Do you happen to know the three most important powerful words to have been said in American history? They are – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and these words are mentioned in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Feels inspiring and powerful, doesn’t it?
It has been acclaimed that this phrase is one of the most influential and impactful words put together in the English language, much beyond just American history.
The most powerful thing about a sentence is not just the way it is put but the way it creates an impact on the readers and listeners. One such powerful technique of communication is called ‘The rule of 3’
The rule of 3 and everything you should know about it
This technique or communication hack can be traced back to ancient Greece where they used a figure of speech of three words to convey a single idea. Even today, in colloquial English usage, we get to hear concepts like ‘third time’s a charm or ‘third time lucky’, which can be traced back to this origin.
It is scientifically proven that our brain is wired to remember sequences of three. Three is the minimum number of elements required to create a pattern and a very effective one. If you also recall some famous titles, your memory will toss on ‘The Three Musketeers’ or ‘Three wise men’, at the top of your head. Let’s not rule out ‘The 3 idiots’ from this!
Our brain has a limited space to create memories in a way that they are retained for a long time. In order to place an idea in the active memory, this communication technique has proven to be very useful.
Keep your speech, presentation and email powerful, short and enjoyable.
And that’s where we used the rule of three twice in a single sentence and made it interesting for your brain to place the information.
Here are some more examples of impactful sentences using this technique –
- Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
“We can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
- Barack Obama’s Inaugural Speech
“Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered”.
And of course, need we remind you how YouTubers say “Like, share and subscribe’, every time they sign off?
Interesting, impactful and influential, isn’t it?
How to use it in communication and why should it work?
- Email has become a very common mode of communication whether you work remotely or sit at adjacent desks in the office. So, the next time you write a mail, consider splitting your subject into three parts and give it a clear structure. This is essentially the beginning, the middle and the end. It can also be used while coming up with a summary when you feel it is Too Long To Read (TLTR).
- Divide your presentation into the rule of three and see how it works its wonders. The presentation could be visual, textual or a mix of both, this rule will never let you down.
- A story; What can be more captivating in communication than a story? Your story will primarily have the subject, obstacle and revelation, in that order to create a win. This means that you can use the rule of three to bring out the character, conflict and change.
- Give three reasons why – You would have often heard salespeople say, “Let me give you three reasons why you should buy this car” and they get right into your brain when they say it and get your interested. The next time you introduce a product or sell it, give someone three reasons why.
This essentially works as you are giving your spectators and readers bite-sized information condensed for their understanding, in a way that the human brain actually perceives information. With the decreasing attention span and information overload, a well-structured, crisp and thoughtful piece wouldn’t miss the gaze of a reader or the heed of a listener.
If you have observed and admired Steve Jobs during his product launches for his craft to amaze the audience, it is because even he applies the rule of three.
Jobs acclaimed that they would introduce three new products – ‘iPod, a phone, and an Internet communications device’, only to reveal that it is a single device with all three functionalities. The audience was taken aback when they realised it in full.
Take a look at this LinkedIn post and be the judge of the structure and its effectiveness.
There’s a high chance that you will remember ‘Book, Ted Talk and building low-cost homes’, right? If it has impacted you enough, you might even remember it in the same order.
Here are two other phrases you may have heard –
They came, they saw, they conquered
I like it, I want it, I got it
At the risk of transporting you somewhere between your history class and Ariana Grande, this goes on to prove that this technique of writing has been adopted by speechwriters, world leaders, CEOs, songwriters and probably the best presenter at your office.
Action items from this blog –
- Put down a rough outline or draft of your presentation or speech that you will make next
- Structure it into key points
- Fit that into the beginning, middle and the end
- Add powerful words and phrases to support your thoughts using the rule of three
- Frame headlines using the rule of three
- Wrap it up by using the rule if you haven’t already overused it
It is now up to you to explore, implement and innovate your way with the rule of three.
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