My Why

So, I've actually been reading "Start With Why" (usually, I go to these lectures, get the book, then put it up on the shelf to gather some dust!).  It's not like Mr. Sinek says anything that you don't already sort of know, it's just that he is so good at articulating and explaining these concepts in a coherent and useful way.  For example, Chapter 5 is about Clarity, Discipline, and Consistency.  He talks first about having a clarity of why -- you really need to know why you do what you do.  Then, he has you focus on the discipline of how -- once you know why you do what you do, then you need to figure out how to do it.  Then, it's all about the consistency of what -- the why is your belief, the how is the action you are going to take to realize your belief, then the what is the result of your actions, everything you say and do.

I remember growing up my mom used to always say "if you don't have your health, you don't have anything."  So, I've always believed that you have to try to take actions to stay healthy, and, if you do, you can have anything else that you want.  My why for MCG then is to promote health.  How?  By finding or creating things that enhance a person's health and wellbeing.  For total health, you have to work on the health of the mind, body, and spirit.  The what?  Products that are geared towards mind, body, spirit, ... and crochet!  I really believe the crochet part covers all three aspects of health -- it's very meditative and relaxing to crochet, it's a physical activity, and the fruits of your labor can be shared in so many giving and charitable ways.

I'll be back with more insights into Mr. Sinek's book, but grab a copy for yourself, it will really keep you engaged and make you think!

Start With Why

I attended the best author reading yesterday.  Simon Sinek spoke about his book "Start With Why, How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to take Action."  Again, he was easy on the eyes :-) but his message truly is so important.  I've talked here about vision and how to formulate your own message, but really, the first step is to ask yourself "why?"  Why do you get up everyday?  Why do you love certain things?  Hard to articulate, right?!  That's because the why of our lives often comes from gut feelings and visceral reactions, which can be so hard to put into words.  But that's exactly what Mr. Sinek tries to do.  By giving examples of people and companies who are successful because they are able to capture and communicate their whys, Mr. Sinek helps articulate the true meaning behind business buzz phrases like "find your passion" and "being an authentic leader."  Definitely worth picking up.