Coining a Phrase: Should You Give It a Try?

Language creates reality. 

As such, creating and coining your own phrase – or take – is one of the hardest but most fulfilling ways to create an impact. Imagine, saying something that eventually becomes the thing to say in a specific situation. 

In a jargon-filled crypto world, a well-coined (pun intended) phrase can be your golden ticket to brand stardom. But while most people think it’s about being clever, there’s something much deeper to it: it’s about owning a piece of the conversation. 

What Does It Mean to Coin a Phrase? 

Coining a phrase isn’t just about stringing words together. A child can do that, although I don’t want to make you feel less than a child.

Instead, think of it like creating a new expression that encapsulates a moment in time, a complex idea, trend or even technology. 

Think of “hodl,” “to the moon,” or “diamond hands.” These weren’t just catchy – hodl is downright hard to say – but they defined moments because they became one with the culture. 

Pro-tip: If your phrase needs a dictionary to understand, you’re doing it wrong.

The Power of Owning Words 

Here’s where the magic happens. A well-coined phrase can:

• Make complex ideas accessible
• Establish you as a thought leader
• Create a rallying cry for your community
• Give journalists a handy shorthand for your innovation

Suddenly, you’re not just part of the conversation. You’re shaping it.

How it Looks Like: The Rise of “Proof of Time” 

Let’s take a journey into a real-world example that I happened to be a part of back in the days: enter “Proof of Time.” 

This phrase didn’t exist in the crypto lexicon until recently. Now? It’s everywhere.

Here’s how it played out:

• A blockchain project dubbed “Analog” introduced the concept
• They consistently used it in their communications
• Industry leaders started referencing it in talks and tweets
• Tech journalists picked it up and used it in major publications
• Suddenly, “Proof of Time” was part of the crypto vernacular

PR Hits

Here are four examples that contributed to making “Proof Of Time” a thing.

1. A glossary page, titled: “Proof-of-Time (PoT)”, published on CoinMarketCap.
   
2. A short-form “Proof-of-time” entry, landed on Wikipedia.
3. A terminology comparison, titled: “Proof-of-Stake vs Proof-of-Work vs Proof-of-Time: What’s the Difference?”, published on Hackernoon.
4. Another algorithms comparison piece, titled: “Proof-of-time vs. proof-of-stake: How the two algorithms compare”, published on Cointelegraph.

From obscurity to industry standard in a matter of months. That’s the power of a well-coined phrase.

The Art of Phrase Crafting 

Inventing a sticky phrase isn’t about being clever for the sake of being clever.

Instead, it’s about distilling complex ideas into bite-sized but memorable chunks that the person who heard it wishes they had thought of. You know it’s happened when someone says something and you think f**k how did I not think of that? Well, we’re going to make you think of that. 

Here’s your phrase-coining playbook:

1. Give it rhythm: Make it roll off the tongue
2. Use familiar language: Build on words people already know
3. Keep it simple: If you can’t explain it to your grandma, it’s too complex
4. Make it relevant: It should solve a communication problem in your industry
5. Make sure it’s unique, which means Google it. If it exists, back to the drawing board.

Remember: You’re not writing poetry. You’re creating a tool for communication.

Measure Your Success 

How do you know if your phrase is catching on? 

Keep an eye out for: mentions in industry publications, whether it’s being used by other people – double points if they are influencers or thought leaders themselves – whether it appears in conference talks or AMA with other founders. 

The holy grail? When people start using your phrase without attributing it to you. That’s when you know it’s truly entered the lexicon.

The Bottom Line

Coining a phrase is like trying to start a dance craze at a techno rave. It’s challenging, requires perfect timing, and there’s no guarantee it’ll catch on. But when it does, you’ve just changed the way an entire industry talks about itself.