Are there Magical Numbers?

beginnings, musings, origin, quotes, retirement, society, stories, trivia, work 2 Minutes

When discussing how many #1 priorities one can have, Wynne brought up an interesting point about the power some numbers have. She related how her father gave sermons that had no more than 3 points, and asked if there was something magical about the number 3. Not for the first time, she got me thinking about that.

I once read an article about how something interesting happens to organizations when they hit the age of 40 (sadly, I lost the article, if you’ve read it or know where I can find it, please do share, I’d like to re-read it and make the link available!).

At about the age of 40, most organizations see their founders leave. It might be a few years earlier or later, but about 4 decades after starting an organization, its founders leave; by choice or not. Yes, the Oracle of Omaha has been a CEO for over 50 years, but that is a rarity, and while Buffett is the Oracle, he was not one of the founders of Berkshire Hathaway, who already had two major transformations by then, which means it survived the 40-year milestone back in the 19th century.

Around the 40 year milestone, when the founders leave the organization they started, most organizations are at a fork in the road according to the article; they need to transition to a new way of doing things without the founders. And while some organizations succeed, and may continue to have a long and glorious existence sometimes of over 1,000 years, most do not. The article claimed that since the organizations have been doing well under their founders, they may last long after the 40 year milestone under the new management and customers and investors may not notice the change, but they won’t be the same company as they were under their founders. It’ll be inertia and “more of the same” that may have them continue for a few more decades. For most companies, the article said, the departure of their founders means the beginning of the end.

Some companies thrive and transform: did you know that …

And that is the story of the magic of the number 40. A fork in the road for organizations, some take the safe road, some the road less travelled. (And I tried really hard not to make any references to Steve Jobs.)

Do you know of any other “magical numbers”? Numbers that have a “hidden” meaning like 3 or 40?

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Published by Endless Weekend

This is the story of our Endless Weekend. For a combined five-ish decades we dealt with the usual high tech rat race: alarms, cubicles/hobbit holes, TPS reports, productivity indicators/red lab coats. It was a good run (though Dilbert is more accurate than not), but it was all … Work Days, Week Days vs. Week Ends. No more Week Days. In the summer of 2019, we, husband and wife in our 40s, decided to embark on an Endless Weekend (read: early retirement). Come share our journey, it starts here.

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61 thoughts on “Are there Magical Numbers?”

  1. As a writer I do follow the rule of threes when structuring sentences and paragraphs. It does feel magical, or maybe just . . . right. Comedians use it to set up jokes – two straight lines and then the punch.
    I think that zero holds its own kind of magic. It can mean nothing at all, but its presence grows quantities by leaps and bounds. 0, 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000, 1,000,000 . . .

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    1. That’s an extremely keen observation! Yes, there must be a reason for 3: is that the span of our ability to focus? Or is it the power of creating a pattern, like Wynne suggested? Goldilocks met 3 bears? There were 3 pigs who faced the wolf? Can you share a little more about how you use the rule of 3 in your writing?

      And, yes, what a terrific addition: zero is the path to progress. Without 0 in the Roman numeral systems, the ancient Romans were “stuck.” And what does “nothing” really mean. I recently suffered the loss of a loved one, and my mine is still trying to come to terms with the zero-ness of their presence.

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        1. Indeed, maybe it’s a “platinum number”? 🙂 There are certainly enough constants, like the gravitational one, that dictate life in the cosmos…

          And thank you for your kindness and for the insightful perspective on grief. It is an emptiness that I’m struggling with!

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        2. I love that idea of a cosmic waltz. 🙂 There is a poetic meter, the dactyl, that contains three syllables – two unaccented and one accented. This meter seems to indicate movement to me, like horses’ hoofs clattering or a fast waltz. Lovely observation.

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  2. You know about Angel Numbers? There’s a whole discipline of thought about certain numbers being portents of things to come. I wrote a post about them once and you’d be amazed how many people are into their predictive value. That being said, I like the number 42 because it’s the meaning of “life, the universe and everything.”

