Do you know your why?

🧭 If humans only live for ~4,000 weeks, let's make the most of the time we have -- and live with clarity about our why

I popped into the bookstore the other night. I love bookstores. There was an author’s talk going on in one corner. I went in search of a book called Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. Perhaps you’ve read it? (If you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts.) I’d seen it online last year and was curious to take a look at the book. Earlier this year, I heard Oliver Burkeman on a podcast and found his perspective intriguing. If you’re active in the subscriber chat online or in the app, you already know this.

Only later did I realize that he was the author of the book with the provocative title and yellow cover that had been sitting in my shopping cart since the holidays. In real life, the paperback version is highlighter yellow.

On the same aisle, the person I was with noticed a red book book about TED talks. We both love TED talks. Perhaps you do, too? As we were leaving the aisle, I noticed a book by Seth Godin. Then one by Simon Sinek. Who is Simon Sinek the person asked?

Oh, he’s the find your why guy I replied. He had a TED talk about 15 years ago and has parlayed that into a growing empire that today is called The Optimism Company. I like Simon. I smile whenever I see him online and usually find what he has to say insightful.

Simon Sinek. Source: SimonSinek.com.

But for me, it all started with his first TED talk. I remember it being powerful. Clarifying. Insightful.

I watched it again last night for the first time in years. He gave the talk in 2009. It was at TEDxPugetSound. I hadn’t remembered that detail. (It would later be published on TED in May 2010). The video quality isn’t as good as more recent TED talks but the ideas he shares still resonate today. His presentation is earnest and approachable. If you’ve never seen it (or if it’s been a while), I encourage you to watch it (18:01):

🎬 Watch on TED.com | More on TED by Simon Sinek

Leveraging stories about Apple, Dr. Martin Luther King and the Wright brothers’ discovery of human-powered flight, Simon shares a simple idea he calls the golden circle:

Golden Circle. Source: SimonSinek.com.

He explains:

This little idea explains why some organizations and some leaders are able to inspire where others aren't.

Let me define the terms really quickly.

Every single person, every single organization on the planet knows what they do, 100 percent.

Some know how they do it, whether you call it your differentiated value proposition or your proprietary process or your USP.

But very, very few people or organizations know why they do what they do.

And by “why” I don't mean “to make a profit.” That's a result. It's always a result.

He continues:

By “why,” I mean: What’s your purpose? What’s your cause? What’s your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?

As a result, the way we think, we act, the way we communicate is from the outside in, it’s obvious. We go from the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing.

But the inspired leaders and the inspired organizations — regardless of their size, regardless of their industry — all think, act and communicate from the inside out.

This is a key insight.

Do you know your why?

If you do, you can help others by sharing it.

If you don’t know your why yet, Simon has a free exercise you can do with friends to find your why. He also wrote the book Start With Why and a companion, Find Your Why that you may find helpful.

If you’d like to explore this further, please join us in the chat this week.

And remember:

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. This belief is the cornerstone of impactful leadership and innovation.

-Simon Sinek

I hope you found this interesting. Let me know what you thought. Thank you for reading.

🕑 Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow. Clocks spring forward so we lose an hour tonight. Seize your Saturday and have a great weekend!

Be well,

-Bryce