The John Hancock Principle
Elbridge Gerry, William Whipple, Edward Rutledge, Caesar Rodney, Francis Lewis…
Sound familiar?
Probably not, unless you’re a serious US history buff — but they all have one thing in common: They’re all signers of the Declaration of Independence, one of the United States’ earliest and most important foundational documents.
They were early investors in what would become one of the most influential nations in the world, staking their entire lives on a gamble against a much bigger competitor with comparatively outsized resources.
Look at some of their accomplishments:
- Elbridge Gerry served as the fifth vice president under James Madison.
- Caesar Rodney served as the Governor of Delaware.
- Before the American Revolution, William Whipple freed his slave, Prince, because he didn’t believe he could fight for freedom while subjugating another to involuntary servitude — and Prince later fought by his former master’s side.
All hugely important, interesting people with fascinating life stories.
Each of them was one of only 56 backers. Today, we laud venture capitalists for signing on to a company at $700m and selling at $1.2b. These men signed on to a nation in its infancy, and they won — no doubt becoming rich and/or famous in their time.
But why have their names largely been lost to history?
If you were to approach a random person on the street today and ask him what he knows about William Whipple, he might just think you’re about to tell him a joke.
Why People Will Forget About You
Well, you can’t remember everyone.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin — they all have longer lists of accomplishments than the others. They’re just more important, and that’s why we remember them.
Just because he signed the Declaration of Independence doesn’t mean he should be a household name.
Right?
But what about John Hancock?
And what can he teach you about making a bigger impact in your company and in your personal life?
How to Make Them Remember — The John Hancock Principle
Quick, no cheating: What do you know about John Hancock?
If you’re anything like most people (again: not a serious US history buff), it’s his name.
That’s it. You know John Hancock’s name.
But why do you know his name? And why don’t you know Elbridge Gerry’s name?
For two reasons, mostly. If John Hancock has anything to teach us about making history, it’s this:
- You have to do something hugely important, and
- be a huge douche about it.
If you really want people to remember you, don’t be afraid to sign your name like John Hancock: In big, bold letters when everyone else is being meek and reserved, too afraid to take up space.
If anything, John Hancock’s accomplishments are roughly equal to the lesser-known names on the Declaration of Independence.
- John Hancock served as the President of the Continental Congress.
- He served twice as the Governor of Massachusetts.
- He served as the protege to Samuel Adams.
But look up, “Why is John Hancock famous?” and almost everyone will agree: It’s not necessarily because of his accomplishments, but because of his big, bold signature.
Who Cares?
Who cares? What’s the point?
There are a lot of people out there who say that they’re too afraid to market themselves. They don’t want to have to spend any time building up their personal brand or image.
I get it. I’m one of them.
I, frankly, kind of hate social media. It’s what Cal Newport has deemed “low feedback sociality.” Your brain needs regular interaction with real people like it needs vitamins, and social media is a poor replacement for that type of interaction — not to mention all the high school pageantry and drama.
In fact, I’m of the school of thought that maybe the William Whipples of the world, too afraid to sell themselves and their images to the world, are even more important than the John Hancocks, who are so eager to show off any small accomplishment, so this message is for them:
Personal branding is a necessary evil. If you want to make the biggest impact you possibly can, you need to sign your name big.
Do your best to become George Washington, with a list of accomplishments so extensive it speaks for itself, but also realize that — at one point or another, George Washington had to promote himself, too, riling up troops with a personal story of his life.
And, when all else is equal, when the boss is thinking about whether to promote John Hancock or Elbridge Gerry, he’s gonna go with the bigger name.
So, one last time:
Sign your name big.
