Honestly, most business books are just expensive paperweights. They're filled with "synergy" and "leverage" and a bunch of other corporate buzzwords that don't actually mean anything when the coffee gets cold and the quarterly reports look like a crime scene. But then there’s Simon Sinek Start With Why.
It’s been over fifteen years since this book first hit the shelves in 2009. You’ve probably seen the TED Talk. It’s one of the most-watched videos on the platform, with over 60 million views. Sinek walks up to a whiteboard, draws three circles, and basically tells the entire world they’ve been marketing and leading upside down.
He calls it the Golden Circle.
Most of us—and most companies—start from the outside in. We know what we do (we sell laptops, we write code, we make artisanal sourdough). Some of us know how we do it (our proprietary algorithm, our sourdough starter from 1894). But almost nobody knows why they do it.
And no, making money isn't a "why." Money is a result. It’s the "what" of your bank account. A real "why" is a purpose, a cause, or a belief. It’s the reason you actually bother to get out of bed on a rainy Tuesday morning when everything feels like a slog.
The Biology of Belief (It’s Not Just Marketing Fluff)
One of the coolest—and most debated—parts of the Simon Sinek Start With Why philosophy is how he ties it to brain science.
Sinek argues that the Golden Circle isn't just a neat diagram; it’s actually how our brains are wired. The outer circle, the What, corresponds to the neocortex. That's the part of the brain responsible for rational, analytical thought and language. It likes facts. It likes features. It loves a good spreadsheet.
But the middle two sections—the How and the Why—map to the limbic brain. This is the seat of our emotions. It’s where trust and loyalty live. Crucially, the limbic brain has no capacity for language. This is why we say things like, "I just have a gut feeling," or "It just feels right."
You can’t explain it with data because the part of the brain making the decision literally can’t talk.
When a company leads with their "What," they are talking to the neocortex. It’s rational, but it doesn’t drive behavior. People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. If you want to inspire someone, you have to talk to the part of the brain that controls behavior first.
Why Apple Wins and Dell... Doesn't
Sinek loves using Apple as the poster child for this. If Apple were like every other company, their marketing would sound like this:
"We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use, and user-friendly. Want to buy one?"
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That’s a "What" lead. It’s fine. It’s rational. But it’s not inspiring.
Instead, Apple starts with their "Why":
"Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user-friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?"
See the difference? It feels totally different.
Because they started with a belief, Apple can sell you a phone, a watch, or a pair of headphones, and you’ll buy them. But if Dell tried to sell you a MP3 player back in the day (and they did), nobody cared. Why? Because Dell was a computer company. Their "Why" was tied to the "What."
The Problems People Have With Sinek
Let’s be real for a second. Sinek has his critics.
If you spend ten minutes on Reddit or Hacker News, you’ll find people calling him a "hack" or a "motivational speaker with no real business experience." They argue his data is cherry-picked. They say he uses "pseudo-science" to explain the brain.
And they kinda have a point.
The "Why" isn't a magic wand. You can have a beautiful purpose and still go bankrupt if your product is garbage. Just because you believe in "democratizing transportation" doesn't mean your car's wheels won't fall off.
Critics also point out the Narrative Fallacy. We look at successful companies like Apple or Harley-Davidson and assume they succeeded because they followed the Golden Circle. In reality, luck, timing, and massive R&D budgets played a huge role.
But even if the science is a bit "light," the core message resonates because we’ve all felt the difference between a boss who gives us a paycheck and a leader who gives us a mission.
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How to Find Your Own Why
Finding your "Why" isn't something you do by looking at market research. It’s an internal audit. Sinek suggests looking back at your "Origin Story."
- What were the moments in your life where you felt the most proud?
- What was the common thread in those moments?
- What is the one thing you would fight for, even if it cost you money?
He also introduces the Celery Test.
Imagine you’re at a party and everyone is giving you advice. One person says you need Oreos. Another says you need celery. Another says M&Ms. If you don't know your "Why," you buy everything. Your grocery cart is a mess.
But if your "Why" is to be healthy, you only buy the celery. The "Why" acts as a filter. It makes decision-making faster and keeps your brand—or your life—consistent.
Actionable Steps to Apply "Start With Why"
If you’re tired of just reading and want to actually do something with this, here’s how you start.
1. Audit your messaging. Look at your website or your LinkedIn "About" section. Does it start with "I am a marketing consultant with 10 years of experience" (What)? Or does it start with "I believe small businesses are the backbone of the economy and deserve to be seen" (Why)? Flip the script.
2. The "So What?" Test. State what you do. Then ask yourself, "So what?" Keep asking until you hit a human emotion or a core belief. If you can’t get past "it makes things more efficient," you haven't found your why yet.
3. Hire for culture, not just skills. Skills can be taught. Beliefs cannot. If you hire someone who believes what you believe, they will work for the cause. If you hire them just because they’re good at Excel, they’ll work for the money.
4. Watch for "Split." As companies grow, the "Why" often gets fuzzy. This is called the "Split." The founders leave, or the pressure for profits becomes so great that the purpose is sacrificed. Protect your "Why" by making it part of your onboarding and your daily language.
The legacy of Simon Sinek Start With Why isn't about creating a perfect business plan. It’s about the fact that we are social animals. We crave belonging. We want to be part of something that matters. When you start with "Why," you’re not just selling a product or a service; you’re inviting people to join your tribe.