Start with WHY

Start with Why shows that the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way—and it’s the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.

Find it here:

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

-Simon Sinek

Why I Wrote This

Start with WHY was born out of pain. I lost my passion for my work…which was disconcerting, to say the least. I didn’t want to go to work any more. I no longer found joy in the thing I had been doing for years. Learning about starting with WHY changed all that. This simple idea completely transformed my life and my career in ways I could not imagine. I knew I had to share it with as many people as I could, and talk about it with whomever would listen.

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Start with WHY

Start with WHY is Simon’s first and most popular book, having earned a spot on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. In this book, Simon shows that the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way—and it’s the opposite of what everyone else does. Simon calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired.

And it all starts with WHY.

Start with WHY

Start with WHY is Simon’s first and most popular book, having earned a spot on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. In this book, Simon shows that the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way—and it’s the opposite of what everyone else does. Simon calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired.

And it all starts with WHY.

Other Ways to Start with WHY

Join Simon’s Master Trainers and other students to draft your WHY statement.

Discover your WHY at your own pace with this online course.

Get in touch with our Experiences Team to kickstart your team’s WHY journey.

Bring your team together for a private session of our popular online class.

FAQs

Start with WHY was born out of pain. Simon lost his passion for his work…which was disconcerting, to say the least. He didn’t want to go to work any more. He no longer found joy in the thing he had been doing for years. Learning about starting with WHY changed all that. This simple idea completely transformed his life and his career in ways Simon could not imagine. He knew he had to share it with as many people as he could, and talk about it with whomever would listen.

Simon wrote Start with WHY in 2009. He is the author of five books, including Leaders Eat Last (2013) and, most recently, The Infinite Game (2019).
Start with WHY is divided into 3 parts and 14 chapters. On average, Start with WHY takes 3–5 hours to read depending on your reading habits. We also offer at-a-glance materials to help you grasp the concepts of The Golden Circle in the Downloadable Guides section up above. 
There are three components of The Golden Circle: WHAT, HOW, and, most importantly, WHY.
Our WHYs are an articulation of who we are. For most, a good WHY statement is simple, easy to understand, and reflective of the person to whom it belongs. The WHY statement should not include WHATS (the tangible things we do/job titles/etc). It should embody who you are in every facet of your life, not just work.
We recommend that you read Start with WHY before you read Find Your WHY. Find Your WHY is the companion workbook to Start With WHY and came out numerous years after Start with WHY was published.

Start with WHY was written for anyone looking for a deeper sense of purpose in their work. Whether you are marketing, retail, anything between, or anything beyond, we all have a WHY that gives our lives meaning and fulfillment.

We believe everyone should find their WHY, so we have created a few ways to help.
    1. Start with WHY Live Online Class: You can join us in our Live Online Classroom as one of Simon’s Master Trainers guides you through a tried and tested process that will help you find a first draft of your WHY statement
    2. Find Your WHY On-Demand Course: Want to find your WHY at your own pace? With Videos of Simon as your guide, this on-Demand course will take you through the steps of drafting a WHY statement. All you need is a partner and an open mind!
    3. One-on-one WHY Coaching: Serious about finding your WHY? You can even book a private session with one of Simon’s Master Trainers to dive deep and explore what your WHY means to you.
    4. Start with WHY keynotes, workshops, or private classes: Want to inspire the whole company? Get in touch with our Experiences Team to kickstart your team’s WHY journey.

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Certified WHY Coach Program Framework

Learn the exact process Simon Sinek uses to help people discover their WHY and guide them to inspire others.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of the program, you’ll be able to:

  • Explain The Golden Circle and its components — WHY, HOWs, and WHATs
  • Guide someone through a WHY Discovery process that leads to a resonant WHY statement and actionable HOWs
  • Help people use their Golden Circle to make better decisions and create positive change in their careers and lives

You’ll also develop essential human skills you can use every day:

  • Building trust
  • Listening to understand
  • Asking better questions
  • Handling emotional conversations with care

How You’ll Learn

The program includes four structured units combining independent learning, live training, and practice:

Day 1 – The Foundation

  • Get to know The Golden Circle 
  • Find out what it means to bring a Golden Circle to life
  • Learn what a WHY Discovery is, how it works, and what the benefits are

Day 2 – The Human Skills

  • Hone the human skills to guide someone through a WHY Discovery:
    • Creating psychological safety
    • Asking effective questions
    • Engaging in active listening

Day 3 – The Process in Practice

  • Learn notetaking strategies that will help you facilitate a WHY Discovery session
  • Develop the analytic and collaborative skills you need to help someone identify and articulate their WHY and HOWs

Day 4 – The Golden Circle in Action

  • Apply everything you’ve learned to facilitate a full WHY Discovery
  • Learn how to wrap up a session
  • Prepare for your next steps to becoming a Certified WHY Coach

Program Details

Format: 4 live classes + independent learning + group practice

Duration: ~ 8-10  hours per unit (including independent learning and live classes) plus ~5 hours to complete the final exam

Certification Requirements:

  • Complete independent work
  • Attend and participate in all live sessions 
  • Pass a final exam and performance assessment

Your Support Team

  • Regular updates and reminders
  • Opportunities to ask questions
  • Personalized feedback from master trainers
  • Ongoing support through your final evaluation

Program and Participation Terms and Conditions

Our mission is to create a supportive learning environment where we grow together to help others. By joining, you agree to show up in service to one another.

Professional Expectations

  • Attend and participate in ALL live classes in their entirety.
  • Complete ALL assigned online coursework.
  • Must be fluent in English.
  • Show up to live classes, community spaces, and group work with respect, kindness, and gratitude.
  • Support your fellow participants with a service mindset.
  • Keep all personal stories shared during the WHY Discovery process confidential.
  • Approach the WHY Discovery journey with empathy, integrity, and care for those you serve.

Participant Cancellation and Transfer Policy

  • Cancel up to 10 days before your cohort start date: Full refund.
  • Cancel less than 10 days before: We’re unable to offer a refund at this stage.
  • Transfer up to 7 days before: You may transfer your spot to another participant for a $200 (USD) fee.

Recording and Photography

  • Participants may not record or screenshot sessions.
  • The Company will record sessions and make them available internally for 30 days.
  • By joining, you understand you may appear on screen and agree that recordings and photos may be used by the Company for program or marketing purposes.

If you prefer not to be included, please contact the team before the first session at [email protected].

Unleash Your Infinite Mindset

Quantity: 1 quantity = 1 team of up to 20 participants

Teams 20+

Contact Sales

For teams of 20+ contact us

Teams of up to 20

Purchase: $999

Unleash Your Infinite Mindset

Bundle & Save: $1,198 SAVE $800

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The Art of Creating Fiercely Loyal Customers

Quantity: 1 quantity = 1 team of up to 20 participants

Teams 20+

Contact Sales

For teams of 20+ contact us

Teams of up to 20

Purchase: $999

The Art of Creating Fiercely Loyal Customers

Bundle & Save: $1,198 SAVE $800

Buy Unleash Your Infinite Mindset and The Art of Building Fiercely Loyal Customers together for only $1,198.

Curiosity is essential
                for progress.
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We fully agree, so we like to reward curiosity.
Use code GETCURIOUS for 20% off your next purchase.

A spark is something quite small and, by itself, not very powerful. But a spark has the ability to ignite. An idea is like a spark; alone it is just a set of words, but it too can ignite. A great idea can inspire others to dream bigger. Let us all work together to ignite something greater than ourselves.

Let us all be a Spark of Optimism.