Find Your WHY Book Summary - Find Your WHY Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Find Your WHY summary

Simon Sinek David Mead Peter Docker

A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team

4.2 (676 ratings)
17 mins

Brief summary

Find Your WHY by Simon Sinek, David Mead and Peter Docker is a practical guide to help individuals and organizations discover their purpose and develop a clear and inspiring WHY statement. It provides exercises and tools to help readers unlock their potential and make a positive impact.

Table of Contents

    Find Your WHY
    Summary of 7 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 7

    Knowing your WHY means having a clear purpose, and this makes you and your business more appealing.

    If you’ve ever felt lost or unfulfilled in life, it might be a result of not identifying purpose in your life – or, as the author Simon Sinek likes to call it, not knowing your WHY.

    Finding your WHY can be challenging, but once you have it in your life, you can wake up each morning with purpose and determination.

    Sinek discovered his WHY after he’d lost all passion for his work. At the time, he was feeling depressed and getting lots of advice from people, but none of it felt applicable to his situation. After some soul-searching, he realized his WHY was to inspire others, and once he took this to heart, he began to see his life more clearly and with more optimism.

    Knowing his WHY gave Sinek’s life direction, and he soon found that this confidence was appealing to others.

    This not only applies to people, but also to companies. A case in point is Apple, which has strong competitors offering cheaper products with more features. But Apple’s customers are loyal and inspired by their motto “Think Different,” which perfectly describes their WHY. Customers would rather give money to a business with a progressive identity than save a few bucks buying from a more generic company.

    To see how compelling a strong purpose can be in the marketplace, let’s look at two advertising pitches for a paper company:

    The first one highlights the paper’s superior quality and affordable price; the second one highlights the company’s mission of creating a fine product that allows people to document their ideas and share them with the world. This second pitch is far more compelling and attractive, simply because it explains the company’s WHY.

    Sometimes we need to advertise ourselves as well, especially when we’re in a job interview. When a client of one of the authors named Emily found herself shortlisted for a job and sitting in front of a panel of executives, she was asked what made her unique. This was Emily’s chance to share her WHY, so she spoke about her eagerness to work with others and help people become the best version of themselves.

    With her clear understanding of her WHY, it’s no surprise that Emily got the job.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Find Your WHY?

    Key ideas in Find Your WHY

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Find Your WHY about?

    Find Your WHY (2017) offers something that every person and business is looking for: a true purpose. The authors provide strategies and exercises that individuals and teams alike can use to discover their most powerful motivations, and their reasons for getting up in the morning and starting the workday. This is a useful guide if you’re searching for the right job, trying to hire the right employees or hoping to gain a better understanding of yourself and the people you live and work with.

     “I think understanding your own why – your raison d’être – and ensuring your actions are consistent with it is a big part of long-term happiness and fulfillment.” – Ben H, Head of Content at Blinkist

    Find Your WHY Review

    Find Your WHY (2017) is a guide to discovering your purpose in both your personal and professional life. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • It provides a clear and structured framework for identifying your core values and motivations, helping you understand what truly drives you.
    • The book offers practical exercises and examples to help you unlock your WHY, making it highly actionable and applicable to your own life.
    • With its inspiring stories and insights from real people who have found their WHY, it keeps you engaged and motivated throughout the reading experience.

    Who should read Find Your WHY?

    • Anyone searching for purpose and direction
    • Entrepreneurs in the early stages of launching their businesses
    • Team leaders who want to set ambitious goals

    About the Author

    Simon Sinek is a motivational speaker whose innovative thinking has led him to consult with some of the world’s biggest corporations, including Microsoft and Intel. He is also the best-selling author of the 2009 book Start With WHY: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.

    David Mead is a corporate trainer who has been working with Simon Sinek since 2009. He now runs popular workshops specializing in organizational leadership and motivation. He has helped people on five continents and worked with teams ranging from professional sports squads to governments.

    Peter Docker is a former senior officer in the Royal Air Force, who now works as an in-demand business consultant and a key member of the Start With WHY team. He has played a central role in transforming Simon Sinek’s theories into a practical training manual.

    Categories with Find Your WHY

    Book summaries like Find Your WHY

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    35 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    Find Your WHY FAQs 

    What is the main message of Find Your WHY?

    The main message of Find Your WHY is to discover your purpose and create a fulfilling life.

    How long does it take to read Find Your WHY?

    Reading time for Find Your WHY varies, but our Blinkist summary can be read in just a few minutes.

    Is Find Your WHY a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Find Your WHY is worth a read because it helps you uncover your purpose and live a more meaningful life.

    Who is the author of Find Your WHY?

    The authors of Find Your WHY are Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker.

    What to read after Find Your WHY?

    If you're wondering what to read next after Find Your WHY, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Start With Why by Simon Sinek
    • The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
    • Good to Great by Jim Collins
    • You Owe You by Eric Thomas
    • Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
    • Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
    • How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job by Dale Carnegie
    • Radical Candor by Kim Scott
    • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
    • The Art of Encouragement by Jordan Montgomery