{"id":72690,"date":"2022-07-20T07:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T11:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=72690"},"modified":"2022-07-20T14:37:04","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T18:37:04","slug":"simon-sinek-limbic-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/simon-sinek-limbic-brain\/","title":{"rendered":"Simon Sinek: The Limbic Brain Is Your Strength\u2014Use It!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is Simon Sinek’s limbic brain argument? How can understanding your limbic brain bring you fulfillment? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Find Your Why<\/a><\/em>, author Simon Sinek<\/a> explains the relationship between our limbic system<\/a> and emotions. According to Sinek, the limbic brain is directly connected to your ability to make powerful connections with others and strong decision-making<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn the importance of Sinek’s limbic brain in your daily life and how to use it most effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Simon Sinek Says the Limbic Brain Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Purpose-driven people and organizations are more successful and fulfilled, and they contribute more to the world around them, according to Simon Sinek, best-selling author, coach, and popular TED Talk speaker. Find Your Why <\/em>distills Sinek\u2019s theory and his experience working with organizations and individuals into a workbook you can follow to discover your own purpose and strengths, or those of your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding Your Why<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Find Your Why <\/em>builds on the theory Sinek laid out in his first bestseller, Start With Why<\/em><\/a>: The most successful organizations have a clear purpose<\/a> that keeps every action they take aligned with their core beliefs. Start With Why<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is itself part of the lineage of philosophy and psychology books<\/a> that deal with purpose, like Viktor Frankl\u2019s Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em><\/a>, and of the newer lineage of books dealing with organizational culture<\/a> and cultural change, like Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s The Tipping Point<\/em><\/a>.<\/em>Sinek wrote this sequel to Start With Why<\/em><\/a> <\/em>to broaden his impact so that more organizations and individuals, even if they don\u2019t have access to direct coaching from his company, can discover their Why. Find Your Why<\/em> builds on its predecessor by laying out a step-by-step process for discovering your Why, for both organizations and individuals. Peter Docker and David Mead developed the steps to put Sinek\u2019s theory into practice.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re Wired for Purpose<\/strong>: Simon Sinek’s Limbic Brain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sinek argues that his model mimics how our brains work. <\/strong>He explains that What and How appeal to the neocortex. This outer part of the brain is well-equipped to process factual information, but not emotions, and it doesn\u2019t hold a significant sway over your decisions. On the other hand, Why is meaningful and persuasive because it originates from\u2014and appeals to\u2014the limbic brain. This core part of your brain processes emotions<\/a> and governs decision-making. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Sinek\u2019s biological justification for his framework has received some criticism<\/a>: Neuroscience hasn\u2019t produced clear evidence that one discrete part of the brain handles facts while another handles emotions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our most powerful human connections<\/a> come from the ability to communicate limbic brain to limbic brain. However, Sinek says communication doesn’t come naturally to this emotional core of your brain\u2014you have to dig through the facts and data of the neocortex level to get to emotions that live in your limbic brain. Then, by putting your Why into words, you create a way for people to hear and connect with what\u2019s in your limbic brain.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Ancient rhetoricians identified pathos\u2014the appeal to emotions\u2014as the most persuasive type of rhetoric. As Jay Heinrichs notes in Thank You for Arguing<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>pathos gets your listener to agree with you and take an action<\/a> you\u2019re inviting them to.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise: What Would Having a Clear Purpose Do for You?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consider how clarifying your purpose<\/a> could improve your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n