Most people go about their lives doing things out of necessity. We go to work and pay our bills. But while we all need a livelihood, some people thrive and others not so much. What’s the difference between these people?
This week I started (and finished) Find Your Why by David Mead, Peter Docker and Simon Sinek. All the way back in 2009, Simon Sinek presented his ‘Start with Why’ speech at TED and made an astounding observation - great leaders all communicate and lead in the same way. He explains how the Wright brothers, Apple, and Dr Martin Luther King weren’t successful merely because they got lucky with timing and circumstance. Rather, they were influential and made a great impact on the world because their actions were fuelled by a deep sense of purpose and ‘why’.
To build a billion dollar company, create the next iPhone, or rally millions of people, we must reflect on what gets us out of bed every morning. No, it’s not making money and no, it’s not being famous. We are all driven by a deeper sense of duty and belief which influences how we feel and behave. In the book, there is an exercise for finding your why and it involves reflecting on your life and digging up memories which are meaningful to you. By sharing a collection of memories with a facilitator, together you can determine the golden thread that links them all and discover your ‘why’.
Admittedly, I was sceptical that I would be able to discover mine and be able to articulate it succinctly. After sharing my stories with my partner, I think we worked it out. Whilst the words may change as I continue discovering how to articulate it, my ‘why’ is:
To reconnect humans with nature and leave the environment better than we found it.
I used to think that nothing mattered except conserving the natural environment. I used to demonise humans and feel anger towards the way we have treated the planet for so long. After this exercise I realised that my ‘why’ extends beyond the environment and includes the desire to change the way humans interact and connect outdoors. A lot of these realisations are articulated in the article “Earth needs therapy, not "green" tech nor "green" finance” by @greendreamerkamea.
By discovering your why, not only do you feel more satisfied and authentic in your day-to-day life, but you’re also more likely to be successful. Great leaders motivate communities (whether they be companies, countries or friends) by sharing their ‘why’ and living in alignment with it.
I’m excited to see where my ‘why’ will take me.
What a valuable exercise and a wonderful why.
Love that why!
Connect, educate and participate to preserve.