I want to know why you do what you do.
I’m reading a book called WHY: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek. Simon discusses the idea that great leaders and organizations are built on the notion of WHY, not WHAT.
The difference is subtle, but it makes all the difference. The WHY hits a different region of the brain than the WHAT does. Simon explains:
When we communicate WHAT we do first…people can understand vast amounts of complicated information, like facts and features, but it does not drive behavior. But when we communicate [using the WHY], we’re talking directly to the part of the brain that controls decision-making, and our language part of the brain allows us to rationalize those decisions.
Put simply, the WHY is your over-arching purpose, cause, or belief. Is it to challenge the status quo? Democratize travel for all people? Enchant? I want to know why you do what you do.
Here are some ground rules:
For Churches & Ministries
- You cannot include any reference to preaching the gospel message. This is a generality. I’m looking for something more specific.
- It must be original and unique to your specific context.
- It must be in your own words. Don’t copy and paste your organizational mission statement. Embody it.
For Businesses
- You cannot say, “To make money.” This is a result, not a WHY.
- It must be original and unique to your specific context.
- If you have forgotten your WHY, now might be a good time to re-discover it.
- You cannot share what you produce (i.e. “widgets,” “apps,” “appliances,” etc.).
Ready to give it a shot? Let me know WHY you do what you do:
