A Second and 34 Years

In 1998, Citibank and The Travelers Insurance Company merged.

They hired the legendary designer Paula Scher to create a new logo.
In their first meeting, on a napkin, Scher drew what became the iconic Citi logo.

As Scher got up to leave the room, someone from the Citi team asked, How can it be that it’s done in a second?

“It’s done in a second and 34 years,” Scher replied. “It’s done in a second and every experience and everything that’s in my head.”

As Scher became a master of her craft, she repeatedly experienced this problem.
“A lot of clients like to buy process,” she explains. “They think they’re not getting their money’s worth if you solve the problem too fast.”

After that initial meeting, Scher said, “There were a million meetings…What if you do it this way, or that way? Show it to me on stationery. Show it to me on a card. What if we flip the colors? It’s got to be red on top and blue on the bottom. What do you do with the blue wave? Is it something you use in retail? What if you put that back on the credit card?—those were all the things that were being worked out for nearly two years before the thing launched.”

Ultimately, after two years, feeling like they got their money’s worth—Citi went with Scher’s initial sketch.

“The design of the logo is never really the hard part of the job, Scher said. “It’s persuading a million people to use it.”

Scher’s response alludes to the fact that true mastery is a culmination of not just the present moment but every experience and all the knowledge stored within an individual’s mind. It is the unseen layers of expertise that grant the ability to distill complex problems into elegantly simple solutions.

In the fast-paced world we inhabit, there is a prevailing notion that the value of time is directly proportional to the effort invested. We often equate success with arduous labor and are skeptical when solutions appear too swift or effortless. However, hidden beneath this common perception lies a fascinating phenomenon known as the Labor perception bias illustrated many times by the the parable of the Engineer and the hammer.

“All success is a lagging indicator.” This sentiment, echoed by writer Ryan Holiday, illuminates the profound truth that any achievement is rarely the result of a single moment or event. Just as Scher’s ability to create an iconic logo in an instant reflected 34 years of mastery, success often masks the countless hours of preparation, research, and dedication that precede it. It is the culmination of relentless pursuit and honing of skills that enables individuals to seize decisive moments with seemingly effortless ease.

As we navigate our own journeys, let us recognise that sometimes the most profound solutions can arise in an instant, yet they are underpinned by a lifetime of dedication and mastery.

Put in the effort for years to get your ‘One second solution on a Napkin’ and stay blessed forever.