While recently sitting on the main deck of the villa at Encuentro Guadalupe, which is situated among boulders on a secluded hillside overlooking the rapidly expanding wine-growing region of Baja California's Valle de Gaudalupe, a guy named Luke asked me a question. The question was timely; it was innocent and the look on Luke's face convinced me that he was genuinely interested in my work, so I answered him. The question Luke asked me was, "Why do you want to write a book?"
You see, I have asked myself that very question countless times and I have answered it to myself each time, but I have never answered it publicly - I have never heard myself answer it out loud. So when Luke asked me, I was surprised to hear myself say, "You know... that's a GREAT question! I don't know." What! I don't know? That's not how I have answered that question in my head nor was it what I expected to hear myself say. As disappointed as I was, my day went on and I managed to let go of the thought.
It wasn't until the next day while I was comfortably sitting at the kitchen table of the villa with my legs propped up on a chair reading Simon Sinek's, Start With Why - How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action that the weight of my inability to answer Luke hit me like a ton of bricks. In his book, Simon shares with us that most, if not everyone, can explain WHAT they do; some can explain HOW they are different or better; but very few can clearly articulate WHY. He goes on to say, WHY is not about money or profit - those are results. WHY is the thing that inspires us and inspires those around us.
Interesting. Without knowing it, I was one of the many who could not (or did not) clearly articulate WHY.
Like most, I explained WHAT I was doing (writing a book) and HOW our approach to writing the book was different and more effective than others (or so I believed), but what I failed to do was make the emotional connection to WHY. WHY am I writing a book? WHY is a belief or a cause that is self-gratifying. WHY is a purpose. WHY is all you need.
"Why am I writing a book?"
I am writing a book to make an impact - to inspire others to make the changes they have always wanted to make, but have not had the courage to try; to show people that it is OK to try even if you do not know where to begin; to prove you can accomplish anything you want if you are willing to make the commitment and sacrifices needed to see it through; I am writing a book because I can.
You see, I have asked myself that very question countless times and I have answered it to myself each time, but I have never answered it publicly - I have never heard myself answer it out loud. So when Luke asked me, I was surprised to hear myself say, "You know... that's a GREAT question! I don't know." What! I don't know? That's not how I have answered that question in my head nor was it what I expected to hear myself say. As disappointed as I was, my day went on and I managed to let go of the thought.
It wasn't until the next day while I was comfortably sitting at the kitchen table of the villa with my legs propped up on a chair reading Simon Sinek's, Start With Why - How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action that the weight of my inability to answer Luke hit me like a ton of bricks. In his book, Simon shares with us that most, if not everyone, can explain WHAT they do; some can explain HOW they are different or better; but very few can clearly articulate WHY. He goes on to say, WHY is not about money or profit - those are results. WHY is the thing that inspires us and inspires those around us.
Interesting. Without knowing it, I was one of the many who could not (or did not) clearly articulate WHY.
Like most, I explained WHAT I was doing (writing a book) and HOW our approach to writing the book was different and more effective than others (or so I believed), but what I failed to do was make the emotional connection to WHY. WHY am I writing a book? WHY is a belief or a cause that is self-gratifying. WHY is a purpose. WHY is all you need.
"Why am I writing a book?"
I am writing a book to make an impact - to inspire others to make the changes they have always wanted to make, but have not had the courage to try; to show people that it is OK to try even if you do not know where to begin; to prove you can accomplish anything you want if you are willing to make the commitment and sacrifices needed to see it through; I am writing a book because I can.
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