The Rule of Three

The rule of three is a magic pattern found in many things.

I often apply this rule in three cases.

The first case is having “three options”.

When making technical decisions, I always try to write three options.

It forces me to think beyond the easiest one that comes first in mind.

It also prevents me from attaching to the first option.

The second case is giving it “three chances”.

It encourages me to try things one more time.

It also hints at pattern recognition: The first time was by chance. The second time is a decision. The third time is a pattern.

The last case is thinking in “three stages”.

It reminds me of how we do things: preparation, execution, and outcomes.

Too often, we trap in the middle stage, and forget the other two are equally important.