Simon sinek quotes

When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.

A small team, committed to a cause bigger than themselves, can achieve absolutely anything.

Most people think leadership is about being in charge. Most people think leadership is about having all the answers and being the most intelligent person or the most qualified person in the room. The irony is that it is the complete opposite. Leadership is about empowering others to achieve things they did not think possible. Leadership is about pointing in the direction, articulating a vision of the world that does not yet exist. Then asking help from others to insure that vision happens.

The goal of business should not be to do business with anyone who simply wants what you have. It should be to focus on the people who believe what you believe. When we are selective about doing business only with those who believe in our WHY, trust emerges.

Success comes when we wake up every day in that never-ending pursuit of why we do what we do.

We can teach only if we are willing to learn.

Vision is a destination - a fixed point to which we focus all effort. Strategy is a route - an adaptable path to get us where we want to go.

Authenticity is more than speaking; Authenticity is also about doing. Every decision we make says something about who we are.

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.

Truly effective and inspiring leaders aren’t actually driven to lead people; they are driven to serve them.

The responsibility of leadership is not to come up with all the ideas but to create an environment in which great ideas can thrive.

Any great and inspiring leader or organization that ever existed set out to do something completely unrealistic.

Every single organization - or career, for that matter - exists on three levels: WHAT you do, HOW you do it and WHY you do it.

Knowledge is understanding based on what has been studied and learned. Wisdom is understanding based on what has been felt and experienced.

Most people ignore opportunities because they see only danger. Entrepreneurs ignore danger because they see only opportunities.

We should never change our minds about where we are going, but always be curious about different ways to get there.

If you sell what you do, you're a vendor. If you sell why you do it, you're a brand.

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.

Pushing yourself to be the best is unsustainable. Simply push yourself to be better than the day before.

A leader's job is not to do the work for others; it's to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done and to succeed beyond what they thought possible.

Life is beautiful not because of the things we see or do. Life is beautiful because of the people we meet.

The goal is not to be perfect by the end. The goal is to be better today.

Value is not determined by those who set the price. Value is determined by those who choose to pay it.

The goal is not simply to 'work hard, play hard.' The goal is to make our work and our play indistinguishab le.

Greatness is not born from one success. Greatness is born from persevering through the countless failed attempts that preceded.

The quality of a leader cannot be judged by the answers he gives, but by the questions he asks.

The ability for a group of people to do remarkable things hinges on how well those people can pull together as a team.

Our vision is only actionable if we share it. Without sharing, it’s just a figment of our imagination.

Leaders volunteer to go first into danger. Their willingness to sacrifice for us is the reason we're inspired to follow.

There are leaders, and there are those who lead. Leaders are those who hold a position of power or authority. But those who lead are those who inspire us. And it's those who start with why, that have the ability to inspire those around them or find others who inspire them.

Leadership is not about the next election, it's about the next generation.

We must all try to empathize before we criticize. Ask someone what's wrong before telling them they are wrong.

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.

The responsibility of the company is to help the people, grow as people. If we can do that, then the company will grow as a company.

The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.

A leader's job is not just to get the best out of their people-a leader's job is to make more leaders.

A leader without a title is better than a title without the ability to lead.

When we point to obstacles we inhibit progress. When we offer solutions we advance.

Success always takes help. Failure is done alone.

Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.

Genius is in the idea. Impact, however, comes from action!

Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.

Some see risk as a reason not to try. Some see it as an obstacle to overcome. The risk is the same; to try or not depends on your perspective.

Great leaders are willing to sacrifice the numbers to save the people. Poor leaders sacrifice the people to save the numbers.

Leading is not the same as being the leader. 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.

Work with people who believe what you believe.

Words may inspire but only action creates change.

For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It's not "integrity," it's "always do the right thing." It's not "innovation," it's "look at the problem from a different angle." Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea - we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.

Emails get reactions. Phone calls start conversations.

Trust emerges when we have a sense that another person or organization is driven by things other than their own self-gain.

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

No matter when or where, always bring your 'A' game, because you never know when it will open doors for you.

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

What you do is proof of what you believe.

The challenge of the unknown future is so much more exciting than the stories of the accomplished past.

Focus on long term success but be willing to make short term adjustments to get there

A star wants to see himself rise to the top. A leader wants to see those around him rise to the top.

Leadership is a choice. It is not a rank.

We'd achieve more if we chase the dream instead of the competition.

Offer your strengths to others and you'll be amazed how many people offer their strengths to you.

Be the leader you wish you had.

Those in pursuit of Why are inspired to do what is right. Those in pursuit of What are driven to do what is easy.

To be authentic is to be at peace with your imperfections.

If you don't understand people, you don't understand business.

If we were good at everything we would have no need for each other.

No one knows everything. But together, we know a whole lot.

A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other.

Trust has two dimensions: competence and integrity. We will forgive mistakes of competence. Mistakes of integrity are harder to overcome.

