5 Lessons from Start With Why by Simon Sinek

This blog may contain an affiliate link to the book being discussed. All thoughts remain my own.

Published in 2009, Start With Why by Simon Sinek is a global bestseller. Having sold over one million copies worldwide, it is one of the most popular leadership books and a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur. This book had been on my bookshelf and reading list for quite some time, and having recently been through a phase of feeling uninspired, I thought the time was right to finally dive into its pages.

Lesson #1 — The Golden Circle

The flagship lesson of the book, the golden circle is Simon’s way of articulating the importance of “why”.

The thought process behind the circle is that you work from the inside to the outside; starting with why, flowing into how, before concluding with what. Following this method ensures that everything you do, such as writing this blog, conforms to your why.

I like to think of it rather simplistically. Your why is static, it never changes. It is the reason behind how you approach what you are doing, which can be fluid. Your why is your underlying beliefs, whereas your how and what are simply tools to deliver your message.

In my case, my why is “to enable others to become the best version of themselves”. Everything I do must tie back to this, but I could deliver my message through written blogs, YouTube videos, tweets or online courses. The why never changes, but the how and the what do.

Lesson #2 — For Every Why, There Must Be a How

This lesson is aimed specifically at all of you aspiring entrepreneurs. In the book, Simon argues that you are either a “why” person or a “how” person.

Why people are the visionaries. Famous examples include Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. How people on the other hand, they are the ones who turn the vision into reality. In Steve’s case, it was Steve Wozniak. Although Jobs had the vision to change the relationship between people and computers, Wozniak made it happen. He was Jobs’ how guy. Whilst Jobs was delivering his message, inspiring people around the world to go against the status quo, Wozniak was building the computers that turned Jobs’ vision and beliefs into something tangible.

Every “why” person needs their “how” person, without each other, you’’ll simply have a vision without a tool, or a tool without a vision.

Lesson #3 — The Limitations of Manipulations

Many companies are very good at manipulating their customers and there are many ways in which they do so. They may inspire you through fear of missing out, or through a deal too good to be true by offering once-in-a-lifetime discounts.

The problem? Manipulations can only take you so far. The perfect example is discounts. If you find yourself having to offer discounts to make sales, people will come to expect that of you. You will quickly end up in a loop. People will only buy from you when you offer a discount, as such, you continue to offer better discounts, and people’s expectations will be further reinforced and aligned to that.

If you why is clearly understood by you and your company, and clearly communicated to the customer, you won’t have to rely on manipulation to make sales and attract people to your business.

If you’re in this position already, you need to get back to your why.

Lesson #4 — Your Why is Your Foundation

If you haven’t understood this already, let me put it beyond all doubt. Your why is your foundation. Everything you do, and how you do it, must tie back to your why. The more you move away from your why, the quicker you become just another company, doing the same thing that a hundred other companies are doing.

If you have clarity on your why, the rest is easy. In everything you do, ask yourself “does what I’m doing have a direct link with my why?”, if it doesn’t, go back to the drawing board.

In the book, Simon calls this the “celery test”. Lets say you have a problem in your business that you don’t know how to solve, chances are you’ve been offered a number of solutions — but how do you know which one is best for you? You could rely on good old manipulation, putting price or efficiency first, but eventually you’ll be back in the same place you are now. The celery test, however, will help guide you to the right choice.

In the example Simon uses, the problem is that you’re hungry. You know that you need food, but you don’t know what food to have. Someone offers you Oreos, another person M&Ms. The next person offers you celery, with the final person offering milk. All of these options meet the criteria of your what, but if you have a clear understanding of your why, which is to be healthy, then four apparent choices quickly become just one. Thanks to your why, you can confidently choose the celery, knowing it aligns with your underlying beliefs.

Lesson #5 — Why is a Belief and a Passion

Figuring out your why can feel intimidating. Simply being asked “why do you do what you do” can be an overwhelming question because most of us can’t answer it. The reality is we do the work that we do because we thought we had to, or it pays well, or because our friends and family told us it was the right thing to do.

So how can you figure it out?

To figure out your why, you have to find what you believe in and what you’re passionate about. I’m not talking about what you like to do, such as playing video games, I’m talking about your underlying values and beliefs. What gets your out of bed every day? What helps push you through when the going gets tough? What ignites the fire in your belly? That’s your why.

I’d love to hear about your why in the comments and for you to share any thoughts you have.

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