Financial Repetition

Those who set themselves up for a bout of repetition win greatly. I’ve learned this firsthand. When I was in high school, I jumped straight into varsity basketball. I missed out on the repetition phase—the part where you practice and build real experience through repetitive game play against talent. I had athletic talent, sure, but when it came time to perform in games, I was lacking. The repetition I needed to excel during real play wasn’t there.

On the flip side, when I joined special operations, I started off poor as a technician. I almost failed electrical school. I wasn’t good at troubleshooting, to be honest. But I got through it with my attitude and a strong work ethic. I was far from perfect, but I had something that mattered more: the willingness to improve.

Once I was assigned to my special operations unit, I was thrown into repetition every day. I had no choice. I was surrounded by skilled people who knew their jobs inside and out, and I was given constant opportunities to practice—both in training and on real missions, both CONUS and OCONUS. When you’re dealing with high-stakes situations, repetition becomes a lifesaver.

I was pushed into scenarios where I had to deliver under pressure. There was no room for hesitation. The more I repeated those tasks, the better I got. Over time, I wasn’t just getting by—I was excelling. My confidence grew with every call and every mission. One minute I’d hear, “Sulli, come get this!” and the next, I’d spring into action. I knew what to do because I’d already done it hundreds of times. That’s how I went from rookie to a proficient special operations soldier.

The same principle applies to other areas of life, like living debt-free and building wealth. Achieving financial freedom isn’t a quick win—it requires daily, repetitive actions. And sometimes, it’s tough to stick to that repetition. 

Take budgeting, for example. Doing your budget at the start of every month—no matter how you feel—is a form of repetition. It can feel like a drag, especially when you’re tired of the whole “good money habit” thing. But it’s necessary. Tracking your spending every day, even when you’re sick of it or you’re feeling discouraged, makes a difference. It’s the same with keeping a spreadsheet of your day-to-day expenses. It might seem tedious, but the repetition of tracking and reviewing that data each month is what sets you up for financial success.

Building wealth is like this too: it's not about big, flashy moves. It's about those daily, small actions. Saving a little, investing a little, staying disciplined, even when you don’t feel like it. The repetition builds over time, and eventually, you start to see the results.

Repetition also looks like saying no—time and time again—to debt opportunities. It’s about eliminating the option to spend on credit and continuously resisting that temptation year after year. It’s hard, and it takes discipline, but every time you say no to a credit card offer or choose not to take on debt, you’re building a stronger, debt-free future. The repetition of saying no to these opportunities will eventually become second nature and will be the key to staying financially free.

And if you fall off the horse? Get right back on. No exceptions. Life will throw curveballs. There will be days when it’s easy to slip up or get off track. But the key is getting back on that horse, every time. Stick to the repetition, no matter how hard it gets, and you will keep moving toward your goals.

Success doesn’t happen by accident; it’s earned through repetition. Repetition is the key to mastering anything—from your career to your finances. Success isn’t just about talent. It’s about consistently showing up, doing the work, and repeating it—day after day. Repetition is what makes you great… and very wealthy.