The Rule of 100 – A Simple Rule to Transform Your Life

Have you ever started a new habit, business idea, or project with tons of motivation and enthusiasm, only to quickly lose steam a few weeks in?

We’ve all been there, for the first few days or weeks, you’re incredibly motivated and disciplined.

But then… life happens. You hit some roadblocks, get discouraged, and that initial inspiration fades away. Before you know it, you’re back to your old ways.

If this cycle sounds familiar, entrepreneur Noah Kagan has a simple rule that could be game-changing for you: The Rule of 100.

The Rule of 100 states that before you can expect to see results from a new venture or habit, you must stick with it for at least 100 days. Or put another way – don’t judge something as a failure until you’ve done it 100 times.

Only after crossing that milestone can you make an informed decision about whether to continue or move on.

At first, this might seem like an unnecessary hurdle or delay. Why arbitrarily wait 100 days when you could cut your losses sooner?

The brilliance is in the psychology behind it. Real, sustainable change and growth never happens overnight. It takes consistent effort over a prolonged period to cement new neural pathways, skills, and outcomes into your life.

Most people vastly underestimate the time required to see results from a new pursuit. They expect a revamped morning routine or fledgling side business to transform their life in a matter of weeks.

When reality inevitably falls short of those accelerated expectations, discouragement and abandonment quickly follow.

The rule of 100 saves you from this trap. It enforces perseverance long enough for real fruit to start taking shape.

By removing the option of premature quitting, you give your endeavors a legitimate chance to flourish before judging them. You push through the inevitable stumbling blocks and adjustment periods that make most people throw in the towel too soon.

I’ve experienced the power of this rule firsthand many times. When I started waking up early a few years ago, the first couple months were a struggle. My body fought against the new circadian rhythm, and it felt unsustainable. Had I evaluated the habit after 30 days, I likely would have reverted to sleeping in.

But I stuck with it past 100 days, and something clicked. The early rising became natural and energizing rather than a draining chore. It ultimately upgraded my entire lifestyle in ways I couldn’t have foreseen from that tough initial adaptation period.

The same has been true for so many endeavors – writing, entrepreneurship, new hobbies and skills. Nothing profound manifests in the first few weeks or months. But push past that 100 day mark, and everything opens up.

Of course, not everything you apply the 100 day rule to will end up being worthwhile long-term. The point isn’t to mindlessly persist with anything for 100 days. It’s to gather enough real-world experience and evidence to make an educated decision on whether to continue or not.

Some undertakings won’t show their true colors until you’ve given them a legitimate runway. Others will reveal themselves as fruitless long before 100 days is up – in which case, you can confidently move on after hitting that milestone.

The rule simply ensures you don’t disqualify endeavors prematurely before affording them an honest shot.

BUILDING A LIFESTYLE BUSINESS

The Rule of 100 is especially powerful for those looking to build a sustainable lifestyle business.

Building a lifestyle business—one that aligns with your passions, values, and desired way of living—requires dedication and persistence.

By adhering to this rule, you give your business ideas the chance to flourish without prematurely abandoning them.

Instead of jumping from one idea to another or giving up when faced with initial challenges, the Rule of 100 encourages you to stay the course.

By committing to a business idea or marketing strategy for at least 100 days/iterations, you vastly improve your odds of eventually breaking through.

The road to success is never smooth. By committing to 100 attempts, you cultivate the grit and resilience needed to overcome challenges and persist even when things get tough.

So if you’re working towards any new habits, businesses, skills or goals right now, I encourage you to apply the rule of 100. Commit to showing up and putting in the reps for at least 100 straight days.

Use that time as a vetting period to honestly judge whether it’s worth doubling down on or pursuing a different path.

You might be surprised at what materializes once you’ve powered through those crucial first 100 iterations.

What once felt like a struggle can blossom into a rewarding lifestyle business or transformative new paradigm.

But you’ll never realize those blossoming possibilities if you don’t first put in the patient, sustained work. Give your endeavors a real chance at life by going all-in for 100. I’m confident you’ll be grateful you did.

If you want to learn more about building a lifestyle business while having a full-time job, join my newsletter The Snippets, where I share insights, concepts, and experiences for building side businesses.