Leaders don't look for recognition from others, leaders look for others to recognize.

Great leaders don’t try to be perfect. They try to be themselves. And that’s what makes them great.

If you want to achieve anything in this world, you have to get used to the idea that not everyone will like you.

Give someone responsibility and they will do their best. Make them accountable and they will do even better.

Listening is not understanding the words of the question asked, listening is understanding why the question was asked in the first place.

Truly human leadership protects an organization from the internal rivalries that can shatter a culture. When we have to protect ourselves from each other, the whole organization suffers. But when trust and cooperation thrive internally, we pull together and the organization grows stronger as a result.

When we help ourselves, we find moments of happiness. When we help others, we find lasting fulfillment.

We should invest in people not ideas. A good idea is often destroyed by bad people and good people can always make a bad idea better.

Complaining begets more complaints. Anger begets more anger. And optimism begets more optimism.

Don't give to get. Give to inspire others to give.

Confidence is believing in yourself. Arrogance is telling others you’re better than they are. Confidence inspires. Arrogance destroys.

Self confidence is the ability to exercise restraint in the face of disrespect and still show respect in response.

Vision is the ability to talk about the future with such clarity it is as if we are talking about the past.

People will do as they are told by someone who outranks them, but they will only follow someone they believe in.

Always plan for the fact that no plan ever goes according to plan.

Hearing is listening to what is said. Listening is hearing what isn't said.

Stand for people. Not a product or service or metric or number. If we stand for real, living, breathing people, we will change the world.

I don't care about convincing the people who think I'm naive or an idiot. I'm interested in how do I inspire the people who are open-minded that there's a different way of seeing the world.

Authenticity is about imperfection. And authenticity is a very human quality. To be authentic is to be at peace with your imperfections. The great leaders are not the strongest, they are the ones who are honest about their weaknesses. The great leaders are not the smartest; they are the ones who admit how much they don't know. The great leaders can't do everything; they are the ones who look to others to help them. Great leaders don't see themselves as great; they see themselves as human.

Trust doesn't develop from always doing the right thing. Trust comes from taking responsibility when we do the wrong thing.

Leadership is not a license to do less. Leadership is a responsibility to do more

A boss who micromanages is like a coach who wants to get in the game. Leaders guide and support and then sit back to cheer from the sidelines.

Communication is not about speaking what we think. Communication is about ensuring others hear what we mean.

It is better to disappoint people with the truth than to appease them with a lie.

Profit isn't a purpose, it's a result. To have purpose means the things we do are of real value to others.

Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for somthing we love is called passion.

The value of our lives is not determined by what we do for ourselves. The value of our lives is determined by what we do for others.

If you talk about what you believe, you will attract those who believe what you believe.

If everything goes right, we get a good experience. If everything goes wrong, we get a good story.

Words may inspire, but only ACTION creates change. Most of us live our lives by accident - we live life as it happens. Fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose.

We can not lead an organization, we can run an organization. We can only lead people.

Don't quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can't see it. Listen to your drum and your drum only. It's the one that makes the sweetest sound.

The mind can be convinced, but the heart must be won.

If you want to be a great leader, remember to treat all people with respect at all times. For one, because you never know when you'll need their help. And two, because it's a sign you respect people, which all great leaders do.

We last longer if we compete against ourselves for the good of others instead of competing against others for the good of ourselves.

If you hire people just because they can do a job, they'll work for your money, but if they believe what you believe, they'll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.

The leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care most about their people.

Look down from as high as possible. Look ahead as far as you can see. Then decide what to do.

Success is when reality catches up to your imagination.

Great leaders must have two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate that vision clearly.

What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Iterate. Fail. Try again. Change the world.

There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak.

Achievement happens when we pursue and attain what we want. Success comes when we are in clear pursuit of Why we want it.

Great leaders don't blame the tools they are given. Great leaders work to sharpen them.

The hardest part is starting. Once you get that out of the way, you'll find the rest of the journey much easier.

One of the best paradoxes of leadership is a leader's need to be both stubborn and open-minded. A leader must insist on sticking to the vision and stay on course to the destination. But he must be open-minded during the process.

Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly, a way of communicating.

Safe is good for sidewalks and swimming pools, but life requires risk if we are to get anywhere.

There is a difference between offering a service and being willing to serve. They may both include giving but only one is generous.

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

We don’t do business with companies. We do business with people.

Because a true sense of purpose is deeply emotional, it serves as a compass to guide us to act in a way completely consistent with our values and beliefs. Purpose does not need to involve calculations or numbers. Purpose is about the quality of life. Purpose is human, not economic.

Don't show up to prove. Show up to improve.

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

Returning from work feeling inspired, safe, fulfilled and grateful is a natural human right to which we are all entitled and not a modern luxury that only a few lucky ones are able to find.

The difference between those who do and those who don't is that those who don't believe it when they are told they can't.

A leader is the one who speaks last and acts first.