Simon Sinek
Today we know Simon as an author and a public speaker, but for the first part of his professional life he was a marketing consultant. It was this part of his life which led him to be the inspiration he is today, because even though everything was going “according to plans”, Simon noticed that there was something important missing from his life.
This deep sense of dissatisfaction is what led him to develop and define his first concept and relevant book, worthy of international attention: Start with Why.
To be honest I’m not exactly sure if the concept is fully his or if he developed it from the findings of others, but as he says in his famous Ted talk, he “made a discovery” and defined the Golden Circle. I have read his first book “Start with Why” and even though I strongly suggest it, I do believe that the takeaway message of the entire book is perfectly and beautifully exposed in the Ted video (found below).
Simon’s ability as an orator is certainly outstanding and the internet is full of interviews or presentations where he shares his work and his way of seeing the world.
The list of his great work goes far beyond Start with Why and currently ends with his definition of the Infinite mindset. Another really groundbreaking concept that in my opinion should be acknowledged by everybody.
Like I said, you can find lots of really interesting videos online but I tried to give you a list of the ones I found to be the best or the most important. I hope you enjoy them and I hope he will be able to inspire you just like he did for me.
Start With Why
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
Here is one of the most viewed TED talks ever.
The book “Start with Why” is certainly a recommended read, however this relatively brief talk is a perfect summary of the key concepts that Simon defined in his quest to resolve his personal dissatisfaction.
Hope this is as inspiring for you as it was for me.
Why Leaders Eat Last
“There are leaders and there are those who lead.”
An unexpected lesson in human biology which he gradually connects to our social interactions in life and at work.
This is a genuinely interesting talk for anybody because it can be applied to many aspects of life however his main goal is to apply these concepts to leadership in the workplace and how important and full of responsibilities those roles are.
The Infinite Mindset
“Most leaders don’t know the game they are in.”
The title of the talk is “The Infinite Game” but everything he mentions here can actually be applied way beyond leadership, so “The Infinite Mindset” to me is a better title.
Understanding the difference between finite and infinite games seems fundamental for picking strategies.
This topic also deserves way more, yet this to me was the best video so far about this concept.
The Millennial Problem
Being a millennial myself I can strongly relate to what he says here.
To me this is just another occasion in which Simon applies his analytic capacities and manages to define very interesting, deep motivations behind some of the unsatisfactions of my generation (and possibly the next).
Of course it’s a generalization, yet I’m sure it’s right on point for way more people than we would like.