The gospel of 10x is the belief that one can achieve far more than what might be expected by taking an aggressive approach to the challenges at hand. This can lead to amazing results, as evidenced by Google cofounder and CEO Larry Page’s “living by the gospel of 10x,” as reported in a 2013 article in Wired. This thinking is woven into the culture of Google and is the driving force behind their infamous “moonshot” projects, including self-driving cars and internet-bearing balloons.
Great 10x thinkers don’t accept limitations; they get bothered by them. They look for ways around them or things they can do to blow right through them. For example, two-thirds of the world’s population doesn’t have reliable internet access; however, Google scientists and engineers came up with a way to provide that connectivity with weather balloons.
Unlocking the Power of the Gospel of 10x: How to Achieve Exponential Growth in Your Life
A former Google exec explains that this approach can be enormously energizing. But it can also have a dark side, especially when pushed too hard to the extreme.
As a leader, you can help encourage a 10x mentality by removing barriers to success and setting goals that stretch the boundaries of what is possible. For instance, if you can reduce the amount of time your team spends on low-value activities—like filling out paperwork or responding to customer complaints—you can free up resources that can be used for risky, high-impact projects. That’s why it’s important to constantly look for ways to improve your processes and deliver better results.
