The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

Chapter 2

Why the 10X Rule Is Vital

Before we get into how important it is for you to think and operate according to the 10X Rule, let me share a little of my own story. For every project in which I have ever been involved, I underestimated the time, energy, money, and effort necessary to bring my project to the point of success. Any client I targeted or new sector of business into which I ventured has always taken 10 times more mail, calls, e-mails, and contacts than I had originally predicted. Even getting my wife to date and eventually marry me took 10 times more effort and energy than I had calculated (but it was worth every bit!).

Regardless of how superior your product, service, or proposition is, I assure you that there will be something you don't anticipate or correctly plan. Economic changes, legal matters, competition, resistance to converting, too new of a product banks freezing up, market uncertainty, technology changes, people problems . . . more people problems, elections, war, strikes—these are just a few of the potential “unexpected events.” I don't say this to scare you but instead to prepare you for where the biggest opportunities exist. 10X thinking and actions are vital; they are the only things that will get you through these events. Money alone cannot do it; it can help, but it can't do the job for you. If you march into any battle without the proper troops, supplies, ammunition, and staying power, you will return home defeated. It's as simple as that. It's ...