Young Lawyers Network

Operating at 10X Levels

It has been said that the most successful people in the world read up to 60 books a year. Even for lawyers—who read quite a bit daily—that is a daunting task after meeting your billable hour goals, spending time with your family, and pursuing the other interests that you have outside of work. I have not been able to read nearly that many books in 2021, but I’m glad I could read at least one—Grant Cardone’s The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure. The book is an inspiring read, and Cardone’s overarching point is this: highly successful people talk, think, and approach situations, challenges, and problems differently than most people. But you can duplicate the actions and mindsets of successful people to help create the same success for yourself. The following steps are a few that Cardone advocates taking to elevate your practice to the next level:

1. Have a “Can Do” Attitude. Approach every situation with an outlook that, no matter what, you can accomplish your task. Talk in terms of explanations. Resolve issues and communicate challenges with a positive outlook. Thinking in “10X” requires an approach to everything with an attitude that it can be done.

2. Believe that “I Will Figure It Out.” When a client (or supervising attorney) asks you to do something you do not know how to do, never reply, “I don’t know.” The response should be, “Great question. Let me check into that and figure it out.” Even if it’s true that you do not know how to do something, you should not convey ineptitude to the client. You have to resolve yourself to finding the solution or bringing in someone who can assist.

3. Persist until Successful. The ability to persist on a given path regardless of setbacks, unexpected events, bad news, and resistance is a trait common to those who make it. Train yourself to do whatever is necessary to ensure that you are in the best mental, emotional, and financial position to persevere. You will find yourself on the list of the most successful.

4. Take Risks. Take enough risk to create the success you want and need. Most people never go far enough in getting recognized, getting attention, and making a big splash. Allow yourself to be criticized, looked at, and seen by the world. Taking risks can be challenging for lawyers, who tend to be conservative and risk-averse by nature. But we’re talking about risk associated with business development, not putting your clients at risk.

5. Take Massive Action. A significant component of thinking in 10X is taking massive action. Your ability to act will be a major factor in determining your potential success. Taking action is a discipline that you should spend time on daily. If you need to reach out to 10 potential clients to secure one, reach out to 100 instead. In effect, multiply your efforts much more than you think you need to.

6. Habitually Commit. Whatever goal it is that you are trying to attain, be “all in.” Commitment is a sign that someone pledges completely to a position, issue, or action. When you commit to ensuring success for yourself, your family, your firm, or a project, it means that you will do whatever is necessary to make that pledge a reality and fulfill your commitment. With the 10X mindset, commitments are not something you negotiate with or on which you can “give up.” Commit as though you are already successful, and demonstrate the commitment to everyone you work for and with.

7. Focus on “Now.” The 10X Rule requires that you take immediate action in massive quantities. You must acquire the discipline, muscle memory, and achievements that result from taking enormous action while others think, plan, and procrastinate. According to Cardone, procrastination is the ultimate weakness to achieving the next level of success. Developing a habit of “acting now” rather than when the timing is “just right” (the timing will never be perfect) is a crucial tenet of the 10X Rule.

8. Embrace Change. Successful people look at how the world is shifting and apply their observations to improving their operations and growing their advantage. The willingness to accept change is an excellent quality of the successful.

9. Be Goal-Oriented. According to Cardone, far too many people spend more time planning what they will get at the grocery store than they do on setting the most important goals of their lives. If you don’t say focused on your goals, you will spend your life achieving the objectives of other people—particularly those who are goal-oriented. The ability to remain focused on the goal and keep your orientation on achieving the goal is vital to success.

10. Be Interested in Results. Successful people don’t value effort, work, or time spent on an activity; they value results. In the end, the results are what matter. Don’t pat yourself on the back for trying but save your rewards and accolades for actual accomplishment. Results (not efforts)—regardless of challenges, resistance, and problems—are a primary focus of the successful.

11. Have Big Goals and Dreams. Successful people dream big and have immense goals. They are not “realistic.” Cardone advises reading everything you can about great people and the accomplishments of great companies. Surround yourself with everything you can that inspires you to think big, act big, and reach your full potential.

12. Commit First—Figure It Out Later. The 10X mindset means getting 100 percent behind whatever it is you are committing to before you figure out every detail. This level of commitment is difficult for attorneys to do because they are detail-oriented by nature. Although this approach can seem counterintuitive, the basis is that creativity and problem-solving are stimulated only after a person fully commits to the goal.

For more information on the RPTE YLN, please contact: Josh Crowfoot, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C., Liberty Tower, 605 Chestnut Street, Suite 1700, Chattanooga, TN 37450.

Published in Probate & Property, Volume 36, No 1 © 2022 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.