March 1, 2018 5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

I’ve said it many times that you have to pay the price now so you can pay any price in the future. Are you willing to pay the price? If you think you can be successful without paying the price, you’re wrong.

Before my dad died, he showed me the value of hard work. He didn't say much, but I always saw him working. He was a man of few words. He didn't explain what he was doing or why he was doing it. He didn’t teach me about work ethic by telling me the importance of it, he showed me through activity. At the time, I never understood why he was working so hard.

Looking back, I think that he should have hired someone to take care of the yard and spend his time on income-producing activities, but he knew that hard work in the face of setbacks is what creates success. He was able to firmly secure his family in the middle class and buy his dream home. He didn’t lower his targets, although he was only able to enjoy the results of his efforts for two years after he achieved them.

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You’ve been told before that hard work and sacrifice is required to become successful. Everyone knows that conceptually, but do you actually pay the price to reach your goals? Most people understand the concepts of sacrifice, staying broke, doing whatever it takes, but fail to implement them into their lives. Why?

Because pushing through barriers is uncomfortable. When success is nowhere on the horizon, it’s hard to keep going. Aside from the little I learned from my dad, I didn’t have someone to push me. Nobody mentored me when I was having a problem or facing an obstacle.

Right now, the price you need to pay is taking massive action on your goals. You might not have success right away and that’s the point. You have to stay committed to reaching your potential. That means pushing through obstacles and barriers. That is what creates success. It’s not comfortable. It’s the most uncomfortable thing that you will do but it’s time to step up.

Doing less never solved any of my problems. Understand the value of hard work. You have to get crazy obsessed on doing whatever it takes. That’s like stacking up chips in your success bank so you can cash them out one day in the future. When that day comes, you want the payout to be massive. If you lower your activity, you’re not going to get a massive payout.

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Some of you might have a hard time fitting it. Good. That was me, too. I never fit in wherever I went. When I did try to fit in I ended up hating myself and everyone around me that I was trying to please. You don’t have to apologize or water down your purpose. Embrace what you aspire to be. Think about your legacy. I know I’m most happy when I’m helping someone. It’s not about money anymore, it’s about helping people. When I was young, I told my mom that I was going to become super successful so I could help a lot of people. My legacy will not be the money I leave behind. It will be the people that I help.

Dreams do not happen on the couch or bed. They happen out there in the world. Most people never overcome their obstacles, but staying uncomfortable is what makes you able to break through those barriers. It’s not thinking. Most people starve between the idea and attention. They are not able to immediately generate attention, then monetize the idea. That’s what I’m good at. You need to get good, too.

If you’re not 10Xing, you will be depressed. It means that you’re watering down your purpose to fit in. When you don’t operate at 10X levels, you’re settling. Aren’t you tired of settling? Settling is average thinking that gets average results. Is that the legacy that you want to leave behind?

Success starts with a simple decision. Will you expand or contract? Any decision you make, ask whether it’s expanding or contracting. Hire a new employee -- expanding. Not investing in yourself -- contracting. Investing in your business -- expanding. Cutting expenses to save money -- contracting.

10X is not about adding time to decision -- it’s about being unreasonable. Sales is an expansion activity. Decide if the decision you’re making is expansion or contraction. Here’s a secret of success -- you need idea + volume + margin to create success.

Be committed to expansion activities and cut all contractions. Right now you have too much information rattling around in your head and are not taking enough action. Pay the price now. Break down your barriers with unreasonable amounts of activity. Success requires nothing less!