The "secret" to making time for your goals

You know what's kind of a bummer? When your favorite content creators become totally unrelatable.

When I was working full-time at the clinic, it used to drive me nuts when the ultra-successful would say things like:

"Just block 4 hours a day to focus on your goals and delegate to the non-existent team of people you have to run your actual life."

*sigh*

Thankfully, I found a way to actually make progress without flipping my life upside down.

A book that really helped me was "10x is Easier than 2x" by Dan Sullivan. While it’s meant for building a business empire, I remember thinking "omg I could literally use this to sort my to-do list and even apply this to my stupid house chores."

Here’s how I “stole” the concept from Dan Sullivan and made it work for my daily life:

2x Tasks: The Necessities of Life

What it means: Essential tasks that maintain your day-to-day life but don’t contribute to personal or professional growth.

Examples:

• Doing laundry when you’re out of clothes
• Meal prepping breakfast smoothies
• Grocery shopping to feed your kids
• Texting your landlord about the mysterious growth in your AC vent

Characteristics:

• Reactive but necessary—these tasks are driven by deadlines or immediate needs
• They maintain your current state rather than advancing your goals
• Can’t be ignored but don’t create exponential change

10x Tasks: Goal-Aligned Activities

What it means: Activities that move you closer to your long-term goals—your version of exponential growth

Examples (your goals will define your tasks):

• Writing for 2 hours on the weekend to complete your fiction novel
• Demolishing old cabinets to save money on your dream kitchen
• Investing in dog training so you can take them on hikes and hit your fitness goals
• Learning Italian to unlock job opportunities that let you eat unlimited croissants 🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐

Characteristics:

• Proactive and intentional—these tasks align with your vision for the future
• Require protected time and focus but lead to transformative outcomes
• Often involve large amounts of growth and satisfaction

Here’s the “secret” to making it work

Mr. Sullivan shares a core principle: Simplicity enables exponential growth.

Letting go of 80% of your current activities (the ones that don’t align with your future vision) creates clarity and energy to focus on the 20% that can deliver 10x results.

Here are some things I let go of to make time for my goals:

• Instagram
• Video games
• Shopping (seasonal "restriction")
• Drinking alcohol (seasonal "restriction")
• My day job and the comfort of a regular paycheck

Not easy, but no regrets.

So, what are your 2x tasks? What are your 10x tasks?
Hit reply and lemme know— plus practicing accountability works (even with internet strangers). I’d love to help you brainstorm ideas.

✌🏾TTYL!✌🏾
Simie

P.S. Need help figuring out how to actually make time for your 10x tasks? ​Check this out.​

P.P.S. I don’t totally recommend reading "10x is Easier than 2x" unless you’re self-employed—it’s super redundant. But the first chapter nails the concept and might be all you need!

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