find greater meaning.Which camp do you most often find yourself in?The following exercise demonstrates one of the main implications these two mindsets have on your 10x life.Reflecting on your journey so far, can you pinpoint a past 10x jump you’ve made? Almost everyone will be able to find at least one. With earnest investigation, most people will be able to uncover five or more.This exercise is the gain mindset in action. It’s a potent reminder that a 10x future is just as possible for you as it is for anyone. You’ve gone 10x before. You can go 10x again.Those predominantly living in the gap might find this exercise icky and uncomfortable. But this isn’t some happy-clappy practice. Sullivan goes so far as to say that it’s impossible to move forward until you’ve honored your story backward.So, if you’re currently stuck spinning your wheels while getting nowhere, consider whether recognizing, rather than reprimanding yourself might be the key to loosening those tires up and getting you back up and flying.
Chapter 5: You’ll go 10x again
Hopefully, you’re feeling mighty fired up at this point. You’ve learned how going 10x can be simpler, better, and more fun than you previously assumed, and recognized that you’ve already proven capable. In this last section, we’ll look at two ways you can practically structure your life to make 10x your default.The first is to abandon the industrial model of linear, quantitative time.Although few of us are employed to churn out widgets on the factory line anymore, most of us have kept this paradigm of time – and to our detriment. Factory line time wasn’t designed for creativity and flow, let alone 10x results!On the other hand, performers – athletes and entertainers – approach time nonlinearly and qualitatively. They operate in three distinct modes which whole days, weeks, or even months are dedicated to. These modes are preparation, performance, and recovery.This hyper-focused, super-specific model lends itself perfectly to a 10x life. After all, sustainable 10x performance requires 10x preparation and 10x recovery. Most of us appreciate the preparation element. Perhaps we could use these moments more effectively, but we generally agree that preparation has its place. What’s less widely accepted is the necessity of recovery. Sullivan calls days dedicated to recovery “Free Days,” and is adamant that you’ll only see 10x results by working less and recovering more. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Well, here’s a challenge: block off several Free Days for your next month, quarter, or year, that feels a little scary. Then, monitor your results for that period. If you truly commit to stepping away from work on those days, you may be surprised by what you find.Sullivan’s second strategy has a similar theme: empowering your team to manage themselves. That is, without you. High achievers have the unfortunate habit of becoming the bottleneck in their individual or company’s growth. Their desire to be involved in the minutia of day-to-day operations, while commendable, ultimately keeps them or their team at 2x. They frequently forget that their job is to focus on their highest ROI 20 percent. It’s their team’s job to manage the remaining 80 percent.Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t have a team, so this doesn’t apply to me,” at which Sullivan would argue you’ve just proven it does. If you’re a solopreneur genuinely committed to going 10x, he’d expect you to have a part-time personal assistant at the very least. For those whose 10x “work” isn’t “work” in the traditional sense – if you run the family home, for instance – Sullivan expects you’d hire help.Your Unique Ability is unique precisely because only you can do it. With some smart –and bold – restructuring of your life, you can bring more of it into the world, bringing immense value to yourself and those around you.
Final summary
Going 10x is the path to a life beyond your wildest dreams.Whether you’re looking to take your personal life, professional life, or both to the next level, you’ll have to leave your 2x mindset and behaviors behind. While shedding that 80 percent can feel daunting, you’ll quickly discover that going 10x is ultimately simpler, better, and more fun than is widely assumed.The 10x life isn’t for everyone, but there’s limitless transformation and reward for those who choose to pursue it.
About the Author
Dan Sullivan is the founder and president of The Strategic Coach Inc. Over the past 40 years, he and his team have worked with over 30,000 entrepreneurs, making Sullivan one of the most prolific coaches in the entrepreneurial field.
Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist specializing in exponential growth and entrepreneurial leadership.
Sullivan and Hardy have cowritten two Wall Street Journal best-sellers The Gap and The Gain and Who Not How.