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    1. I never heard about Angel Numbers, and I read about them in your post for the first time, thank you for introducing me to them! I get where the “power” to an organization behind a number that indicates when the founders, the visionaries, the ones with the burning passion are likely to leave the organization, leaving it without a clear path forward. I wonder if we “imbue” our Angel Numbers with power and try extra-hard around those times, creating our own luck? Like when we find a 🍀 ?

      As for 42, for sure: since I can’t always travel with a towel, I use tissues as a substitute towel: you can always count on me for tissues 😁

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  3. The story of 40 makes sense from the organizational standpoint. Could we also compare 40 from a human standpoint- That “fork in the road…” you mention EW? Forties often seem to be a time of change for many people in general and perhaps specifically the time to follow a new path in all areas of life. As to other numbers I know in design that groups of 3 are encouraged- not that there’s anything magical about that but I assume more aesthetically pleasing. I like even numbers in general although I couldn’t really say why…

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    1. Omg, I think you’re on to something! I can’t believe I missed it 🤦‍♀️ It was in our 40s that our Endless Weekend chapter begun. I must be blind… 🤷‍♀️

      I did mean “magical” in the sense I think you’re referring to it: it’s “magic” that is understood, or can be understood. Like you said, 3 is “magical” for good reasons: Arlene wisely pointed out it’s role in writing and comedy. The “Golden Ratio” is aesthetically pleasing so it’s “magical” until we understand the why? No, I don’t believe in omens and portents, though I do hope to see the once in a 50,000 year visiting comet!

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        1. I just saw the photos from the “near miss” with the asteroid… I think I’ve been jaded by the incredible photos from the Webb telescope. Or maybe it was one too many of those Hollywood movies, but it seemed to not meet my expectations in the same way that the astronomer that was narrating the finds felt? 🙂

          No, we have not been able to see it, sadly 😦 Clouds and light are not always are friends?

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          1. I saw a few of those pics as well- very underwhelming. I suspect we may be a bit spoiled by all the fantastic new images Webb is giving us 😉

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  4. There’s a whole culture of lucky and unlucky numbers in Chinese which is interesting. I can’t remember why but, the western culture has the number 13 as unlucky and many tall buildings leave out the 13th floor.

    It’s interesting isn’t it? My favorite number is 14 it just feels right to my soul.

    Ally, I didn’t know that about number 42. I’m go look that up!

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    1. Very insightful! I did miss the number 13, though I once read that Friday the 13th was when greedy kings (King Philip IV from France) launched a vicious eradication of the Knights Templar, on Friday 13th, 1307. That’s why Friday 13th is meaningful in some cultures, and meaningless in others?

      And, yes, in some Asian cultures the 4th floor is “skipped” 🙃

      42, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy explains, is the ultimate answer to the ultimate question. What is that question? Ah, that’s the “magical” ingredient. The book is filled with other gems, like always carry a towel with you. People know that if you carry a towel, you must be prepared for anything and are more likely to help you 😁

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  6. How interesting, EW! I love the way that you can push the envelope on a query to find more! (and thanks for the shout out!)

    I’m surprised that the founders stay around for 40 years. Does that mean most founders of companies that stay around start pretty young (like Bill Gates)?

    I’m kinda partial to the number three since it’s the size of my family. 🙂

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    1. You are too kind, Wynne, THANK YOU (caps intentional!).

      I think that’s a great question you’ve asked. I looked around for data, and it seems that the average age of an entrepreneur is actually in their 40s, and that examples like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg and other young and successful founders are actually the exception, not the rule. It turns out that the media gets much more enjoyment out of telling us about the outliers rather than about the 50-year-old who succeeded.

      It’s a great question about how long founders do or SHOULD stay at the helm of “their” companies. I wish I had the original article on hand so I could re-read it, rather than rely on hazy memories.

      I’m going to look for more data on this and noodle on it some more. Thank you for the excellent question: you have a knack for thought-provoking questions, I love it!

