Start With “Y”

By Yosef Solomon on Aug 23, 2010

The concept is so simple “Start With Why,” and yet the results are unimaginable. After attending a speaking event with author Simon Sinek at CoLoft in Santa Monica a few weeks back, I was hooked to this concept. Sinek described what he calls the “Golden Circle,” which is “a model based on human decision-making that guides organizations on how to inspire people to buy or support any product, company or idea” (Wikipedia). He went on to talk about companies like Apple, Harley Davidson and various other brands that create loyal followings. He even touched on the personal brand of Dr. Martin Luther King and how he utilized this idea of the “Golden Circle” to convince people on what he stood for.

The intention of “Starting With Why” is to not tell your audience what you are doing, but rather what you believe in. The goal is not to sell a feature, but rather demonstrate how your product will positively change the way a person feels about your work. He noted that this doesn’t only apply to consumers, but also employees who should believe in the company they’re working for. When we don’t truly believe in something, our work becomes monotonous and hard to complete. If we don’t see the true value in what we are doing, the passion is gone. The most notable argument I’ve heard when asking people why they don’t do what they’re passionate about is: “It doesn’t pay the bills.” This is definitely a formidable argument and I agree that some circumstances in life often threaten our passions or what we are passionate about. However, mom’s always told me that “When there’s a will, there’s a way” and I hold that true to this very day.

So how does one “Start With Why?” It sounds fairly easy, but I think the difficult part is knowing exactly what you believe in. Do you believe in your company? The brands you wear? The food you buy? When we look at our lives, are we actually “Keepin’ it real?” By asking these questions, we start seeing patterns and ultimately the see answers that makes us believe what we believe.

After the talk, I was motivated to reexamine my life and figure out why I do the things I do. From work to going to the gym, what is the point at the end of the day? I shared this idea with friends and family, because I was truly inspired to act on this question. Often times I hear talks and keynotes, but I’m rarely motivated enough to act on what the idea is. In this case, I felt determined to start asking “Why?” And let everyone else know why “Why” is important.

In life, we often get stuck in the same routine. I think this behavior is dangerous when trying to achieve our genuine goals. Excuses are created and we begin to hold off on what we initially saw as important. This brings us back to the reason why “Starting With Why” makes sense. Reexamining our lives and asking why we do the things we do, makes us accountable for our current situations. This is the first step in changing our reality to improve our future.