Why Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ slogan is the best in history

A guide to getting things done

The ‘Just do it’ slogan is one of the most recognised around the world.

I know little about marketing, but this slogan says more than meets the eye. Ultimately, it intends to sell Nike’s product, shoes. But I think it has an interesting root in psychology and could be one of the greatest slogans in history because of what it implies.

Let me explain:

The toolbox fallacy

I can’t do ‘X’ until I have ‘Y’;
- Once I have the gym membership, then I’ll be able to get in shape.
- Once I have a laptop, then I’ll be able to write.
- Once I have those football shoes, then I’ll be able to play football.

Until I get this and that I can’t start such and such.

This is the toolbox fallacy.

Many a time we are perpetually over-preparing ourselves for a certain task without ever getting to start it.

Sound familiar? That’s because a lot of people do this at some point, we start to accept reality at its current state, and never push ourselves to achieve what we want to do.