How to Use the 10x Mindset to Simplify Motherhood and Reach Your Big Goals
This summer, I started reading a book that completely shifted how I look at my time, energy, and goals:
10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.
At first glance, it sounds like a book written for high-performing CEOs or Silicon Valley founders who delegate everything and start their days with cold plunges. But stay with me.This concept has major relevance for moms.
The premise is simple:
It’s often easier to grow 10x than just 2x. Because going 10x forces you to eliminate the 80% of things that don’t actually matter, and only focus on the 20% that move the needle and help you reach big goals.
When we try to grow by just a little (2x), we tend to keep doing more of the same. More tasks, more hustle, more mental clutter. But when we aim for something radically bigger (10x), we have to change how we operate. We have to let go of the things that aren’t aligned with our vision and focus only on what actually moves the needle.
Even though this book is marketed toward entrepreneurs, I found myself underlining entire paragraphs and thinking:
This is exactly what mom life needs.
This is what my side hustle needs.
This is what my brain needs.
And now that I’m applying this mindset to my own life, everything is changing.
What 10x Looks Like in Real Life (Not a Corporate Boardroom)
In motherhood, the 80% looks like this:
- Saying yes to everything out of guilt
- Overthinking every little decision
- Multitasking your way to burnout
- Trying to be everything to everyone and losing yourself in the process
The 20%?
- Slow, present moments that actually fill your kids’ emotional cups
- Systems and routines that create calm without constant micromanaging
- Conversations that matter more than perfectly folded laundry in their drawers
- Letting go of perfect so you can actually enjoy your people
In my side hustle, the 80% has been:
- Tweaking designs no one will notice
- Showing up on platforms just because others said I should
- Obsessing over tiny tasks instead of finishing the big ones
- Staying “busy” instead of being bold
The 20%?
- Creating resources I know will help kids and parents
- Writing what I care about (and what I know other moms feel too)
- Leaning into platforms and content that actually light me up
- Diving deep into areas that scare me, making massive mistakes, and learning as I go
My Summer of 10x (In Progress)
This summer hasn’t been perfect. But it has been more intentional.
Instead of trying to stick to a jam-packed content calendar, I gave myself permission to focus on the one project that felt 10x aligned…my Feelings-Based Phonics program.
Instead of overcommitting to every summer activity, I prioritized self-care, rest, and time with my family.
Instead of clinging to productivity for the sake of feeling accomplished, I zoomed out and started asking:
- What’s actually working?
- What’s worth my energy?
- What’s just noise?
I’m still learning, still adjusting, still catching myself getting stuck in 2x habits. But I’m also starting to feel lighter, clearer, and more focused.
What the 10x Mom Mindset Looks Like
If you’re a busy mom with big goals, whether it’s a creative side hustle, better boundaries, more income, or just less mental chaos…here’s what I’m learning as I go:
1. Define your 10x
What do you actually want more of?
Is it 10x income? 10x peace? 10x presence?
Be honest about the life you’re trying to build.
2. Audit your 80%
Look at your tasks, habits, even your thoughts:
What’s dragging you down or distracting you from your goals?
What are you doing out of guilt, habit, or FOMO?
3. Say no—even to good things
Sometimes the hardest part of growth isn’t choosing the next step. It’s letting go of the “pretty good” things that are still weighing you down.
4. Simplify everything
Create systems that reduce decision fatigue. Automate what you can. Don’t rely on willpower alone. Make your environment and routines work for you.
5. Give yourself permission to be in progress
You don’t have to do this perfectly. You just have to be willing to shift. Every step you take toward clarity is a win.
How the 10x Mindset Helps Quiet the Mental Load (Especially for ADHD Moms)
One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed since applying this mindset?
My mind is quieter.
And as someone with ADHD tendencies and a brain that never stops, that’s no small thing.
The mental load of motherhood is real and relentless.
There’s always a tab open for the birthday party, the sunscreen, the groceries, the socks that don’t have holes, and the permission slip you definitely forgot.
But here’s where the 10x mindset works magic:
It doesn’t just help you prioritize your to-do list. It helps you filter your thoughts.
When I started applying the 80/20 rule to my mental load, I began asking:
- Is this thought helping me show up as the mom I want to be?
- Is this idea going to move me closer to my goals?
- Or is it just an old worry, fear, or guilt loop that I don’t need anymore?
Once I got clear on the 20% of thoughts that actually matter, I stopped entertaining the rest. And funny enough, those thoughts started showing up less and less. They still come around, but they don’t take up space all day like they used to.
I’m learning to let the noise pass.
To notice the intrusive, spiraling, or perfectionistic thoughts and not give them the microphone anymore.
Because they’re part of the 80%. The noise we all need to start letting go of as moms. None of us have the time or energy to waste on thoughts, tasks, or habits that do nothing but keep us stuck in overwhelm and burnout.
10x Doesn’t Mean Perfect. It Means Aligned.
For me, 10x isn’t about being a supermom.
It’s about becoming a more peaceful, present, and purpose-driven version of myself. One aligned decision at a time.
It doesn’t mean everything is calm and dialed in now.
Life still feels chaotic at times.
I’m still juggling a lot. I still hustle.
But I’m no longer hustling in every direction.
I’m slowly inching toward a life that feels more aligned. Where my time, energy, and focus are spent on what actually matters.
I’m learning to protect my peace, honor my priorities, and let go of the stuff that just isn’t worth it anymore.
And even in the middle of the mess, that shift?
It’s starting to change everything.
If you’re craving that kind of shift too, I highly recommend reading 10x Is Easier Than 2x.
It might just be the mindset reset you didn’t know you needed.
Let’s not lose our minds together,
Tori
