“Passion alone can’t cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.” – Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
The quote captures a critical insight from Sinek’s widely recognized “Golden Circle” framework, which emphasizes that success in organizations and individuals stems not just from knowing their purpose (“Why”), but also from structuring and operationalizing that purpose through actionable strategies (“How”).
Sinek observes that many are inspired by passion and a compelling purpose, but passion by itself is fleeting without the discipline and practical systems that bring it to life. In his view, the most impactful leaders and organizations are those that take their “Why”—the core reason they exist or the cause that drives them—and develop clear, consistent “How” principles, which are the values, processes, or actions that sustain that purpose over time. Without “How,” even the strongest convictions can fizzle, as there’s no reliable way to translate vision into tangible results.
This insight was shaped by Sinek’s own journey. He experienced firsthand the emptiness that can follow when passion is unmoored from structure. During a period of professional dissatisfaction, Sinek began researching why some leaders and organizations consistently outperformed others—not by relying on charismatic personalities or ambitious goals alone, but by embedding their purpose into the very fabric of everything they did. The realization: passion ignites movement, but it is structure that sustains it for the long term.
About Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is a British-American author, motivational speaker, and organizational consultant best known for pioneering the importance of “Why”—a concept that has redefined how leaders and organizations approach purpose, vision, and growth. He rose to international prominence following his 2009 TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” which remains one of the most watched TED Talks.
With several bestselling books, including Start with Why, Leaders Eat Last, and The Infinite Game, Sinek explores how clarity of purpose, authentic communication, and principled leadership forge trust and drive sustained success. His ideas and frameworks, like the Golden Circle, are now staples in leadership development across industries, helping organizations move beyond fleeting passion to build enduring, meaningful impact.
Sinek’s work is a rallying call: to harness passion, leaders must also build the structures and processes—the “How”—that allow purpose to thrive and endure.
