Start With Why By Simon Sinek - BOOK REVIEW

Rating: 3.9 / 5

A good listen.

Achievement vs. Success 

Apparently every year, 40 to 50 business owners sit and talk about “stuff” at a Gathering of Titans on MIT’s campus. They don’t necessarily talk shop but about things pertaining to the bigger picture of life and business.

Simon Sinek attended one of these talks. When asked, “How many of you have achieved your financial goals?” 80% of hands went up. However, when asked , “How many of you feelsuccessful?” Far fewer hands went up.

Many of these great leaders knew what they did and how they did it but they no longer knewwhy they were doing it.

Simon Sinek defines:

•  Achievement: as something you reach and attain – it is tangible and quantifiable; but
•  Success: is a feeling or state of being – it can’t be measured in specific terms.

Achievement occurs when you pursue and reach something and a feeling of success comes when you are clear about why you wanted to attain that thing in the first place.

I like this story because I could relate to it. I learnt very early in my career as an investment banker that financial achievements frequently didn’t lead to a feel of overall success in life.

On Corporate Ethos

In stating the general values of a good Southwest Airlines CEO, I loved the quote from Howard Putnam who said, “I’m not paying 5 bucks for a coffee; and what the heck is a Frappuccino anyway?” when Sinek suggested they take a break for a Starbucks. 

It isn’t that he was cheap but he simply didn’t attach much value to a hot a drink and no matter how wealthy he was he wasn’t going to pay for one, he was “an every man”. I respect that.

On Money 

Money is never a cause, it’s always a result. I loved that quote too because I elaborate on a similar principle in the “Success” section of The Money Spot™ program.

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