The Golden Rule of Growth Hacking

“Growth is optional” (Thanks, Alex).

Sounds crazy, right? That growth is simply left to one’s choice. Maybe crazy, but undeniably true.

Whether growth is learning how to test an onboarding flow, play an instrument, jump careers, or manage people for the first time, growth is optional.

These days there’s countless blog posts, webinars, and interviews touting the latest-and-greatest “microwave meal” strategy for growth — “Follow these three easy steps, and you’ll be swimming in cash”, or “have more customers than you’ll know what to do with”. But these one-size-fits-all, quick-fix headlines couldn’t be more of a disservice.

Thankfully though, there is one piece of timeless growth advice regardless of what industry you play in, your business model, how much money you’ve raised, etc.

Real, sustainable growth comes down to one thing — you put in the work.

People who grow personally or grow businesses share one thing — they put in the work. They commit to process. They finish things they start. They do the right thing when no one’s watching. They help a colleague when momentum is lost. They re-read the page when the learning isn’t realized— not because it’s expected, but because it’s who they are.