I must admit, I struggle to read books. It is so easy to get distracted with other things such as YouTube. Dont get me wrong, there is plenty of valuable content in video format, but there is something special about reading which engages the brain in a different way. After hearing over and over that successful people read books I realized it is something I must do, there is just no way around it. Writing a short review of a book that I have read is a good chance to reflect on what I have learned.
The 10X Rule
The 10X Rule is a good introduction to the philosophy of Grant Cardone. He argues that people should set 10 times bigger goals, and then take 10 times more actions to achieve them. While the basic concept is easy to understand, the book goes in-depth, explaining why it makes sense and how it can be used to improve the life of a success-oriented individual. The basic premise is that generally people do not dare to dream big, and if they do, they do not dare to take large enough actions to make those dreams come true. I think a lot of this aversion to making big actions is due to peer pressure and wanting to "fit in". The book makes the argument for the opposite, that obscurity is really the largest issue companies and products face, and the goal should be to stand out.
Success as Ethical Issue
One interesting argument the book makes is that aspiring to be successful is an ethical issue. That is, it is unethical if a person does not try to achieve their full potential, or intentionally achieves less than they are capable of. I had never considered success as an ethical issue before reading this, but it is a very powerful idea. If a person is capable of making a positive contribution to the planet, however way he does it, then it could be argued that the community is worse off when it does not receive the full contribution that the person is capable of giving. This is another way of coming to the conclusion that we should always try to do our best and strive to make a positive contribution to the planet we live on.
Responsibility
Another idea from the book is that a person aspiring to be successful must learn to take responsibility for everything. One activity that most people spend considerable time on is to blame others for their condition instead of taking responsibility for their own life and making an attempt to improve it. But blaming others does not move the ball forward when it comes to improving your life, instead it is a mindset of surrender. By giving other people and entities the blame for your condition has the side-effect of implicitly also giving those external entities the power to improve your life by surrendering your own responsibility. I know, as I have been living in this victim-mindset most of my life. Mr. Cardone argues in the book that we should in fact go the other way, and take responsibility for everything, even things that are not really our fault. This thinking establishes a positive mindset where a person feels in charge of their life and destiny.
Fear and Uncomfort
Human beings have a tendency to want to be comfortable and our subconscious mind seems to direct us towards that, almost automatically. Experiencing fear is one of the most unpleasant feelings we can have. The problem is that it is not possible to move to the next level in our lives by staying where it is comfortable. Comfort implies that we are dealing with familiar people, living in familiar surroundings, and performing work that has become routine. To improve our lives in a meaningful way, we must be willing to be uncomfortable. Grant argues that fear and uncomfort should in fact be taken as indications that we are on right path. They should be embraced, not avoided, because conquering fear and uncomfort allows us to grow and reach the next level. Whenever I think of fear I always remember the great quote, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself".
Commit First, Figure Out Later
For me personally, the most important thing I learned from the book was the idea of committing to something first, and only then figuring out how to make it happen. Initially this feels counter-intuitive because at least my brain attempts to figure if something is possible, or how to do it, before committing to an idea. But I have observed something really interesting regarding this. When I try to think of ways to do something before committing to it, my brain tends to work against me, and come up with reasons why not to do it. I tend to think of problems, not solutions. But as soon as I have committed to something, my brain automatically starts to find solutions on how to make it happen. Now the question is not if, but how. This is extremely fascinating to me and I have to stay this understanding has helped me greatly.
Conclusions
I think this is a good book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interesting in improving their life and expanding their thinking. Have you ever caught yourself wondering whether you deserve to be successful? If the answer is yes, you should read this book, as it gives you permission to be successful. In fact it goes further and states that success is your duty, obligation and responsibility.
Also make sure to check out my review of another book by Grant Cardone, Be Obsessed Or Average.