Don't we often adhere to the expression, "The third time is the charm?" After two failed marriages, I know folks who found the courage to take another risk and figuratively struck pay dirt the third time. Weren't we encouraged in childhood, "If at first you don't succeed, try-try again?"
"A series of three often creates a progression in which the tension is created, built up, and finally released. Similarly, adjectives are often grouped in threes to emphasize an idea. The Latin phrase, "omne trium perfectum" (everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete) conveys the same idea as the rule of three."
Did I mention there are multiple examples of the rule of three that merit consideration? For example, Thomas Jefferson wrote about the importance of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. His words were some of the most influential written in our history.
Whenever I'm speaking in public or writing, I often defer to the rule of three. The favorite birthday greeting that I share on Facebook is: "May your day be filled with adventure, time shared with loved ones, and an awareness of the incredible difference you make in the lives of others." I mostly stopped using the expression when someone remarked that I needed to come up with a new idea.
Even Kenny Rogers, in his song "The Gambler" talked about the importance of knowing when to hold them, knowing when to fold them and knowing when to walk away.
If you want to captivate your audience, provide them three things of importance, three thing to remember or three life lessons. We embrace and process things identified in groups of three.
How many times have we applauded someone's effort by orchestrating three cheers for…? Even my parents called their sons, Ronnie, Donnie and Larry.
Hang on to the concept of the rule of three. How many times have you heard the expression, "Three strikes and you're out?" When it comes to baseball, no one even questions the rationale behind the number of attempted hits before it is time to change batters. The same rule of three relates to the number of "outs" a team can incur during an inning before they find themselves in the outfield. It is simply the rule of three.
Even from the vantage point of the criminal justice system, some states have legislation associated to the rule of three. Three felony convictions by an individual can be the basis for a lifetime of incarceration. It is left to the jurisdiction of each state, but some think that "three strikes and you're out" is appropriate in that venue as well.
During my college years, when I worked as an orderly at the hospital in Abilene, when one patient died, we excepted another couple of deaths in short order. It is strange how that always seemed to work out.
If today, your heart is heavy over current circumstances, don't give up. Try – Try again.
All My Best!
Don
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