The Rule of 100: How to get good at anything.
- Manny Joshua
- May 10
- 5 min read
Everybody wants to be good, but most people try to become competent at something with far too few repetitions. They overlook the reality that repetition is a non-negotiable part of growth. Repetition gives you rhythm, feel, and insight. It’s how you truly begin to understand what you’re doing. Without it, mastery is impossible.
The Rule of 100 is a simple but powerful principle that can take your gains to another level. Most people try and fail not because they are failures, but becasue they don't give anything a chance to become second nate. It takes reps—lots of them—to get better at anything. Success is really repetition mixed with failure and learning. The more you do, the more you learn, the better you get.
Take basketball, for example. An elite NBA point guard didn’t start off executing lightning-fast crossovers into spin moves ending in a two-handed slam (you don't have to know basketball to know that is impressive). Years earlier, they began by just holding the ball—literally just looking at it. Then they bounced it once. Surprised that it came back. Then they bounced it again. And again. Over time, they realized they could control where the ball bounced. Closer meant more control. Farther meant more risk. Through repetition, they gained understanding. And through understanding, they built mastery—step by step, until one day - after much practice, sweat equity and dedication - they were performing at a professional level.
That’s how all skill development works. Whether it’s sports, relationships, or business, the cycle is always the same:
Activity – Doing the thing.
Consistent Activity – Doing the thing a lot.
Competence – Getting good at the thing.
Repeat – Now with skill.
Let’s take a practical example.
From Zero to Hero: Rodney’s Sales Journey
Meet Rodney. He's just getting started in sales. He has no background, and a slight aversion to people. But he’s motivated to succeed and build a real business selling nutrition products.
Although he starts subpar, he knows that he can get better if he just keeps it simple and gets better along the way He's going to follow the simple 4 step process.
Step 1: Activity
Rodney knows he has to keep it simple. For beginners, “simple” means different things than it does for pros. So he defines his version of simple using three questions:
What will I say?
Who will I say it to?
When will I say it?
Rodney decided that his game plan would be built around a simple question: “What’s your favorite type of supplement?” It was low risk, easy to complete, and could give him insight into what people already use. Plus, he would learn how to communicate with the type of people he was wanting to interact with.
He then decided to reach out to people he knows are active or health-conscious. That was his "who." And his "when" was every day at 1 PM. That's when he would send 5 texts or makes five calls. Nothing fancy—just consistent reps.
All he head to do was get going.
Step 2: Consistent Activity
Here’s where the magic began. The secret to success isn’t complexity—it’s consistency.
People assume there are “big things” in business that lead to success. But in truth, “big success” is the result of many small things done over and over. Rodney’s power move wasn’t asking the question—it was committing to do it daily.
In 20 days, he asked his question 100 times to people that were in his desired demographic - at 1pm. Along the way:
He found new ways to ask it.
He feld confident enough to ask follow-up questions.
He noticed trends in responses.
He discovered different customer types.
He refined who he wanted to target.
What started as clunky soon turned into flow. And in that flow, his understanding grew—and with it, his ability to make better business decisions.
But let’s be real: it starts clunky for everyone.
Enter: Fear. The Real F-Word
Fear is the invisible wall that stops most people. It magnifies small steps into imagined catastrophes. Rodney’s first text felt scarier than expected. His mind went wild:
“What if they think I’m trying to sell them something?”
“What if they get annoyed?”
“What if they track me down and throw rotten tomatoes at me?”
All irrational—but fear doesn’t care. Fear wants to stop you but you have to win. Rodney had to slow down and think about the fact that when he gets asked simple questions, he doesn’t freak out. He usually just answers and moves on. He actually typically appreciates that they asked. So Rodney pushed through, and rooted himself in reality, not emotions.
But here’s what made all the difference: instead of overanalyzing one message at a time, he sent 5 texts in a row. That gave him a better chance at responses—and a better shot at building confidence. Some days he would even send out 10 or 20 messages, to ensure he got some positive feedback,
He did so much work that he had to succeed. That’s the difference.
Step 3: Competence
Here’s the fun part—being good at it.
By now, Rodney’s 100+ reps haven’t just given him leads, they’ve given him mental understanding and a skill set. That’s what gets you to the next level.
The more you do, the more you understand.
The more you understand, the better you execute.
The better you execute, the better your results.
Then you repeat—with more power.
Competence makes you dangerous. But you don’t get there by avoiding discomfort.
In fact, one of the most important keys to growth is being okay with being bad at something first. If you don’t admit you suck, your brain never treats it as a problem to solve. And if there’s no problem, there’s no improvement.
So admit it. Own it. And get better.
Rodney did.
And within a few months, he went from shyly asking supplement questions to building a base of over 30 customers, including 12 personal trainers regularly recommending his products. He started—and didn’t quit.
Step 4: Repeat
Once Rodney saw the results he was getting, he wanted to keep it going. This time, at a higher level.
The first 100 reps were his initial simple question, so his next text was to ask for referrals.
Now his new simple text will be: "Hey! Do you you know anybody who's really into supplements? I'm working with some really good supplement brands, and have a few bundles that I'm trying to get in the hands of people that might value them!"
And the game repeats itself. He'll improve along the way, and the last rep will be better than the first rep.
This is how success works.
Conclusion: Pick a Thing. Do It 100 Times.
So how does this apply to you? Think about what do you want to get good at. Define your goal—and make it quantifiable.
Then pick a simple, daily activity that moves you toward that goal. One action. Clear. Measurable. Something you can do 100 times without overthinking it.
Once you’ve chosen your daily action, hammer it out 100 times. Even if it feels awkward or unnatural—do it anyway. Do it 100 times. Clarity and confidence come through reps.
If you have a coach, let them guide you. If not, trust the process. Either way, the path is the same:
Start clunky. Stay consistent. Get competent.
Competence brings results—but only after consistency. Don’t chase outcomes. Chase execution. The results will follow naturally.
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