{"id":71756,"date":"2022-07-07T11:05:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T15:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=71756"},"modified":"2022-07-20T13:29:56","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T17:29:56","slug":"find-your-why-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/find-your-why-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"Find Your Why: Examples From the Book (Simon Sinek)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the best examples from Find Your Why<\/a><\/em>? How does Simon Sinek<\/a> explain discovering your purpose<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll break down Sinek’s book Find Your Why<\/em> by taking a closer look at the book’s best examples for understanding and living your purpose<\/a>. These Find Your Why<\/em> examples explain the practical process Sinek advocates for finding your purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for an overview of the best Find Your Why<\/em> examples Simon Sinek gives for discovering and living your purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Your Purpose Is at the Core of Everything You Do<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve discussed the importance of finding your purpose and its benefits. Next, we\u2019ll explore how to use your purpose to guide your life and work. We\u2019ll start with a three-part model Sinek first introduced in Start With Why<\/em><\/a>, which illustrates how having a central purpose affects your actions (your “How” or methods) and your results (“What” you accomplish).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinek\u2019s \u201cGolden Circle\u201d<\/strong> Example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sinek created the \u201cGolden Circle\u201d example in Find Your Why<\/em> to help you find fulfillment<\/strong> by placing your day-to-day actions and your strengths in the context of your purpose, or Why. In other words, his model helps you see whether the action you\u2019re taking aligns with your purpose and thus whether it will bring you fulfillment or distract you from your Why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Designing Your Life<\/em><\/a>, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans provide a similar tool: a Life Compass<\/a>. It places your life and work philosophies side by side so you can identify where they overlap and determine whether your actions are in accord with your philosophies, or beliefs about what you do and why<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinek\u2019s model consists of three concentric circles. Each circle represents one of the core concepts in his theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The innermost circle is the Why:<\/strong> the purpose <\/em>that orients everything you do. It\u2019s the core belief that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning. In terms of an organization, it\u2019s the mission you stand for and the reason you\u2019re in business. An organization\u2019s Why might be to provide accessible health care to its community. An individual\u2019s Why might be to create spaces for learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The middle circle is the How:<\/strong> your typical methods and practices<\/em> that characterize you, and which other people consider your strengths. Your How brings your Why to life. An organization\u2019s How or method might be to always pursue the most sustainable alternatives. An individual\u2019s How might be to forge meaningful connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The outermost circle is the What:<\/strong> the outputs <\/em>or results you generate. It\u2019s the tangible part of your organization or life and the easiest to identify. An organization’s What includes its products, services, policies, and strategies. An individual’s What might be their family, job, and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: While fans praise Sinek for clearly and succinctly bringing together three important elements<\/a> of an organization\u2019s or individual\u2019s work, critics point out that his model is missing one core question<\/a>: Who? They argue that organizations that use Sinek\u2019s model and begin from Why, as he instructs, overlook the most important element in a business: the customers. An organization might have a compelling Why, but if they can\u2019t find a customer who\u2019s interested in it, they won\u2019t be successful. Thus, you might want to complement Sinek\u2019s model by asking yourself who you\u2019re serving and what they need before you ask yourself why you\u2019re in the business of serving them.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Your Why<\/em> Example From SpaceX<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Elon Musk\u2019s space flight company, SpaceX, leads with Why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company boasts outcomes including spacecraft, satellites, and human spaceflight projects. However, listing these outcomes doesn\u2019t fully explain what makes SpaceX inspiring when compared to other space flight companies creating similar products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the methods SpaceX takes to reach these outcomes is pursuing sustainability and commercial viability simultaneously. This led them to create reusable spacecraft, a rideshare service for satellites and commercial space flights. But, again, companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have similar methods. So why does SpaceX stand out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes down to SpaceX\u2019s purpose: Its mission\u2014or Why\u2014is to make humanity multiplanetary. According to Musk himself, that purpose is what separates his organization from its competitors<\/a>. It does so because it triggers our fears and hopes by appealing to a deep human desire to: a) survive the existential challenges on earth, and b) discover what lies beyond what we already know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example of Determining Your How<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The process of identifying your How, or methods, is the same for individuals and teams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, group similar themes until you have no more than five.<\/strong> (Remember not to use the themes you already wrote into your purpose declaration) These themes are your How, or methods. Sinek recommends stating your How in actionable language that will be easy to understand. Make the statements active, declarative, and inspiring. For example, \u201cmake room for people\u2019s feelings\u201d instead of \u201cbe empathetic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, elaborate on each How to make it more concrete.<\/strong> For instance, if a How states \u201cwe build safe communities,\u201d you could add the following clarifying statements: <\/p>\n\n\n\n