55+ Simon Sinek Quotes: Leading with Purpose

There is no decision that we can make that doesn’t come with some sort of balance or sacrifice.

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

Leadership is always about people.

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.

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

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

The cost of leadership is self-interest.

Leadership is not a rank or a position, it is a choice – a choice to look after the person to the left of us & the person to the right of us.

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

Most of us live our lives by accident—we live as it happens. Fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose.

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.

Leaders are the ones who have the courage to go first, to put themselves at personal risk to open a path for others to follow.

Panic causes tunnel vision. Calm acceptance of danger allows us to assess the situation and see the options.

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

Stress and anxiety at work have less to do with the work we do and more to do with weak management and leadership.

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

Too many people confuse being rich or famous with being a leader. Wealth and fame are byproducts, not qualifications to lead.

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

A star wants to see herself rise to the top. A leader wants to see those around her become stars.

Great leaders don’t need to act tough. Their confidence and humility serve to underscore their toughness.

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.

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

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

Like a good parent can’t also be his child’s best friend, a leader with authority requires some separation from subordinates.

Under poor leaders, we feel like we work for the company. With good leaders, we feel like we work for each other.

Though there are lessons that can be learned about becoming a great leader, most exist inherently in the bellies of those who lead.

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

Bad leaders believe that they have to project control at all times.

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

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

Trust is not formed through a screen, it is formed across a table. It takes a handshake to bind humans . . . and no technology yet can replace that. There is no such thing as virtual trust.

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

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.

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

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

Whether individuals or organizations, we follow those who lead not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead not for them, but for ourselves.

Spending too much time focused on others’ strengths leaves us feeling weak. Focusing on our own strengths is what, in fact, makes us strong.

The trick to balance is to not make sacrificing important things become the norm.

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

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

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.

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

Culture is strong when people work with each other, for each other. A culture is weak when people work against each other, for themselves.

The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

If you want to feel happy, do something for yourself. If you want to feel fulfilled, do something for someone else.

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

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

Corporate culture matters. How management chooses to treat its people impacts everything – for better or for worse.

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

Integrity is when our words and deeds are consistent with our intentions.

Humility, I have learned, must never be confused with meekness. Humility is being open to the ideas of others.

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

The big picture doesn’t just come from a distance; it also comes from time.

We are not victims of our situation.

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

I find, when you’re an optimist, life has a funny way of looking after you.

The most basic human desire is to feel like you belong. Fitting in is important.

If you have the opportunity to do amazing things in your life, I strongly encourage you to invite someone to join you.

I don’t enjoy eating humble pie; it never tastes good. But I do appreciate it when it happens.

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

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

Nike doesn’t want to make products for everyone – they want to make products for champions.

I find, when you’re an optimist, life has a funny way of looking after you.

Hire people inspired to achieve something big over people who demand something big before they feel inspired.

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

If you can clearly articulate the dream or the goal, start.

There is a difference between working together and working in the same office.

If no one ever broke the rules, then we’d never advance.

Babe Ruth was not afraid to strike out. And it was this fearlessness that contributed to his remarkable career.

If no one ever broke the rules, then we’d never advance.

When we lead with an infinite mindset in an infinite game, it leads to all kinds of problems, the most common of which include the decline of trust, cooperation, and innovation.

A friend is an emotional bond, just like friendship is a human experience.

If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat, and tear.

Sometimes spending time with someone who is perceived as ‘successful’ can make us feel less successful.

There is a difference between vulnerability and telling people everything about yourself. Vulnerability is a feeling. Telling everyone about yourself is just facts and details.

It’s always the organizations that are resource constrained that come up with the good ideas to win.

At well-led companies, people talk about the strength of the values. At poorly led companies, people complain about the pay & benefits.

At the end of the day, humans are social animals and we are at our best when we get to do things with others who appreciate and enjoy what we enjoy. It’s what keeps us human.

We live in times of high stress. Messages that are simple, messages that are inspiring, messages that are life-affirming, are a welcome break from our real lives.

A boss wants to pay for results, an employee wants recognition for effort. If a boss recognizes effort, they will get even better results.

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.

I know there’s a difference between being successful and feeling successful. And if you ask me if I feel successful, the honest answer is ‘not yet.’

Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.

Anyone can sell products by dropping their prices, but it does not breed loyalty.

Some would argue that you’re as successful as the company you keep. Certainly, there is a connection between our friends and who we are.

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

Most of us live our lives by accident—we live as it happens. Fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose.

A sour corporate culture can actually make an entire society unhappy. This means that a strong corporate culture can have a positive impact on society.

The lives we live are a bit of a straight-hair vs. curly-hair thing. We often want what we don’t have. In reality, it’s not about better or worse; it’s just perception.

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

I like stories of the classic hero, of good versus evil, the ones in which the good guys wear white and the bad guys wear black… and I love a good sword fight.

There is a difference between giving directions and giving directions.

There are two types of claims: those based on hard numbers and those based on slippery numbers.