Start with Why

When we tell people to do their jobs, we get workers. When we trust people to get the job done, we get leaders.

If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?

Our behavior is affected by our assumptions or our perceived truths. We make decisions based on what we think we know.

Innovation is not born from the dream, innovation is born from the struggle.

Passion alone can't cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.

Great leaders and great organizations are good at seeing what most of us can’t see. They are good at giving us things we would never think of asking for.

Charisma has nothing to do with energy; it comes from a clarity of WHY. It comes from absolute conviction in an ideal bigger than oneself. Energy, in contrast, comes from a good night’s sleep or lots of caffeine. Energy can excite. But only charisma can inspire. Charisma commands loyalty. Energy does not.

People are either motivated or they are not. Unless you give motivated people something to believe in, something bigger than their job to work toward, they will motivate themselves to find a new job and you’ll be stuck with whoever’s left.

Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion.

Some in management positions operate as if they are in a tree of monkeys. They make sure that everyone at the top of the tree looking down sees only smiles. But all too often, those at the bottom looking up see only asses.

The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.

All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year.

You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.

Leading means that others willingly follow you—not because they have to, not because they are paid to, but because they want to.

Happy employees ensure happy customers. And happy customers ensure happy shareholders—in that order.

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe

Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.

The main theme of the Golden Circle chapter in “Start with Why” is that great leaders and organizations start with why they do what they do, and that this sense of purpose and direction is the key to success and influence. By understanding and communicating their why, organizations can inspire people to connect with them on a deeper level and to take action in support of their cause.

The "Carrots and Sticks" chapter in "Start with Why" challenges the traditional model of motivation through external rewards and punishments. Instead, Sinek suggests that true motivation comes from tapping into people's intrinsic motivation by inspiring them with a clear sense of purpose and vision. By doing so, organizations can create a culture of innovation, growth, and fulfillment.

Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them.

When you compete against everyone else, no one wants to help you. But when you compete against yourself, everyone wants to help you.

Humans want to belong. When you engage with your ideal audience, those who share your cause and core beliefs, they will share your goal with others, allowing your mission to manifest itself.

Great leaders build trust all around them.

Great leaders are less concerned with the competition. They compete against themselves.

Great leaders persist through failure and hard work.

Great leaders create space for innovation and an environment where inspired work can happen.

Great leaders create strong cultures in which everyone works toward the same mission.

Great leaders follow their intuition and inner voice and identify gaps in the market before customers realize they’re missing out on something.

The “What” defines the day-to-day aspects of your life and business

The “How” is what makes you, your products or services different and desirable.

The “Why” comes from your core purpose and mission; it’s the reason you get out of bed in the morning.

People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.

There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.

Price always costs something. The question is, how much are you willing to pay for the money you make?

Loyalty is when people are willing to turn down a better product or a better price to continue doing business with you.

Manipulations work, but they cost money. Lots of money.

Knowing WHY is essential for lasting success and the ability to avoid being lumped in with others.

Our need to belong is not rational, but it is a constant that exists across all people in all cultures.

The power of WHY is not opinion, it’s biology.

For a message to have real impact, to affect behavior and seed loyalty, it needs more than publicity. It needs to publicize some higher purpose, cause or belief.

Charisma has nothing to do with energy; it comes from a clarity of WHY.

The goal of business then should not be to simply sell to anyone who wants what you have... but rather to find people who believe what you believe.

When people inside the company know WHY they come to work, people outside the company are vastly more likely to understand WHY the company is special.

Empowering the individual spirit is WHY Apple exists. Apple knows their WHY and so do we.

The leader’s job is no longer to close all the deals; it is to inspire.

Simply ensuring that WHAT you do proves what you believe makes it easy for those who believe what you believe to find you.

Great leaders are those who trust their gut. They are those who understand the art before the science. They win hearts before minds. They are the ones who start with WHY.

Instead of asking, “WHAT should we do to compete?” the questions must be asked, “WHY did we start doing WHAT we’re doing in the first place, and WHAT can we do to bring our cause to life considering all the technologies and market opportunities available today?

“Tipping points” happen when a mass of early adopters, innovators, and enough influencers unite to support a WHY. This can be consciously designed.

Successful leaders identify their purpose, vision, or cause first. They follow the “Golden Circle” formula which starts with working out their “Why” followed by the “How” and “What”—not the other way around.