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  7. Loved this, EW — your post and the fun comments! I’m learning things! I have nothing numerical to offer re: lucky numbers but am aware — maybe too much so – about the aesthetically pleasing power of three – and find myself in plenty of design conundrums as I try to work out why, why, why something looks ‘off’. Could be a graphic, might be about landscaping, furniture placement or the use of the subtle use of repeating patterns in interior design. I drive myself looney — all because of the blasted #3! (But secretly…I love the outcomes once I wrestle with 3, 3, 3!) 😘😘😘

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    1. You honor me, Vicki, thank you ❤

      You must be naturally intuitive about what “works” that you employ the rule of 3 in your designs. That’s FANTASTIC! And now that you’ve brought up 3 and the (3? 😀 ) rules of 3, I’m going to start paying closer attention to that and try to employ more rule-of-3 in writing (next week’s post is already written, but after that? 🙂 ). I’m hoping I’ll improve.

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  8. The sceptic in me doesn’t believe in “magical” numbers, but the use of 3s or thirds, is often found in art. The “rule of thirds” is an important design element in photography, for instance. It drives me nuts, though, when there is a death of a famous person, then another, then invariably, someone will say “there will be a third one soon, death always comes in threes” not realizing that they stop counting at three, and start again with the next death. I think we humans love patterns and we see them where none exist.

    The idea that organizations undergo big changes around 40 makes sense, though but I wonder if that still holds true today? I think that timeline may be accelerated in our modern high tech, high stakes world. I do think about the changes that will occur with BH when Warren and Charlie are no longer running things.

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    1. The sceptic in me is most of me, so I’m with you on it. I was using the word “magical” in a more metaphorical sense. There’s a reason why “40” holds magic for companies since their founders aren’t around after that, even in a consulting role (I’m thinking of Steve Jobs here…).

      I know we (humans) see patterns where none exist, and in large enough data sets we can find them: after eating enough bread, one slice of bread is going to end up with the image of Santa if I squint hard enough, no? 🙂 In a long enough book, the 20th letter starting someplace will end up spelling “Endless Weekend”, I’m sure 🙂

      I love how you brought up and dispelled the rule of 3 disasters. How marvelously true! I do think we are comforted by patterns and to some degree fear randomness? Think there’s something to that?

      And, yes, I do wonder how Berkshire Hathaway will fare without those 2 at the helm? What do you think?

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        1. Any BH share merits more an adjective like “colossal” rather than “teeny”, methinks 😁 But, yes, it does speak volumes on how much we count on the leadership to navigate the ship in the right direction, and a new captain? Remind me what happened to Evergreen in the Suez Canal? 🤪

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  9. The numbers 7, 11 and 17 have run through our life and seem involved at important junctures. Our sons tell us they are just numbers and they can be twisted any way we want, but mean nothing. We say, The Numbers Don’t Lie. Happy Thursday. Allan

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  10. For me, the number 3 signals community. Three is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. Over the centuries, cultures and religions have embraced this number. From the three witches in MacBeth to The Three Musketeers, to the three primary colours, this number holds a special kind of magic, which I call “endurance” and “star quality.” Some say it is a perfect number because it is associated with harmony, wisdom and understanding. So we come full cycle to “Community.” A great post and follow-up discussion.

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  11. The number 40 is a biblical number, I remember, as in 40 days and 40 nights of rain, Jesus fasting in the desert for 40 days and such. Throughout time number have had an effect on mankind like Friday the 13th. Someone once told me to carry the number 8 in my wallet because it will bring you money. I guess too that everyone has a number that they consider lucky whether it works out or not, who knows.

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    1. You bring up a fascinating question: how is it that we decide that something is “lucky” for us? Is it because we tie it an event that was lucky for us in the past? Is it because a trusted figure said it is so? Is it because we adopt another’s “lucky charm”?

      I love reading up on origin stories. Friday the 13th seems to have originated in the date of the massacre of the Knights Templar (definitely bad luck for them), and “stuck” with it—it WAS a dreadful massacre by a jealous king. I once read about why we have 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours a day. It’s strange, and to me, fascinating!

