Theme: Mindset | The Grant Cardone Foundation
Most adults teach their kids to “be realistic.” To set “achievable” goals. To not get their hopes up too high.
At The Grant Cardone Foundation, we take the exact opposite approach.
We teach kids to think 10X bigger than what seems possible. And here’s why that changes everything.
The Problem With “Being Realistic”
Here’s what most people get wrong about goal-setting with kids: they think protecting children from disappointment means encouraging them to dream small.
But here’s the truth, kids who are taught to think small don’t avoid disappointment. They just learn to expect less from themselves and from life.
When you tell a child to “be realistic,” you’re teaching them that their first instinct, to dream big, to believe anything is possible, is wrong. You’re training them to self-limit before they even start.
The 10X Flip
The 10X Rule, created by Grant Cardone, flips this completely. It says: whatever goal you’re thinking about, multiply it by ten.
- If you want to save $100, aim for $1,000.
- If you want to make $100,000, aim for $1,000,000.
Why? Because when you set a 10X goal, even if you fall short, you’ll still achieve more than you would have with a “realistic” goal.
And more importantly, you’ll develop the mindset of someone who doesn’t accept limitations.
Why This Matters Most for Underserved Kids
For kids, especially those in underserved communities who are constantly told what they can’t do, this mindset shift is transformational.
When we teach them to set 10X goals, we’re not just teaching goal-setting. We’re teaching them that they are capable of more than their circumstances suggest. We’re showing them that limitations are often imaginary, and that massive action creates massive results.
10X Thinking Builds More Than Goals, It Builds Identity
Here’s something most people don’t understand about big goals: they’re not actually about the outcome.
When a student sets a goal to open a business, the real win isn’t the business itself. The real win is who they become in the process of pursuing it.
They go from being shy and unsure to someone who:
- Researches business licenses and how to obtain them
- Cold-calls local potential clients to pitch their idea
- Creates goals for a business or dream that doesn’t exist yet
- Handles rejection and keeps going anyway
That’s what 10X goals do. They force you to grow into the person capable of achieving them.
“Never lower your targets, only increase your actions.”
— Grant Cardone
The Bottom Line
Stop protecting kids from big dreams. Start equipping them to achieve them.
The world doesn’t need more adults who were taught to play it safe and think small. It needs people who were taught to think 10X, take massive action, and create solutions to big problems.
That starts with the goals we teach kids to set today.
