I want to let you in on a secret most people never realize: it’s easier to 10X your business than it is to 2X it.
Sounds crazy, right?
I thought so too—until I started noticing a pattern. The biggest leaps in my life and business never came from pushing harder or adding more to my plate. They came from letting go—of the wrong opportunities, the wrong priorities, even the wrong version of myself.
This is exactly what 10X is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy reveals: that real growth isn’t about effort—it’s about focus. Radical clarity. Ruthless prioritization. A willingness to step into a bigger version of yourself.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re spinning your wheels just to make incremental progress, this is for you.
NOTE: RCY Labs has curated a list of 52 books for Founders (2025 Edition) who care about business profitability AND impact. Don't have time to read all 52 books? We've got you! We'll read them for you, and give you the summaries, audio casts, outlines, and frameworks to apply to your business ... all FREE in the Founders' Lab Community (on Slack). Join here.
The 2X Trap: Why Most Founders Get Stuck
A few years ago, I was drowning in my own ambition. The business was growing, but so was the invisible weight I was carrying—client calls, project deadlines, constant decision-making. It felt like I was sprinting on a treadmill, moving fast but never actually going anywhere new.
At the time, I told myself: Just push harder. Do more. Add more structure, more efficiency, more hours. But deep down, I knew something wasn’t right.
Then, I read this:
“10X is not the outcome. 10X is a fundamental shift in how you see and operate in the world.”
And suddenly, it clicked. The problem wasn’t that I needed to do more—the problem was that I was refusing to let go.
To 10X, you don’t just do things better—you do different things.
- Let go of clients who don’t align.
- Let go of tasks you’ve outgrown.
- Let go of strategies that feel safe but don’t actually scale.
You can’t build the next version of yourself by clinging to the current one.
The 10X Mindset Shift: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
I once had a mentor tell me, “Your biggest growth moments will come when you fire your favorite idea.”
At first, I resisted. I was convinced that doubling down on what was already working was the key to scaling. But over time, I realized the biggest breakthroughs didn’t come from small tweaks—they came from leaving behind what was merely “good” to pursue what was truly great.
2X Thinkers ask: "How can I improve what I’m already doing?"
10X Thinkers ask: "What would my business look like if I removed 80% of what I do and focused only on what creates the biggest impact?"
“The bigger the future you commit to, the greater the transformation required."
What if your best ideas—the ones that got you here—are actually the biggest obstacles to where you’re going next?
Who, Not How: The Secret to Scaling Without Doing More
Years ago, I prided myself on being the kind of leader who could jump into any situation and solve problems. Sales? Got it. Strategy? No problem. Marketing? Give me 10 minutes.
But one day, I found myself answering a question that my team could have easily handled—yet instead of delegating, I jumped in out of habit.
That’s when I realized: I wasn’t just doing extra work—I was stealing opportunities from the people around me.
The book introduces a powerful shift:
Old mindset: "How can I do this?"
New mindset: "Who can do this better than me?"
I made a decision: from that day forward, I would only focus on the things that were uniquely mine to own—the things no one else could do. Everything else? It belonged to someone else.
And you know what happened? The business actually grew. Faster. Without me micromanaging every detail.
Founder action: What’s one thing you’re holding onto that someone else could do 10X better than you? Now, let them.
The Identity Shift: Becoming Your Future Self
The most challenging (and liberating) part of 10X thinking isn’t strategy. It’s identity.
One of the hardest decisions I ever made was letting go of a version of myself that was incredibly successful but no longer fit where I was headed.
I kept trying to drag my old mindset into my future, and it was like carrying a suitcase full of bricks onto an airplane.
Then, I read this: “To transform your reality, you must outgrow your current identity.”
It was a gut punch.
I was waiting for my external circumstances to catch up before I allowed myself to operate differently. But the truth is, you don’t become your future self after you reach your next level—you reach your next level because you start thinking, acting, and making decisions like that person today.
Try writing a letter from your future self—the version of you who has already scaled 10X. Describe what your business looks like, what you’ve stopped doing, and how you make decisions differently.
Now, start acting like that person.
10X is a Decision, Not a Destination
I used to think scaling was about hitting milestones.
Now, I know it’s about becoming the kind of person who naturally operates at that level.
- Saying no to distractions that don’t align with your biggest goals.
- Building a team where everyone works in their zone of genius.
- Making decisions based on where you’re going, not where you’ve been.
And most importantly—choosing to let go of anything that holds you back.
So the real question isn’t how you’ll grow—it’s who you need to become to make that growth inevitable.
NOTE: RCY Labs has curated a list of 52 books for Founders (2025 Edition) who care about business profitability AND impact. Don't have time to read all 52 books? We've got you! We'll read them for you, and give you the summaries, audio casts, outlines, and frameworks to apply to your business ... all FREE in the Founders' Lab Community (on Slack). Join here.
