For The Employee

👉 Success Principle: Ask for Feedback

What It Is

Seeking feedback means actively asking your boss, peers, or even clients how you’re doing. You’re open to hearing what’s working and what’s not, and you use that information to improve.

Why It Works

Feedback is a cheat code for growth. It helps you fix blind spots and level up faster than just guessing what you need to improve. It also shows your team you’re serious about getting better, which earns respect.

Example 1

You finish a big project at work. Instead of assuming everything went well, you ask your boss, “Is there anything I could have done differently to make this better?” They point out that while your work was thorough, your presentation lacked clarity. Next time, you focus on simplifying your slides and get much better results.

Example 2

You’re working on a group task. After presenting your part, you ask your peers, “What did you think? Was there anything I missed?” A team member mentions you could have addressed a key concern. You adjust your work, and the project ends up being stronger.

👉 The 10x Version: Seek Brutal Honesty

What It Is

Don’t just ask for surface-level feedback. Invite the raw, unfiltered truth. Encourage others to be brutally honest with you. Then act on it with zero defensiveness and 100% commitment to growth.

Why The 10x Principle Is More Powerful

If you’re only asking for feedback, you may stand out and get some polite answers. But if you ask for brutal honesty, you stand out even more since few people will do this. You give your colleagues permission to not hold back, so that you get the real answers that help you grow. This builds trust because people know you value their input. And when you fix issues no one else is willing to tackle, you set yourself apart as a high performer.

Example 1

During your performance review, you tell your boss, “I want to grow as fast as possible. Can you share the harshest feedback about what’s holding me back?” They tell you that your delegation skills are weak and that you tend to micromanage. You immediately work on empowering your team to take more ownership, leading to better team morale and performance.

Example 2

You’re pitching an idea to a client and say, “Be brutally honest — is there anything about this idea that doesn’t work for you?” They admit they don’t see the value in one part of your proposal. Instead of getting defensive, you dig deeper into their needs and come back with a revamped idea that exceeds their expectations.

For The Entrepreneur

👉 Success Principle: Solve Real Problems

What It Is

Successful businesses solve actual pain points for their customers. Identify a gap in the market or a frustration people deal with daily, and create a product or service that eliminates it.

Why It Works

People pay to make their problems go away. When you solve something real, your offering practically sells itself. You also save time by not convincing people they need what you’re selling — they already know.

Example 1

A local coffee shop notices that many customers are frustrated with long lines during the morning rush. They introduce a mobile ordering app, allowing customers to place their orders ahead of time. The result? Happier customers and increased sales during peak hours.

Example 2

A fitness coach realises their clients struggle to maintain consistent workouts due to busy schedules. They create a 15-minute daily workout program tailored to time-constrained professionals, addressing a clear and common pain point.

👉 The 10x Version: Future-Proof Your Business

What It Is

Stay ahead by monitoring trends and preparing for potential future needs in your industry. Develop systems and solutions proactively, ensuring you’re ready to meet customer demands if they arise. If the need doesn’t materialise, you’ve still gained insights and systems that can enhance your business.

Why The 10x Principle Is More Powerful

Anticipating trends protects your business from being caught off guard and positions you as an innovator. It’s a win-win. You’re prepared for change while building a reputation for being forward-thinking, whether the anticipated shift happens or not.

Example 1

A marketing agency notices the increasing use of AI tools in content creation and customer engagement. They invest in training their team and integrating AI-powered systems into their workflow. When clients begin demanding AI-driven solutions, they’re ready to deliver immediately, gaining a competitive edge. If the demand had not materialised, their efficiency and cost savings from AI adoption still enhance their operations.

Example 2

A food company anticipates stricter environmental regulations on plastic use. They start researching and developing biodegradable packaging before such laws are passed. When regulations take effect, they easily transition without disrupting their supply chain. Even if the regulations hadn’t happened, the move attracts eco-conscious customers which strengthens their brand.

For The Investor

👉 Success Principle: Monitor Industry Trends

What It Is

Stay informed about the specific trends shaping the industries you invest in. Follow news, reports, and expert opinions to spot emerging opportunities within a defined market. Focus on understanding how changes in consumer behaviour, technology, or regulation impact these industries.

Why It Works

By staying updated, you can identify targeted growth areas early. This helps you make smarter, more focused investment decisions within specific industries, giving you an edge over less-informed investors. The key is finding opportunities that offer steady, reliable growth.

Example 1

You’re investing in the healthcare sector and notice a growing trend of telemedicine adoption due to advancements in technology and increased demand for remote care. After researching, you invest in a leading telemedicine company just before it experiences steady growth and widespread acceptance.

Example 2

You’re tracking the food industry and notice an increasing demand for alternative proteins, driven by environmental concerns and changing consumer preferences. While many investors focus on established plant-based brands, you identify an emerging company developing lab-grown seafood. Recognising its potential to disrupt traditional fishing industries, you invest before the company gains widespread attention. As the market for sustainable seafood expands, your investment sees substantial growth.

👉 The 10x Version: Spot Big Shifts

Don’t just follow industry trends, but zoom out to identify macro shifts that are reshaping economies, societies, and entire industries. These could include breakthroughs in AI automation, global decarbonisation efforts, or demographic shifts like aging populations or urbanisation. Look for changes so fundamental they create entirely new industries or redefine existing ones.

Why The 10x Principle Is More Powerful

Macro shifts represent transformative changes that drive entire economies forward. Spotting these trends early positions you to invest in the future leaders of game-changing industries. Unlike smaller industry trends, macro shifts create exponential opportunities, allowing you to achieve generational wealth rather than incremental gains.

Example 1

You observe the demographic shift of an aging population in many developed countries. Recognising the rising demand for eldercare and healthcare services, you invest in a company developing robotics for assisted living and elderly care. As the population ages and labour shortages increase, the adoption of robotic caregivers accelerates, resulting in exponential growth for the company and significant returns on your early investment.

Example 2

You observe a macro shift in how education is delivered globally, with online learning and remote work converging. You invest in a company developing immersive virtual reality (VR) classrooms and corporate training environments. As businesses and schools embrace VR for training and education, the company becomes a leader in the space, generating extraordinary growth and returns.

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NOTE:

The 10x Factors for investors’s content is educational in nature, with examples used to illustrate the learning points. We are not financial advisors and do not provide financial advice. Please speak to your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Note that every investment comes with its own risks and drawbacks. Past results cannot guarantee future returns. Do not invest with money you cannot afford to lose.

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