The 10x rule ffirs indd I 3/14/11 10: 22: 47 AM ffirs indd II 3/14/11 10: 22: 47 am the 10x rule The Only Difference Between Success and Failure Grant Cardone John Wiley & Sons, Inc

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27. Be Highly Ethical
This is an area of confusion for many people—especially when 
they see supposedly successful individuals going to jail. Well, 
as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter how much success 
you amass. Going to jail would be an immediate disquali-
fi er. Even if a criminal does not get caught, he or she is still 
criminal—and therefore incapable of real success. I know 
people who would never tell a lie or steal a penny who I don’t 
consider ethical—because they also don’t bother to fulfi ll 
their commitments as providers of security and role models 
for their families and friends. If you don’t go to work every 
day—and do everything within your power to succeed—then 
you are stealing from your family, future, and the company for 
which you work. You have made agreements—either implied 
or spoken—with your spouse, family, colleagues, managers, 
and clients. The more success you create, the better you are 
able to take care of those agreements. To me, being ethical 
doesn’t just mean playing by society’s agreed-upon rules. I also 
believe that being ethical requires people to do what they have 
told others they would do—and doing so until they get the 
desired results. Making an effort without a result is not ethical 
because it is a form of lying to yourself and failing to fulfi ll your 
obligations and commitments. Trying, wishing, praying, hop-
ing, and wanting aren’t going to get you there. In my mind, 
ethical people achieve the results they desire and create so 
much success for themselves, their family, and their company 
that they can survive any storm and succeed regardless of any 
diffi culty. 
One of the personal experiences of which I am most 
proud was my ability to weather two years in a severely 
challenging economic environment while I was confront-
ing other, even more serious challenges in my life—and 
was still able to expand my company and provide for my 
family. Anything short of providing long-term success means 
putting everyone in your life—including yourself—at risk. 
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THE 10X RULE
I am not talking about “cash register” ethics here but rather 
the bigger concept of living up to your abilities and poten-
tial as well as your unspoken or explicit commitments. 
Merely agreeing to be a father, husband, entrepreneur, or 
business owner—or whatever role you play—brings with it 
implied commitments and agreements. I consider it unethi-
cal not to fully utilize the gifts, talents, and mind with which 
I have been blessed. Only you can decide what is ethical to 
you. However, I would suggest that any disparity between 
what you know you can do and what you are achieving is an 
ethical issue. The most successful among us are driven by 
ethical obligation and motivation to do something signifi cant 
that aligns with their potential.