      I’ll read up more about 40, thank you for the lead! It may lead to another post … 🙂

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  13. I guess forty years comprise the largest chunk of a working life. When a personality is so much part of a successful brand, it would make sense that few organizations fail to transition to new leadership under a new head. Perhaps CEO should be mindful of this and allow more control by senior executives earlier on, if they wish to see their brand baby continue. Perhaps some don’t mind it fading away?

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    1. I really like that distinction you’ve made: some CEOs definitely create a “succession plan” to help the company succeed in the future. Some CEOs may cherish the idea that without them, there’s only failure…
      I know which one I’d prefer to work for 🙂

      That’s a FANTASTIC distinction!

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      1. Yes I think some must feel a sense of exclusive ownership. Aren’t a lot of CEO considered to have subtle psychopathic tendencies?
        In any case, just like children growing up, we have to cut the apron strings and so could company CEO’s.

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        1. That’s a fantastic analogy to parenthood! Great way of linking the two together! And just like parents, they certainly COULD prepare their kids to be independent adults with their own path, and they could … not? There are many reasons why organizations struggle under a manager or after the manager leaves. I do wonder how many companies have struggled because the founder left them?

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  14. Love this post EW. I worked for a firm that started to go through some of what you wrote about. It had been around for a long time, had a very vocal, mission-based founder . . . once it hit the 40-year mark, it started to experience lots of change. Some good, some bad. It think the challenge for firms like this is can they change, but still keep to the mission that they started. I think the ones that can have a future, the ones that can’t will suffer. Great post.

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    1. Thank you so much, Brian, I really appreciate that! I know that some companies, like Microsoft, have continued to thrive (after a few bumps) even after their founder left. But I think that many “lose” their strategic intent after that happens? They can continue to be extremely well run companies, but can they reinvent themselves as needed? Some do… most, I think, experience what you called “some bad” changes. Maybe it’s stagnation? Maybe it’s still thinking they’re selling stationary instead of changing to jewelry? Is Apple the same company it was under Steve Jobs? Is it better? Worse? What do you think? (And again, thank you!)

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      1. Apple is a funny one. I’m interested to see where they go. In the end, Jobs defined them as a lifestyle company. I’m not sure that’s what they are now . . . they’re very mainstream now. Can they find another difference maker like the iPhone. Yes, I think the challenge for companies now is how they handle change. Will they use down-market times like now to reinvest or will they play the layoff, look good on paper game. The smart ones find new ways to differentiate their mission and keep up with the times. My two cents.

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        1. Apple IS an interesting one. And who knows what they’ll do without Steve Jobs who revolutionized the industry with the iPod (which they just stopped making) and then had the fortitude to cannibalize his own market with the iPhone and iPad. Not many oracles existed in Delphi or in Cupertino 🤪 Great question about whether they’ll be able to innovate and differentiate themselves. Sadly, I’m not an oracle myself and can’t help divine the future…

          I once read the Apple is careful not to overhire, and end up not having to fire. Though I’ve not heard they were like the awesome Nintendo philosophy on employees!

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    1. What a fantastic mention! I completely forgot about it. It reminds me of an article I once read about when in their marriage are married couples most likely to get divorced based on statistics they looked at. And it turns out that there are certain “scary” milestones. I believe 7 was one of them, though I don’t remember how they explained it. I wonder if it is the 7 year itch?

      Great mention!

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      1. 7 is supposed to be the magic number of when people get bored in a marriage. I’ve always thought that seven years was when you really needed new household goods,so when getting rid of towels you get rid of spouse

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  16. When my kids were little we moved to a house with the address of 1111. Since then when they saw 11:11 on the clock they would make a wish. I still do that and often even text them at 11:11. I have since discovered that many hold 1111 as a ‘magic’ number and indicate it represents balance and good fortune. We have since moved and 6561 doesn’t seem to have the same magic.

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  17. In photography, the “rule of thirds” is a well-known compositional technique. And of course, they say celebrities die in threes (though really, it’s just an endless parade; where do you draw the line and start your new count?).

    The number 14 has been very significant in my life.

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      1. That’s really interesting but he claimed it was just a random number he picked. There are a lot of 42s around, though. I think he picked it subconsciously, myself.

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