Why it's easier to grow your business 10X than 2X

On Thinking Bigger, and Why Your Next Goal Should Be Easier

"10X is easier than 2X," Dan Sullivan with Dr Benjamin Hardy.

The provocative and wonderfully liberating premise of the book is that by changing our mindset, and removing those activities which are limiting our growth, we can grow a business 10x just as easily as 2x. If you think about it, we have just as many hours in the day whether we are in pursuit of a small goal or a big one!

"The stories of our lives far from being fixed narratives are under constant revision."

I’ve been absorbing its lessons through the audiobook on my daily walks with Binkie, my beagle, and they have both been superb companions. The book is the latest collaboration between the legendary entrepreneurial coach Dan Sullivan and organisational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and it serves as a powerful manifesto against the cult of "working harder."

The central argument is as elegant as it is radical: pursuing a goal ten times larger (10x) is psychologically and strategically easier than striving for one merely twice as large (2x).

Set impossible goals to filter out ineffective actions and focus on what truly matters.

It sounds like a paradox, but the logic is sound. A 2x goal, the authors contend, keeps you tethered to your current methods. You simply try to do more of what you are already doing, which inevitably leads to complexity, burnout, and diminishing returns.

We try to be faster at walking, rather than riding a bicycle.

A 10x goal, however, is so audacious that it renders your current approach obsolete. You cannot simply "walk faster." You are compelled to rethink everything from first principles. This forces you to ask far more powerful questions:

• "What are the 20% of my activities that are yielding 80% of the results?"
• "Which tasks must I eliminate entirely to make this 10x vision possible?"
• "With whom must I collaborate to achieve this?"

This is where the "easier" part of the equation reveals itself. A 10x goal liberates you from the 80% of low-value activities that consume your time and energy. It demands that you delegate, simplify, and focus only on what Sullivan calls your "Unique Ability"—the areas where you provide the most value. Instead of adding more to your plate, you are forced to subtract.

Embrace change and let go of security to unlock your true potential.

The audiobook format is particularly engaging. It is structured as part narration by Dr. Hardy and part candid conversation between him and Sullivan. Listening to them explore and debate these ideas feels like being a fly on the wall during a master-level coaching session. It is insightful and makes the concepts resonate in a way that a straightforward narration might not.

"We are kept from our goal not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal." Dr Benjamin Hardy

This isn't merely a strategy for financial gain. The book frames the journey around the "Four Freedoms": Freedom of Time, Money, Relationship, and Purpose. The ultimate aim of 10x thinking is to design a life of intention, where you are free to spend your time how you wish, with whom you wish, engaged in work that you find meaningful.

Now, is this book for everyone? Perhaps not directly. It is clearly aimed at entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders who possess a significant degree of autonomy. An employee in a rigid corporate structure may find it challenging to apply the "eliminate 80%" rule.

However, the underlying principles are universally applicable. Anyone can benefit from imagining what a 10x version of their health, relationships, or personal projects might entail. The very act of thinking on this scale can break you out of incrementalism and inspire creative, transformative action in any area of your life.

The Verdict:

If you feel you are working ever harder without seeing proportional results, I highly recommend this book. 10x Is Easier Than 2x is a persuasive invitation to stop majoring in minor things. It is practical, inspiring, and offers a clear-headed alternative to the culture of the grind. It may just give you the clarity to think bigger and, paradoxically, make your life significantly easier.