The “I Want It Now” Mentality

Overcoming Your Thirst For Immediate Gratification By Going 10X

If you’ve ever listened to bestselling author and internationally recognized sales thaughty-leader Grant Cardone, you know that he’s a pretty intense dude. I would even say downright annoying at times. But when it comes to helping everyday people build a mindset for massive success, he spews the truth.

Problem is, if you are anything like me, you want success to occur immediately. Cardone, however, in his book The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure quickly puts that flawed thinking to rest when he asserts:

“Assume that every project you attempt will take more time, money, energy, effort, and people than you can imagine.” 

We live in a world that craves instant gratification. Our mentality often is, “if there is a way to get what we want delivered to us fast, what’s the point in waiting.” It’s this very desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay that fosters unrealistic (short term) expectations. Whether we’re talking about more money, a house, a soulmate, we find ourselves in an unending quest to achieve immediate rewards and material gratification.

Cardone believes that ultimately achieving the very things that we are seeking involves creating consistent levels of long-term, quantum level thinking. He calls this the “10X Rule,” a philosophy that involves assessing the amount of effort and level of thinking needed for one to succeed. The two major tenets of this rule are: 

1. Setting targets that are 10X greater than you believe you can achieve. Cardone believes in never reducing your target or making excuses for your failure. Rather, he exhorts us to always be in a constant state of boosting our activity.

2. Take actions on those very targets that are 10X greater than what you believe are necessary in order to achieve your goals. 

He asserts that many of us often want immediate results without engaging in the level of work that it requires. We should instead, he says, focus on setting high, moonshot, long term goals that we take massive action on — goals that are so unreasonably high that, in fact, we may never achieve in this lifeline. 

By way of example, my legacy aim with Great Books, Great Minds is to create the top global forum for igniting a new world of community, connection and belonging, one book at a time. It’s here where I’ve set the goal of 1-millions digital subscribers to our community by the year 2030. 

This is a monumental feat for sure, which I’m confident I’ll achieve by employing some of my own takeaways from the book

1. Create a Plan: I have created a clear roadmap outlining the massive steps to reach my goals. This helps me to remain focused and motivated on my grand vision particularly during those times when I’m not seeing immediate results. 

2. Take Bite Sized Steps: The secret sauce here is to avoid trying to swallow the ocean in an attempt to accomplish everything at once. I have five things each day that are my primary focus, part of my roadmap of incrementally, achievable steps to conquer one at a time. 

3. Raise The Vibration: I’m learning to do a better job of celebrating my milestones by rewarding myself for achievements large and small along the way. This helps to keep me motivated and on track. 

4. Remain Laser Focused: Whenever I begin steering into that place of wanting things immediately, I take a deep breath and step back, reminding myself of what Grant Cardone says about how we tend to underestimate the amount of time it takes to achieve our aims. 

5. Surround Yourself With Inspiring People: Maria Popova, Mark Schaefer, Malvina Messler, Elaine Pofeldt, and Cal Newport are among those who I am gaining my greatest inspiration, encouragement and support from at the moment. So who’s your tribe? 

6. Think Big Thoughts and Take Massive Action, But Remain Patient: There is a beautiful rhythm and flow to what we are seeking to manifest. We just simply need to align with it, reminding ourselves that our major achievements in life are a long game. 

One final thought here before I close: In Grant Cardone’s other book “Be Obsessed Or Be Average” he adds: 

“You have to be obsessed. Nobody has ever accomplished something incredible without obsession. The ability to be obsessed is not a disease. It is a gift.” 

What goal or intention are you obsessed with? And what are you willing to do to go all in on it at 10X levels. You are invited to share your thoughts in the comment section below.  

Compliment Grant Cardone’s 10X prescriptions with those in d.e.n.e.c’s popular book which highlights her obsession with leather. Also there’s the article my guest contributor Neale Orinick wrote about Dr. Narjes Gorjizadeh’s mindset prescriptions. Then revisit our feature article on Mason Harris regarding approaching your life with Chutzpah.

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“Great Books, Great Minds” is my full-time work and life passion, a labor of love fueled by the endless hours of work I put into researching and writing these feature pieces. So if you enjoy this digital newsletter, find it valuable, and savor world-class book experiences featuring epic authors and book evangelists, then please consider becoming a paid supporting member at $6.00 a month or $60.00/year. 

Thank you for your support! In the meantime, stay thirsty for a great bookDiamond-Michael Scott, Global Book Ambassador, Great Books, Great Minds —“Igniting a New World of Community, Connection, and Belonging, One Book at a Time”