The 10X Rule

Book summed up in two words: do more

I’m impressed that a whole book can be filled by one principle. Simply work harder. That’s it. Skip the book.

34 of 35 people found this review helpful

Set massive goals and take massive actions

There are only two main points in this book: set massive goals (10 times what you think you can achieve) and take massive actions (10 times more than what you would have normally done). So if your goal is save $1,000, then restate that as "I saved $10,000" (as if you've already achieved it). If you think you can get two new customers each week, put in 10 times the effort to aim for 20 new customers each week. Each of the chapters are pounding on behavior changes, like don't behave like a victim. Traffic didn't make you late. That's an excuse. Do more than the average level of work. Commit to and deliver exceptional work. Don't retreat when economic conditions take a down turn. Get out there, meet with the customers, increase your advertising while your competitors are cutting back, and expand your market as they retract. This book reads like a life coach yelling at you.

544 of 579 people found this review helpful

Not what I expected, and very happy it's not.

I'm only 1/2 way through but wanted to write a quick note to shed some light on the negative reviews.

This book is not necessarily a how to. At least not so far. What this book is, is a reminder that if you think you are working hard enough, you're not. If you believe you're thinking big enough, you're not. If you feel you have have reached your full potential, you haven't.

I am already finding the 10x mindset chipping away at my "normal" life and showing improvements.

I do recommend listening to this at 2x speed (if you can handle it). As some people have complained, there isn't a lot of new stuff here. But at 2x it's like having a personal instructor trying to motivate you.

This book isn't going tell you there is an easy way out. It IS going to tell you that it's your duty to be successful and to get your butt in gear. Being successful takes effort.

I'm really glad I didn't listen to the naysayers. Sometimes we don't need new strategies, we only need a jolt to wake up and take action.

Hope this helps someone.

915 of 976 people found this review helpful

Meh.

This book was...just okay. I almost didn't finish it - and I never give up on books. But I'm glad I didn't...the second half was somewhat better than the first. The story was mostly a pep talk with essentially no actionable advice, beyond the refrain to act, and act big. What advice it did have seemed unclear, trite, or a bit contradictory. Still, if you're looking for a pep talk, this might work for you. If you are looking for actionable advice, keep looking.

60 of 68 people found this review helpful

Very disappointing

I have to admit that I only made it two hours into this book before dropping it. This is very rare for me, as I tend to finish books I start.

I picked this one up because of the high reviews, but now I understand why the bad reviews are so highly rated. In the two hours I listened to I can sum up the information in two words. Work harder.

The author stated this dozens of different ways, but never offered a concrete method. He never offered a reason why the book is even called the 10x rule. Sometimes he said work 10x harder. Sometimes twice as hard. Sometimes 12x as hard.

I've listened to dozens of self-help and motivational books. This is the only one I've felt compelled to leave a negative review for. Save your money =/

478 of 554 people found this review helpful

I took "massive action" and stopped listening

What disappointed you about The 10X Rule?

The repetition was mind numbing.

What was most disappointing about Grant Cardone’s story?

"I" is his favorite thing.

Would you be willing to try another one of Grant Cardone’s performances?

Not a chance

What character would you cut from The 10X Rule?

Grant Cardone

Any additional comments?

A "massive" pile of...

261 of 303 people found this review helpful

extremely repetitive

I'm not sure why this book is so long. I struggled to make it 3 hours in.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

I would not recommend this

I was very disappointed by this book. Some of the advice is good, a lot of it is not and is a recipe for failure. Be careful young reader! Thoreau may have implored us to "Simplify, simplify, simplify!" but Grant has taken that advice entirely too far. Grant oversimplifies the process and makes the case that success is a matter of (a) knowing exactly how much effort something requires and (b) working 10 times harder than your competitors in achieving it.

Grant misses the bus on both counts.

Actually, he doesn't even define what success is and is all over the place on that fundamental point alone. Is success living life on YOUR terms or on acquiring really fancy things? Grant seems to think that it's both, plus other things too.

And how can you know exactly how much effort is required for this un-defined state of mythical success?

Often you don't know! No one really knows, and what you can know, only comes with lots of years of experience in the school of hard-knocks and re-invention. Even Grant admits that he has no formula but warns that you should plan on it being 10 times as hard as you thought it'd be. Okay, sounds too quaint and unreliable, but fine. Unfortunately, that'll probably get lots of folks to be 10 times more likely to avoid making the choice to be brave, shake up their status quo and take charge of designing the life they want. It's not the best way to tackle the challenge. There are countless other books that do a better job on this front. See Seth Godin's work from the last 10 years.

And as far as working 10 times harder than the rest, that's also misguided because getting what you want is not merely a function of exerting brute force. People know how to work 2 or 3 jobs, what they lack is a paradigm for a new age, a world-view that allows them to, not only work hard, but to work smarter and think differently in this new age of revolutionary change.

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it," said Archimedes, "and I shall move the world."

Cardone gives you neither lever nor fulcrum.

He just spouts what seem to be half-baked, unresearched opinions on what he has seen in his 30 year career. Some of it makes sense, a lot of it doesn't and can lead you astray.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Don't Waste Your Time

This book lacked substance! He continually rants and reminds me of the proverbial snake oil salesman. For example, one of his big breakthrough thoughts is that if you work harder you will accomplish more. Of course this is true, but it is not the basis for an entire book. Sorry I gave away the plot. He advises to just say yes to everything without forward thought. I find people who live this approach only add complexity to your lives and usually accomplish less. I find that successful people do exactly the opposite. Successful people eliminate complexity and distractions from their life and have extreme focus on their unique capabilities. Grant might be entertaining to some people, but many of his concepts are dangerous. I am sorry I wasted my time listening to this book.

372 of 436 people found this review helpful

Should have heeded the negative reviews

What would have made The TenX Rule better?

Substance. This is attempted empty motivation without anything to back it up. And Grant's accent bugged me.

Would you be willing to try another one of Grant Cardone’s performances?

No

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Eye rolls, sighs, and turning it off.

Any additional comments?

4.6 stars (at the time I bought) would typically signify a marvelous book. Live and learn.

241 of 285 people found this review helpful