Start with Why Quotes

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.

look at the problem from a different angle.

Great companies don't hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them.

The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.

When you compete against everyone else, no one wants to help you. But when you compete against yourself, everyone wants to help you.

Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.

Some in management positions operate as if they are in a tree of monkeys. They make sure that everyone at the top of the tree looking down sees only smiles. But all too often, those at the bottom looking up see only asses.

Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion.

two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.

they would have said a faster horse.

Charisma has nothing to do with energy; it comes from a clarity of WHY. It comes from absolute conviction in an ideal bigger than oneself. Energy, in contrast, comes from a good night’s sleep or lots of caffeine. Energy can excite. But only charisma can inspire. Charisma commands loyalty. Energy does not.

Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them. People are either motivated or they are not. Unless you give motivated people something to believe in, something bigger than their job to work toward, they will motivate themselves to find a new job and you’ll be stuck with whoever’s left.

Great leaders and great organizations are good at seeing what most of us can’t see. They are good at giving us things we would never think of asking for.

All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year. Those who forget WHY they were founded show up to the race every day to outdo someone else instead of to outdo themselves. The pursuit, for those who lose sight of WHY they are running the race, is for the medal or to beat someone else.

Innovation is not born from the dream, innovation is born from the struggle.

Being the leader means you hold the highest rank, either by earning it, good fortune or navigating internal politics. Leading, however, means that others willingly follow you—not because they have to, not because they are paid to, but because they want to.

Passion alone can't cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.

This is important because our behavior is affected by our assumptions or our perceived truths. We make decisions based on what we think we know.

When we tell people to do their jobs, we get workers. When we trust people to get the job done, we get leaders.

Great leaders are those who trust their gut. They are those who understand the art before the science. They win hearts before minds. They are the ones who start with WHY.

WHY did we start doing WHAT we’re doing in the first place, and WHAT can we do to bring our cause to life considering all the technologies and market opportunities available today?.

just feels right.

There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.

Our need to belong is not rational, but it is a constant that exists across all people in all cultures.

If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?.

Studies show that over 80 percent of Americans do not have their dream job. If more knew how to build organizations that inspire, we could live in a world in which that statistic was the reverse - a world in which over 80 percent of people loved their jobs. People who love going to work are more productive and more creative. They go home happier and have happier families. They treat their colleagues and clients and customers better. Inspired employees make for stronger companies and stronger economies.

For great leaders, The Golden Circle is in balance. They are in pursuit of WHY, they hold themselves accountable to HOW they do it and WHAT they do serves as the tangible proof of what they believe.

If they had started their sales pitch with WHY the product existed in the first place, the product itself would have become the proof of the higher cause—proof of WHY.

Average companies give their people something to work on. In contrast, the most innovative organizations give their people something to work toward.