You know those lessons or truths that you learn early on in a journey, in a sort of “Class 101” kind of way, and then you spend the rest of your journey re-learning and discovering new facets of that simple and foundational idea?
Of course, you do – most of what we do is based on what you might call “common sense”, but applied and delivered in specific and perhaps “uncommon” ways.
For example, this is what you might call a “Branding & Marketing 101” subject that I nevertheless continue to discover more about every single day, in every facet of my personal and professional life:
“Knowing how people perceive the world around them is key to generating and guiding the kind of awareness you’re looking for in your business.“
Pretty basic stuff, right?
Yet I’m always finding some new angle or perspective from which to see something I hadn’t noticed before about this core concept.
When I come across a novel (to me) idea or notion, something that perhaps had never occurred to me before or I hadn’t really thought of in a certain way, I tend to react in two distinct ways:
- “Oh, duh, of course!” – This one’s for the patently obvious stuff that I for some reason was completely unaware of until that very second.
I won’t say exactly how often I have these kinds of moments…but it’s a lot. - “Ooo! Wow, interesting!” – This is when I come across something that I might not have thought of on my own, or that presents itself as immediately and overtly true but I’m not quite sure why…and I REALLY want to know more.
Some “truths” have a little bit of both in them for me. Things like, “Never get involved in a land war in Asia,” and, “You gotta fight for your right to party,” come to mind.
The one I want to share with you today is a beautifully simple and elegant demonstration of the rules of graphic design.
Wait, graphic design has rules?
I’m kidding – of course, it does! Coming across things like this makes me even more grateful for the talented and skilled graphic designers I’ve been fortunate enough to work with…because while this is obvious in retrospect, it never would’ve occurred to me.
Check this out:
You see? Maybe I’m geeking out about this a little too much, but I think this kind of stuff is so cool.
Attracting and guiding someone’s attention is…well, it’s a crucial part of everything we do. Understanding how people read a message, where they’ll see that message, how to engage them intellectually and excite them emotionally…it’s all a part of building those connections and relationships that are the lifeblood of our businesses – of our lives, really!
…which is ultimately why I brought this little gem to you today – because I found something that made me say, “Ooo! Wow, interesting!”, and that made me think of you.
Do you have any nuggets like this that you love? A little-known law or non-trivial trivia that illuminates something fascinating? Care to share?
