The idea of 10x is a great one.
In that link you’ll find Grant Cardone who made the term very popular. He’s used it for his own success and has used it to help others build success as well.
I like his outlook that success is something that’s created. It’s totally up to each individual to create their own success. I love that outlook. It doesn’t put your future in control of anyone but yourself.
In general the concept of 10x is doing something 10x more than normal. Your normal. Other people’s normal. Things that make you stand out. In business it’s doing something 10x better than the best competition. It’s going 10x beyond the customer’s expectations.
In life, these are some of my favorite 10x rules that have led my greatest fulfillment.
1. Listen 10x More Than You Speak
This is #1 on my list for a reason. I get pegged as someone that’s quiet, shy and things like that. But it’s just because I like to think that I’m listening to what’s going on around me.
Although if I’m working on something, like this blog post, I won’t be listening if you’re trying to talk to me.
Anyway, there are a number of wise old sayings about this same topic. You learn more listening than when you’re talking. I think that’s incredibly true. And the more I interact with people today the fewer really good listeners I find. Most people just want to talk, give advice and fill the void.
2. Consume 10x More Than You Create
Nothing against creating in this case. We’ll get to that in the next point, but I think a good lead up to your ability to create is your ability to consume. All types of things. The reason is that to continue to improve as a creator you need to both create and to consume.
I’m thinking of songwriters as one example. The best ones seem to always be consuming more songs. Old songs, new songs, different genres. They’re always looking to learn so they can expand their own abilities.
3. Create 10x More Than You Think You Should
But creating is also crucially undervalued in our world today.
How many people do you know that claim they want to start a business or write a book or any number of things? Odds are they like the idea of it, but they don’t like the actual work. They don’t like the creating part of the equation, which is probably the most important.
Back to songwriting as an example. If you hear a song on the radio odds are very high that it took the writer about 1,000 songs to get that hit. That’s not even 10x that’s 1,000x.
I was listening to Dolly Parton in an interview and she estimated that she’s written about 5,000 songs in her life. She said that was to get about five good ones. I think she’s written much more than five good ones, but you can see her point.
Are you willing to put in that kind of work?
4. Allow for 10x More Patience
Bill Gates is the one to say, I think, that we overestimate what we can do in one year, but underestimate what we can do in five…or maybe it was ten.
I think that’s totally on point. When I think back in my life in ten year increments it’s incredible how much things can change. Then I think forward and realize there is so much time for things to change vastly.
You have to be diligent in your work everyday, but you also have to cut yourself some slack on the time it will take for things to happen.
5. Be 10x More Positive About Life
So many people are self critical. I get it. It’s easy to do. It’s easy to compare yourself to others. It’s easy to think that being critical of yourself will somehow push you ahead.
But I believe in the power of positive thinking. Even to delusional levels. Telling yourself that you’re successful. Telling yourself that you’re amazing at something.
I think we really do underestimate the power of our minds.
6. Give 10x More Compliments
We live in a world where we hear a lot of negative feedback. I see it in the blogging world all the time and I feel bad about it. A blogger might turn in an article where 99% of it is wonderful, but all they hear back are the things that need to be changed.
Over time that can really wear people down. We assume that it’s okay to expect people to do well and that they don’t need to hear compliments about the good things they do and somehow it’s our duty to let them know what they did wrong.
In my experience you need the positive feedback just as much as the negative and probably even more than the negative.
7. Complain 10x Less Than The Happiest Person You Know
I believe that we do become a combination of the people we spend the most time with. We imitate very well. You know the saying that misery loves company and it’s really true.
But happiness also loves company.
Find the happiness person you know and aim to be 10x less of a complainer than they are. That will be incredibly difficult because they might only complain once a month in front of you. That means you only get to complain once or twice a year.
The less you complain the more control you have over your life. The more positive control.
Complaining is you telling yourself that outside forces control your life someone and it’s just not true. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Conclusion
These are just some of my own favorite 10x rules. They’re not all unique, but hopefully they get you thinking about ways you can use the 10x Rule in your own life. And you can certainly use some of these.