Look, the whole “The why is not about making money” idea from Sinek is a game-changer. It flips the entire script on how we think about success. It’s not that money doesn’t matter, it’s about the order of operations.
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Meaning
The core message is simple but profound: Purpose drives profit, not the other way around. Money is an output, not an input.
Explanation
Here’s the thing I’ve seen over and over. When you make money the primary goal, you’re building on shaky ground. You’ll make short-term decisions. You’ll chase trends. But when you start with a powerful “Why”—a genuine belief in the problem you’re solving or the change you’re making—you build something magnetic. You attract the right people, the loyal customers, the employees who will go to bat for you. And that, my friend, is what sustainably generates revenue. It’s a byproduct of doing meaningful work well.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3890) |
| Category | Wealth (107) |
| Topics | meaning (52), money (27), purpose (190) |
| Literary Style | concise (418), didactic (372) |
| Emotion / Mood | motivating (321), rational (68) |
| Overall Quote Score | 83 (302) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes straight from the 2017 book “Find Your Why” by Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker. It’s a practical follow-up to Sinek’s famous “Start With Why” concept. You sometimes see this idea misattributed to other business gurus, but its home is definitely in Sinek’s body of work.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Simon Sinek (207) |
| Source Type | Book (4252) |
| Source/Book Name | Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team (59) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1891) |
| Original Language | English (3890) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4252) |
Author Bio
Simon Sinek champions a leadership philosophy rooted in purpose, trust, and service. He started in advertising, then founded Sinek Partners and gained global attention with his TED Talk on the Golden Circle. He advises companies and the military, writes bestselling books, and hosts the podcast “A Bit of Optimism.” The Simon Sinek book list features Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together Is Better, Find Your Why, and The Infinite Game. He speaks worldwide about building strong cultures, empowering people, and leading for the long term.
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram | YouTube
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | The why is not about making money. It’s about meaning. Money is the result |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2017; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 978-0143111726; Last edition: Portfolio Penguin 2017; Number of pages: 256 |
| Where is it? | Chapter 4: Communicating Your Why; Approximate page from 2017 edition |