The Ten Times Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

suppressing
this fixation.
They often make the child feel as if his or her commitment to a goal is wrong
rather than something natural and very right! At this point, many children begin
to assume that their intense interest in life and discovery—their innate
commitment to be fully engaged—is somehow wrong or unnatural. They have
essentially been bullied by others—who have long ago given up on their own
obsessions—in order to change their behavior. This is when a person moves
from higher levels of commitment and action to “average” levels.
Lest you think I'm talking about something with which I have no personal
experience, I should tell you that I just had my first child. I will admit that
although her obsessive nature rears its head at inconvenient times for me, I 
never
want to suppress that. It is my fervent wish that my daughter becomes obsessed
with whatever her dreams are, never gives up achieving them, and then spends
the rest of her life improving on them! I love the feeling that comes with being
obsessed about an idea, and I admire seeing others who are that fanatical. Who
isn't moved by the people or groups that goes after the things in which they
believe with all their heart—who is so consumed by their ideas that they wake
up to their dreams each day, work on them all day long, and then go to sleep and
dream about them again all night? As soon as other people see the intention,
conviction, and commitment in the passionate individual's thoughts, eyes, and
movements, they quickly get out of the way. 
I suggest that you become obsessed
about the things you want; otherwise, you are going to spend a lifetime being
obsessed with making up excuses as to why you didn't get the life you wanted.
It is unfortunate that people with this kind of voracious obsession and fierce
drive are categorized as off-balance, work-addicted, obsessive, and a whole

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litany of other labels. What if the world saw a person's unwavering passion,
undying obsession, and a bonfire-like desire to see through his or her goals as
gifts rather than as defects or diseases? Wouldn't we all accomplish more? Why
do people have to turn a passion for excellence and an obsession to succeed into
something negative?
It's interesting, however, that once the obsessed finally do become successful,
they're no longer labeled as crazy but instead as geniuses, exceptions to the rule,
and extraordinary. What if the world admired, expected, and even demanded that
we all operate every single day with an obsessive focus on our goals? What if we
punished the people who didn't act with passion and commitment and rewarded
those who saw their projects through to the end? Our society would be
overwhelmed with inventions, solutions, new products, and increased efficiency.
What if the world 
encouraged
obsession instead of judging it? What if the only
thing standing in the way of your greatness was that you just had to go after
everything obsessively, persistently, and as though your life depended on it?
Well—it does!
Would human beings have made it into space if a team of people hadn't been
obsessed with making it happen? Can a country become great without its leaders
being obsessed with greatness? Would any remarkable leader water down his or
her dreams and encourage the team to adopt a “take-it-or-leave-it” attitude? Of
course not! Do you want your team drugged, lethargic, and robotic or obsessed
with a positive outcome and victory? Never cut anything, never dilute greatness,
never pull back on your horsepower, and never put a limit on your ambition,
drive, and passion. Demand obsession of yourself and all those around you.
Never make it wrong to be obsessed; instead, make it your goal. Obsession is
what you will need to set 10X goals and to follow them up with 10X actions.
Remember as well that making the goal too small won't allow you to gather
the right fuel or take the right amount of action to break through the resistance,
competition, and changing conditions. Nothing great will ever happen without
someone becoming obsessed with the concept—and then staying obsessed while
approaching each task, challenge, and moment as vital, necessary, and a 
must
.
The ability to be obsessed is not a disease; it is a gift!

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