All truth passes through three phases:
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it’s violently opposed.
Third, it’s accepted as being self-evident.
This still-relevant 17th century quote by German Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer bubbles up three lovable takeaways:
1. Embarking on something new will always be met with skepticism and friction.
Even when things works out, in the end, you’ll be met with, “Yeah…anyone could have come up with that.”
2. When you do take the arduous path less traveled, it takes serious consistency.
Schopenhauer’s penning of “First, Second and Third” acknowledges the passing of time that’s needed to get through the resistance to create something “truly” new. When we dance with doubt on a new project at work, do we fold like a lawn chair or take on the turbulence and power through?
3. Truth is not often seen as truth from the start.
It takes works to see truth through. And if we’re going to have a conversation about truth, we should also have a conversation about trust.
Fake news.
Vaxxers vs Anti-vaxxers.
Politics themselves.
So many people today don’t trust.
Just this week I saw a Saturn commercial air where they TOLD me they were the car America can trust. Just the fact that you told me you were the trusted source makes me trust you even less.
So how can you build trust?
Let’s extract from the quote above.
1. Listen first. Create listening opportunities to unlock a new unearthed “truth”.
2. Stay true to a POV. Craft a point of view rooted in truth that people want to rally around.
3. Repeat yourself over time. Say and/or show that one special thing over and over again…in different ways.
When you unveil a clear and truthful POV that you consistently put out into the universe, over time, you have a chance to be relied on and trusted.
That alone is the power of brand.
