'Why are we friends?' | A Quick Way to #StartWithWHY

Simon created the "Friends Exercise" because our friends can help us articulate our greater purpose in life. If you're looking to start your WHY journey, try it out and let us know how it goes!

Video from ServiceNow, January 2024, in conversation with Vanessa Smith

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.

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Simon’s books:

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#SimonSinek

[logiebear]

I found out why my best man was friends with me only during his speech. Said when we were early teens his granda was dying of cancer and I was there every day with him just distracting him from that by meeting up every day that summer to play sports. Never even occurred to me.

[Vitaliuz]

Friends - are people who know you very well, but still love you.

[bridgettecoffey]

I asked my boyfriend once why he loved me. I wasn’t trying to get him to praise me but I always genuinely felt I was never good enough for him. His response was I’m the only person who’s ever really understood him and makes him feel comfortable and no stress when we’re together. He said once I was in his life, he finally felt he had a purpose and meaning in life.

[acxezknightnite]

When my husband left me and our two boys for another woman, I was utterly devastated. It was in that time that some people I thought of as close friends backed away, and some people whom I thought were mere acquaintances bowled me over with kindness.

[monty]

I asked my closest friend, he gave me the honest truth. I was the first person he met at school.
Now I'm crying.

[luvdancesalsa]

Everyone’s why is the SAME.

We are friends with people that give us the opportunity to help them feel good about themselves. They do this for us. When we inspire, we are inspired. When we give, we get. When we help others, we help ourselves.

[chiqui]

I have this friend whos always there for me and one day i wonder why...and she said when she was so low i was the only person who was there for her. She had a failed suicide attempt before knowing me ans I helped her out of it without me knowing. And now shes there for me too. Blessed are the people who have friends like this

[Leojess]

My best friend, I asked him this when I was at the lowest point in my life. I felt like a burden. He paused for just a moment and said "Not really sure man. I just like you." that was 11 years ago and we still best buds.

[Zphora]

Friends are people that accept you through ur best and worst moments. All the versions of u as time goes on. They want nothing from you but to be a part of your life❤

[ir.a.]

Yesterday, I asked a friend who is living with me and my family, why isn't he with his family? They drove down the day before. He said "I am with my family". There was love and truth there. You could feel it. We hugged. I feel like crying as I write this, Lol

[lynettejohnson]

When the person makes one feel seen, heard, and valued.

[ChristineMHodgson]

During lockdown I did a virtual goal setting workshop for a new planner I has ordered, and had to ask my 5 closest friends how they would describe me, what they would say my 3 greatest strengths and 3 greatest weaknesses are, and what makes me unique, special, or different from most of the other people they know.

The five very long conversations those "quick questions" (and my own answers for each of them) led to that day were easily the most profoundly impactful, vulnerable, eye opening, and heart and soul baring conversations any of us have ever had. Each interaction was like meeting a whole new person I never knew before, and vice versa, even after no less than 15 years, and up to 30 years, of EXTREMELY close friendship by anyone's measure with each of them. I never would have thought a free virtual planner workshop could make six grown ass adults cry so much 😂. Ever since then my friends and I have made it an unspoken point to tell each other those things a lot more regularly. It's life changing to feel that kind of love and support and value.

[rakshpatel]

True friendship is rare, its beautiful.

[mary_syl]

Not sure I wanna dissect my friendships like that 😂 Sometimes it's okay to let magic be magic.

[ceceliadavis]

Aside from family, I did have 1 really, really wonderful, little friend, who I also considered part of our family. He loved me unconditionally for who I was. I never had reason to doubt his faithfulness. He was my companion every single day. He would be at the door waiting to greet me when I came home, so happy to see me. That is the way he treated everyone in our family.
It broke my heart when he died three months ago. I miss his presence every single day and grieve over him. I never fully realized until after he was gone, how big a part of my life he was, how important to me. He is irreplaceable. He was such a sweet little dog and we were his family, his everything. When you have a dog you belong to them and they belong to you. Dogs love the family they live with and they deserve to be loved and cared for in return. I will miss him always. Love never dies.

[earthwormjim]

I asked my buddy who’s been one of my closest friends since college about 14 years ago. He said, “cuz you don’t ask me weird shit like that, call in the damn Hellbomb already, you creep.”

[dleehargis]

My students nominated me for teacher of the month, and they had to write why they were nominating me, OMG, the things they wrote about how I made them feel, I started crying and this has always been the reason why I love teaching.

[Nightbird.]

I lost my best friend..my only friend..30 years ago from kidney disease. She loved me unconditionally..and I have never found another like her. Nor have any friends today. If you have a friend like this..cherish them.

[eponymoususer]

We’ve been best friends for more than 20 years. I didn’t need to ask. It just came up on its own . When we reunited after 10 years on the phone, she said it perfectly: “our sparks recognize each other.”
That’s why we’re friends. Some of my most cherished words.

[GigiHabibi]

I asked my best friend who taught him how to be such a wonderful friend and he said…you did. 🌿