Start with Why

Mixed feelings

The idea at the core of the book is quite good, and as many good things, quite simple. Personally I don't think the concept needs 7 hours to explain - more suitable for a 30 minute keynote presentation. Examples get repeated over and over again... And these examples elaborate too much on the dead obvious visionary characters like Steve Jobs etc. Is there inspiration and is there a "why" beyond the global mega corporations and brands? I am sure there is...
I would have liked to hear more about how one can explore his/her "internal why" and how to bring it to life in what they do... But I guess reality is it's for each individual to explore for himself... Therefore only 3 stars...

19 of 19 people found this review helpful

Repetitive, annoying and lacking in substance

Having seen the Ted talk I was intrigued to learn more about Simon Sinek's ideas and to understand how to convert them into my own "why". Turns out there was nothing more than to it and I could have stopped at 10 minutes rather than spending 10 hours listening to the book.

Nothing is offered in the way of practical advice; in fact the section on "how" people v "why" people effectively tells you to give up if you're not a natural "why". Hardly inspirational.

The same examples are trotted out again and again with very little difference in the messages. In fact I struggled to understand what the difference was between most chapters.

To top it all off he has an incredibly annoying delivery style. You can't really hold his accent against him but it is a quite bizarre mix of New York and Home Counties England, rounded off with an overly theatrical flair.

Not recommended I'm afraid

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

Simon l, I expected more, a lot more

It seems as if Simon has taken his TED talk and put it in the book
He clearly loves apple, and Martin Luther King
Literally you can skip the first six hours as it is compilation of his love for Apple and ted talk. He even uses the same sentence
Sorry Simon

25 of 29 people found this review helpful

Devoid of useful content

Just waffles on about the principle of starting with why then repeats over and over without really providing any more value

15 of 18 people found this review helpful

A Stunning Simple Concept Lost in Todays World

If you could sum up Start with Why in three words, what would they be?

Life Changing Simplicity

What was one of the most memorable moments of Start with Why?

The moment i realised that this simple concept can be applied to almost everything you do and say. How did i get to 30 and not realise / be told this.

What does Simon Sinek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I always enjoy listening to books more than reading them

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If i could of done then yes

Any additional comments?

Take this concept and introduce it to your company / school / organisation, you will be classed a hero!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Just OK - nothing more

it's an OK book, with simple and high-ish moments but no real depth to the key messages. Also feels like an Apple advert. I am Apple fan but almost felt it was a sponsored book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

inspirational but repetitive and streched

Simon says in 6 hours what he could've said in 1 hour. I completely agree with his point but it sort of feels like he keeps repeating the same arguments and over using examples (specially Apple). it's also not too practical imo.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

It just goes on and on

What did you like best about Start with Why? What did you like least?

The main idea behind Start with Why - that purpose is what drives individuals, rather than the What or How - is a profound idea. It's a real eye-opener for anyone looking at their business with a critical eye.

What could Simon Sinek have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

First, to re-iterate: starting with why is a profound idea, and this is an important book. That right there is high praise. Just so that you can put the below into context.The main problem with the book is that it's a 7 hour snoozefest of examples and re-iteration of the same idea. The idea and main concept are pretty clear after hour 1. The examples get tiresome after hour 2. And then I spent the remaining 5 hours expecting a big payoff at the end in the form of some ideas on how to explore the "Why" at my company / personal life / whatever it is I want to find the purpose for. No such luck - so the in the end I felt like I had been cheated out of 5 hours because, well, a hardcover self-helper just has to have 200 pages if it's going to sell, and, well, the audiobook has to have the same content.In other words, I would have happily paid the same sum to have this book shortened by 70%. And I'd gladly pay for the follow-up. I also suggest that the follow-up should be called "How to get to Why"...

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Always nice to hear the author himself.

Was Start with Why worth the listening time?

No. See above.

Any additional comments?

Still, a good listen. Just listen to it at 1.5x and skip 30s whenever you feel like you're treading water.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

boring and repetitive

I personally found this book boring rather than thought provoking. I'm pleased it was only £2 in the daily deal. one to avoid...

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

So simple

But so effective - an inspirational read packed with stuff I can and will apply today.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful