The "20x Rule" is simple: when you do something good for yourself, your family, or your career, consider how rich your life would be if you did it twenty times instead of just once.


Pamela Slim, writing at Escape from Cubicle Nation, suggests the rule specifically in terms of business: if you reached out to one new lead, imagine what would happen if you reached out to twenty? The rule can also apply to your personal life. For example, if you're trying to motivate yourself into a new workout routine, imagine if you worked out twenty times this month instead of just once.

Pamela also makes the important point that all of that work takes time and effort that you may not have, or may have to build up to. If you get results quickly, you're lucky, but for most of us it's more reasonable to stay motivated and keep pushing than to just flip a switch and be more productive. Naturally, this rule doesn't apply to every situation, but applied well, it could add some much needed inspiration to your career. How do you stay motivated to do more and better things? Share your tips in the comments. Photo by Lore & Guille.


The 20x Rule | Escape from Cubicle Nation

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter.



