Stop Fixing the Past. Start Designing a 10x Future.
A new year is right around the corner. You open your laptop to start planning… and suddenly you’re knee-deep in last year’s numbers, chasing down the things you should have done, the goals you didn’t quite hit, and the messy parts you wish you could redo.
It’s natural to look back.
But there’s a subtle danger in staring too long in the rearview mirror…
You can accidentally start shaping your future around your past instead of your potential.
And if your 2026 goals are just “a little bit better” and can be achieved by simply working harder…
they’re too small.
One thing I love about the book 10x Is Easier Than 2x is how Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy describe this dynamic.
They explain that small, incremental goals keep you anchored to what exists today — while 10x goals force you to release everything that isn’t exceptional.
And honestly? That resonated with me.
Because every business owner I work with is capable of so much more than incremental change.
So before you map out 2026 with tidy spreadsheets and “fix-it” intentions, try asking yourself this:
What change could make next year 10x better, not 2x better?
Reflection ≠ Rumination
Reflection gives you perspective; rumination keeps you stuck.
💥 Actionable Shift:
Instead of “What went wrong?” ask:
“What did I learn that could change everything next time?”
That one shift moves you out of the past and into possibility.
Leap Forward Faster
It’s tempting to build your plan around cleanup work.
But meaningful momentum comes from what’s already working, not what needs repair.
Start by naming your top three wins from this year.
Ask: “How could we scale these?”
This primes your brain for creativity, confidence, and forward thinking.
And then — make a few bets.
If you want bigger wins next year, you need to make room for a few new experiments. Breakthroughs rarely come from repeating last year’s playbook. They come from trying something fresh.
10x Thinking Simplifies the Path Forward
10x growth isn’t about grinding harder.
It’s about choosing differently and more intentionally.
It invites questions like:
- What would I do if I only focused on the work that energizes me?
- Who are the clients who value our brilliance most?
- Which projects matter long-term… and which ones are distractions?
You can’t 10x by doing more. You 10x by doing less — less of what drains you, and more of what multiplies your impact.
10x is about significance.
The 10x Wake-Up Moment
10x thinking snaps you awake.
It pushes you to imagine something bigger than improvement because true improvement requires reinvention.
💡 Micro Lesson
In your next planning meeting, ask:
“What would have to change for our results to be 10x better?”
Watch how the conversation shifts
from rumination to imagination,
from explaining to creating,
from tightening to expanding.
The truth is, you can’t spreadsheet your way into a breakthrough.
You need a bigger question entirely.
Takeaways
- Design next year around your potential, not your past.
- Multiply what’s working, let go of what isn’t exceptional
- Make space for bold experiments
Happy 2026 Planning,
Laurie
