10X Growth Isn’t About Working Harder: It’s About Taking More Days Off

André Brisson
4 days ago
4 min read

10X Growth Isn’t About Working Harder: It’s About Taking More Days Off

Are you tired of grinding for the next “2X” win? Do you wonder if there is a way to grow your impact, revenue, and freedom—without putting in more hours or losing your mind to burn out? What if the secret to massive Entrepreneurial growth wasn’t found in doing more, but doing less and doing it efficiently?

Let us dig into what Dan Sullivan, co-founder of Strategic Coach, means when he says, “10X is easier than 2X.” Dan has coached thousands of Entrepreneurs this concept successfully.

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Why 10X Growth Beats the Same Old 2X Grind

Most of us ADHD Entrepreneurs started off working every flipping hour just to keep the doors open. You know the routine—weekends, late nights, juggling everything because, in the beginning, you had to. Many of us are star-ups. But that’s not the only way, it will burn you out and you will get bored.

Dan Sullivan lays it straight: “If you can normalize the notion that your next jump as an Entrepreneur is going to be 10 times… you can achieve that. In fact, what you’re going to find is that IT IS easier to go 10 times than if you are just trying to go two times.”

Let that mess with your head for a minute. 2X growth is just rearranging the office furniture—same stuff, just more hours. 10X? That’s a new way of thinking and doing entirely.

The Power of Focusing on Your Unique Ability®

Here is where most people—especially those of us with ADHD—have it wrong: we think we have to do it all. Dan doesn’t waste time pretending otherwise. “There are about three things I’m really good at. I’m good at coaching, I’m good at coming up with new coaching ideas, and… almost anything that takes place in the front stage. You don’t want Dan working backstage.”

Trying to fit yourself into every role is not just a waste of your strengths, it’s a recipe for exhaustion. Stop using your ADHD as an excuse to not delegate; start using it as your cue to double down on the things you do best.

Rejuvenation Time: More Free Days® Gets More Done

Get this: Dan and his strategic partner Babs lock in 22 weeks—155 days—of complete time off every year, right off the top. EVERY YEAR! No banked days, no “I’ll rest when I’m dead,” just pure, planned unplugging. And guess what? His team works better, stays longer, and the company keeps growing.

Dan says, “If the free time doesn’t come off the top, there are no free days.” Bet you never thought taking time off was part of a legit growth strategy. Turns out, it’s the only way you’ll have the energy and creativity left to actually go 10X. Believe me, I called BS when I first heard this 15 years ago, but this is valuable must to stay creative and energized.

Drop the Deadline Pressure

We ADHD Entrepreneurs love a wild goal because of the dopamine rush. Here’s the trap: we slap on brutal, impossible deadlines, then burn out the team—and ourselves, trying to make it happen. Your brain creates “Urgency” situations. Dan nails it: “It’s not the goal that drives them crazy. It’s the deadlines that drive them crazy.”

Set big goals. Ditch the self-destructive timelines. Give yourself the runway to make it real without melting down everyone around you. Give yourself grace that you did not meet a deadline, because honestly, your time blindness affected your expectations.

Your Next Steps: Change the Mindset, Make it Happen

Lock in your free days for the year upfront. Don’t negotiate with yourself later.
Trim your work life to focus on your true strengths, your Unique Ability®. What drains you? Set a plan to get rid of it.
Get clear on your personal time cycles. Dan needs 90 days to keep interest high; yours might be two weeks. Work with it, not against it.
If going 10X excites you (or intimidates you), ask yourself: Are you ready to swap old habits for new thinking? Are you willing to stop faking it and start organizing your work—and your team—around what you do brilliantly?

Join the Conversation

Are you ready to quit the “do more” hamster wheel and build a business that gives you time, freedom, and real growth? Tell me—does the idea of 10X growth fire you up or freak you out? Connect with other ADHD Entrepreneurs making the same leap by sharing your thoughts in the comments or joining our next episode.

If you want the full scoop on Dan’s approach, check out “10X is Easier Than 2X” and give your thinking a serious shake-up. Remember, in this community, we get it—you don’t have to do business the “normal” way.