Risk & Business Magazine Miller Insurance Summer 2019 Magazine | Page 18

WHY >> The outer section of the Golden Circle— the WHAT—corresponds to the outer section of the brain—the neocortex. This is the part of the brain responsible for rational and analytical thought. It helps us understand facts and figures, features and benefits. The neocortex is also responsible for language. The middle two sections of the Golden Circle—the WHY and HOW—correspond to the middle section of the brain, the limbic system. This is the part of the brain responsible for all our behavior and decision making. It’s also responsible for all our feelings, like trust and loyalty. But unlike the neocortex, the limbic system has no capacity for language. This is where “gut feelings” come from. It’s not our stomach. It’s a feeling we get about a decision we have to make that we struggle to explain. That separation of powers is the biological reason we sometimes find it difficult to put our feelings into words (“I love you more than words can say”), explain our actions (“The devil made me do it!”) or justify our decisions (“I don’t know ... it just felt right”). We can learn, however, to put words to those feelings. And those who do are the ones who are better able to inspire action in themselves, among their colleagues and with their customers. THE WHY EFFECT Once you understand your WHY, you’ll be able to clearly articulate what makes you feel fulfilled and to better understand what drives your behavior when you’re at your natural best. When you can do that, you’ll have a point of reference for everything you do going forward. You’ll be able to make more intentional choices for your business, your career, and your life. You’ll be able to inspire others to buy from you, work with you, and join your cause. Never again should you have to play the lottery and act on gut decisions that are made for reasons you don’t really understand. From now on, you can work with purpose, on purpose. From now on, you can start with WHY. If we want to feel an undying passion for our work, if we want to feel we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves, we all need to know our WHY. Discover your WHY at: startwithwhy.com/p/why-discovery + 18 This is an edited excerpt that first appeared on Linkedin from "Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Finding Purpose for You and Your Team" by Simon Sinek with David Mead and Peter Docker. Copyright © 2017 by Sinek Partners, LLC.