Aristotle made the observation that people find it easiest to remember three things. The rule of three started with his writing, “The Rhetoric;” In fact, in many of the areas where the rule of three is practiced (and there are a lot of them), it is referred to as rhetoric.
Jefferson was a skilled writer and his famous phrase reflects a rhetorical technique that can be traced to ancient Greece—a figure of speech using three words to express one idea.
The rule of three is a writing principle that suggests that a trio of entities such as events or characters is more humorous, satisfying, or effective than other numbers.
The rule of three is one of the oldest in the book. Aristotle wrote about about the three unities in his book Rhetoric: dramatic unity of time, place and action. Simply put, people tend to easily remember three things, thus making your messages sticky and engaging.
The Rule of Three (also Three-fold Law or Law of Return) is a religious tenet held by some Wiccans, Neo-Pagans and occultists. It states that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times.
Aristotle made the observation that people find it easiest to remember three things. The rule of three started with his writing, “The Rhetoric;” In fact, in many of the areas where the rule of three is practiced (and there are a lot of them), it is referred to as rhetoric.
There is brevity and rhythm to three while also representing the beginning of a pattern. Two of something is interesting, three is compelling and more of a trend. Three is also the minimum amount to be able to represent a beginning, middle, and end of something; a complete cycle or story.
It turns out that its roots can be traced back to the 18th Century. The Rule of Thirds posits that a visual composition is most pleasing to the eye when its compositional elements conform to an imaginary set of lines that divide the frame into equal thirds, both horizontally and vertically.
Placing your subject or horizon in the centre of the image is the most obvious alternative to the Rule of Thirds, and works well for many subjects. A prominent horizontal line in the dead-centre of an image perfectly bisects it and gives equal weight to the two halves of the image.
The rule of thirds is a guideline for both artists and photographers. It says that if you divide your composition into thirds, either vertically or horizontally, and then place focal areas of your scene at the meeting points of them, you will get a more pleasing arrangement and layout for your compositions.
The Rule of Three revolves around the observation that ideas given in threes are especially interesting and memorable to an audience. People remember and are more engaged with concepts that are presented in groups of three.
You may have come across references to “the rule of three,” a theory suggesting people respond more positively to information delivered in sets of three in both written and spoken language (e.g. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness).
Breaking the rule of thirds.
Pull back from your subject: “If your subject is going to be a really small part of the image,” photographer Derek Boyd suggests, “sometimes the best way to highlight them is to break the rule of thirds and put them almost dead center in the image.”
You can survive three minutes without breathable air (unconsciousness), or in icy water. You can survive three hours in a harsh environment (extreme heat or cold). You can survive three days without drinkable water. You can survive three weeks without food.
A classic example of the rule of three was Winston Churchill's famous Blood, Sweat and Tears speech. He is widely attributed as saying I can promise you nothing but blood sweat and tears. What he actually said was "I can promise you Blood, Sweat, Toil and Tears".
“When you're chasing a big goal, you're supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time...and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you're doing fine.” This hit me hard. It's a potent reminder that progress never feels linear.
The Rule of Thirds is the process of dividing an image into thirds, using two horizontal and two vertical lines. This imaginary grid yields nine segments with four intersection points. When you position the most important elements of your image at these intersections, you produce a much more natural image (in theory).
Religiously defended by some, the Rule of Thirds is often forgotten by famous photographers, from Ansel Adams to Edward Weston, or cinematographers as Stanley Kubrick or Wes Anderson. Does the rule really matter?
The Rule of Three is a Mathematical Rule that allows you to solve problems based on proportions. By having three numbers: a, b, c, such that, ( a / b = c / x), (i.e., a: b :: c: x ) you can calculate the unknown number.
The 1/3 — 2/3 Rule
The rule states that leaders should spend no more than 1/3 of the time allocated for a mission or project on the planning phase. The other 2/3 is devoted to individuals and teams working in their strongest areas. Leaders work with tight schedules and complex situations.
For example: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” “Friends, Romans, Countrymen”
Throughout human history, the number 3 has always had a unique significance, but why? The ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, postulated that the meaning behind numbers was deeply significant. In their eyes the number 3 was considered as the perfect number, the number of harmony, wisdom and understanding.
The spiritual meaning of the number 3 is all about creation, manifestation, and abundance. This number often appears when the divine forces are trying to encourage you to take action and create something new in your life from the spiritual realm.
To the Chinese, the number three is considered lucky. And in Christian lore the number three represents divine wholeness, completeness, and perfection, hence the Latin phrase Omne Trium Perfectum: everything that is three is perfect.