The Rule of Three in Public Speaking

Teaching Elephants to Talk Tip
By Matt Lewis
Jan. 06, 2005

Have you ever noticed that the most memorable speeches, slogans, and titles tend to come in 3s?

1. “Honor, Courage, Commitment” – The Annapolis Naval Academy (and Duane Sand for Congress).
2. "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" - William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar
3. "Sex, lies and videotape" – Movie Title

Here are more examples:

• "Government of the people, by the people, for the people"- Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
• "Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few" - Winston Churchill
• "Veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered") - Julius Caesar

TIP: If you want your message to be remembered, put it into a list of three!