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32 Motivational Start With Why Quotes by Simon Sinek

Last Updated on June 14, 2023 by Louisa

If you’re a business manager who is struggling to motivate your employees, or maybe you’re looking for ways to prove to your manager that you deserve a promotion but are not sure how.

Then you might want to check out Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

This motivational ​​bestseller is all about finding our WHY. He explains the key to finding a purpose in our work and draws inspiration from successful businesses and how they inspire and motivate their employees.

Start With Why became a TikTok sensation and was the foundation of Sinek’s TedTalk, so you can bet there are some really inspirational quotes by Simon Sinek in this book. 

If you’re looking for some motivational Start With Why quotes by Simon Sinek, these are the best ones.


Inspirational Start With Why Quotes

Let’s begin with the most inspirational Start With Why quotes by Simon Sinek. These quotes can apply to everyday life, as well as the world of work.

“Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Charisma has nothing to do with energy; it comes from a clarity of WHY. It comes from absolute conviction in an ideal bigger than oneself. Energy, in contrast, comes from a good night’s sleep or lots of caffeine. Energy can excite. But only charisma can inspire. Charisma commands loyalty. Energy does not.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Regardless of WHAT we do in our lives, our WHY—our driving purpose, cause or belief—never changes.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Passion alone can’t cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“This is important because our behavior is affected by our assumptions or our perceived truths. We make decisions based on what we think we know.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“That’s the problem with love; we only know when we’ve found it because it “just feels right.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Our visions are the world we imagine, the tangible results of what the world would look like if we spent every day in pursuit of our why.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“There are many ways to motivate people to do things, but loyalty comes from the ability to inspire people.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why
Quotes-from-start-with-why

Start With Why Quotes About Leadership

One of the key focuses of Simon Sinek’s book is to create great leadership. Here are some of his most inspirational Start With Why quotes about leadership.

“Great leaders are those who trust their gut. They are those who understand the art before the science. They win hearts before minds. They are the ones who start with why.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

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

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

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

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“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.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Great leaders and great organizations are good at seeing what most of us can’t see. They are good at giving us things we would never think of asking for.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“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.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

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

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“For great leaders, The Golden Circle is in balance. They are in pursuit of why, they hold themselves accountable to how they do it and what they do serves as the tangible proof of what they believe.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Start With Why Quotes About Work

The focus of this book is on the world of work. If you need some motivation in the workplace, then these Start With Why quotes about work will be your guide.

“Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“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.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“All organizations start with why, but only the great ones keep their why clear year after year. Those who forget why they were founded show up to the race every day to outdo someone else instead of to outdo themselves. The pursuit, for those who lose sight of why they are running the race, is for the medal or to beat someone else.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“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.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Average companies give their people something to work on. In contrast, the most innovative organizations give their people something to work toward.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Short Start With Why Quotes

Short and sweet, these are the most powerful short Start With Why quotes.

“Innovation is not born from the dream, innovation is born from the struggle.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Our need to belong is not rational, but it is a constant that exists across all people in all cultures.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“He gave the “I Have a Dream” speech, not the “I Have a Plan” speech.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Leadership is always about people.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Finding why is a process of discovery, not invention.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“You have to be careful what you think you know.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“When they are unclear about your WHY, WHAT you do has no context.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“Communication is not about speaking, it’s about listening.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

“It’s not “integrity,” it’s “always do the right thing.”

Simon Sinek, Start With Why

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Final Word on Start With Why Quotes

So there you have it, my favorite quotes from Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

I hope they inspired you as much as they inspired me. Do you have a favorite quote? Let me know in the comments!

More Inspirational Quotes

If you found these quotes inspiring, then you might also like these other quote guides:

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About Louisa Smith

Editor/Founder - Epic Book Society

Louisa is the Founder, Editor, and Head Honcho of Epic Book Society. She was born and raised in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University for the Creative Arts with a degree in Journalism. Louisa began her writing career at the age of 7 when her poetry was published in an anthology of poems to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. Upon graduating university, she spent several years working as a journalist writing about books before transitioning to become a Primary School Teacher. Louisa loves all genres of books, but her favorites are Sci-Fi, Romance, Fantasy, and Young Adult Fiction. Read more Louisa's story here.

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