2020 has been a rough year, to say the least. With everything going on around us from Trump VS Biden and civil unrest to unemployment, the pandemic, and whatever else you want to add to the list I’ve found myself in a slump for months at a time. I feel as if I’m just going through the motions of existing during these wild times. It was a challenge for me to stay focused on my goals, too distracted and drained by all the craziness. I felt as if I was beginning to have way more failures than successes due to my lack of productivity. I was overdue for an energy boost—or better yet a real hard slap in the face—to snap me out of it.

The 10X Rule by entrepreneur/motivational speaker Grant Cardone was the smack I needed.

If you are looking for your typical “You can do it! I believe in you!” warm and fuzzy read then this isn’t the book for you. From the opening pages, Grant hits you right in the gut with some tough love. Mr. Cardone breaks down the reasons why we aren’t where we want to be in life and challenges us to chase big dreams instead of settling for realistic goals. He breaks down why chasing realistic goals will leave us living a normal, mundane, and mediocre life (or worse) similar to the same life many of the people around us live today.

Cardone utilizes his past life experiences to illustrate how he has been able to make the transition from a drug-addicted, poverty-stricken 20 something to a multi-millionaire operating a massive real estate management agency, a tv network producer, a New York Times best-selling author, and motivational speaker. He does this as a way to inspire the masses to break the endless rat race cycle and make the same transition.

“Your ability to take action will be a major factor in determining your potential success and is a discipline that you should spend time on daily.“

But make no mistake. This book isn’t just some braggadocious tale of how he was able to turn tragedy to triumph. This book is about choices and how our choices define us. It’s about doing what is necessary in the present to live the life of your dreams in the future. How taking massive action and control of your life now and not letting the world continue to take control will change the trajectory of your future. Essentially, if we continue to take the same actions we have been taking up until this time, we will continue to get the same results.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone tired of living a basic, unfulfilled life. Anyone who is living a carbon copy life that is exactly the same as 90% of the people walking Earth. People who wake up just to go to work and back home, maybe go out with friends, scroll social media, and that’s it. An average existence overflowing with debt and regret, pretending that everything is fantastic and we are living our “best life.” In reality, many of us are instead living our “best lie.” If you find yourself in this place (like I have), want to make a change, and need a wake-up call this is it.

We only have so much time on this planet. This is our only shot. No sequels. Why not use it to go after our dreams instead of going after our fears. We are here to be great and reach our highest potential. The 10X Rule is a guide on how to do just that.