I hypothesise that one needs style to succeed. Obviously one needs skill and hard work, but why style?

Because to get a feeling for style, one needs to observe a lot. This skill of attentive study and reflection is invaluable. And if one has it, I’m sure he or she is not far from spotting trends before they emerge.

The knowledge of an upcoming trend is real power. That’s why it’s such a big leverage to success.

The trend can be from any field, it doesn’t have to be in business or financial matters. A good example is a trend in group opinions: Let’s say your out with friends; the group wants to change place but has no destination. Options are considered, they rise and decline. If you catch an option before enough people are conscious about it, you have power to work for or against it. However, you need to be fast. It’s trainable; I know people who are pretty good in influencing groups.

The second reason is that style is part of good design. One needs to know what style is to make good design. Good design yields style.

What is good design? I’d like to reference Paul Graham’s essay Taste for Makers, where he talks about it and why it matters.