10x Is Easier Than 2x summary

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?