Answering the 'Why'

Most of us know what we do. My father is an engineer, my mother is a doctor, and I am a student. Most of us also know how we do what we do. My father uses computer software to predict the profitability of drilling an oil well, my mother works with other doctors to help cure sick patients, and I sit at my desk, occasionally reading a book or two. But very few of us know why we do what we do.

It is my sincere belief that, in answering the 'Why', we enable ourselves to achieve greater success and become more influential to those around us. 

Let me explain myself. Why is it that Apple earns more profit and has greater influence than its rivals? Why is it that Goldman Sachs is the leading global investment bank? Why is it that Dr Martin Luther King was the person that successfully led the Civil Rights Movement?

My conjecture is that Apple, Goldman Sachs, and Martin Luther King all answered the 'Why' before getting to the 'What' and the 'How'. 

Apple's vision involves challenging the status quo, thinking differently, and being willing to take risks to innovate. In explaining what the company believes, Apple attracts millions of customers who also believe in their vision, and it is primarily for this reason that Apple is able to sell highly and therefore achieve stratospheric levels of profit. 

The same applies for Goldman Sachs. On its website, Goldman Sachs explains 'Who we are' before it explains 'What we do'. By first outlining its principles of achieving diversity, valuing different experiences, and placing the needs of the client first, Goldman Sachs is able to capture the attention and interest of potential clients before explaining the ways in which it could assist such clients.

Martin Luther King, too, explained his vision in his 'I have a dream' speech in the summer of 1963, which resonated with many Americans, including government officials, and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Bill and the Voting Rights Act.

People relate to the 'Why' more than they do to the 'How' or the 'What'. 

Apple, Goldman Sachs, and Dr Martin Luther King are all considered inspiring world leaders because they understand the reality stated above. They appreciate the fact that outlining one's principles and value helps attract others who espouse similar perspectives. 

Moreover, as more and more people are attracted to companies such as Apple and Goldman Sachs, and people such as Martin Luther King, the world changes for the better, literally. We begin to obtain pieces of metal called computers that expose us to a wealth of knowledge; start-ups receive finance that helps facilitate their investments, which fuels economic growth; and we witness ethnic minorities achieve political and legal equality.

If we can answer the 'Why' before the 'How' and the 'What', we will grow in influence, and hence attract a wide range of other enthusiastic and like-minded people to our cause or purpose. Together, great things can be accomplished.