The Lesson: There are two types of people – those who see what they want, and those who see what stands in the way of what they want. Which type of person are you? This is just one of the questions that leadership expert Simon Sinek challenges you to get real about. Because when it comes to making real change in your life – you have to start with yourself. Why do you get up in the morning? How do you embody the vision you have for your life? And what value are you bringing to the table?

Notable Excerpt: “A journalist once asked [Nelson Mandela] how it is he came to be such a great leader – and he said that when he was a kid, he remembered going to tribal meetings with his father. And he remembers two things: one, they would always sit in a circle, and two, his father would always be the last to speak. And I think that that is a better way of framing the phrase ‘be a better listener’; it’s practicing being the last person to speak. So often, well-intentioned leaders walk into a meeting and say “okay guys, here’s the problem, here’s what I think we should do, but I’m going to listen to what you have to say.” It’s too late, right? There’s a skill set that comes from when everybody else is speaking, you don’t agree or disagree or give away what you’re thinking – but rather, you take input and you ask questions to better understand where their perspective comes from. And at the end of it, not only do you make everyone else feel heard, but you also get the benefit of all of their thinking.”

The Speaker: Simon Sinek is the marketing consultant, bestselling author, motivational speaker, and critically-acclaimed mastermind behind Start With Why: an organization made up of other business moguls dedicated to helping others find their passion and leadership stride. His TED talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Others, has been ranked as their third most popular talk of all time. Sinek is the author of several groundbreaking bestsellers, such as “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” and “Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team”.

The Host: Tony Robbins is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, life coach, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. The California-based strategist has become such an influential lecturer, over 4 million people have attended his live seminars. Tony has personally interviewed 50 of the world’s most brilliant financial minds to write the book “MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom”. All of the book’s proceeds are donated to charities that feed the hunger, and it is available for free, excluding the cost of shipping.

PodcastThe Tony Robbins podcast is available for free on Spotify and iTunes. You can also find more of his longer motivational programs on his website. Additionally, Simon Senek’s “Start With Why” podcast, which is hosted by the organization’s own David Mead and Stephen Shedletzky, is available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Books: Robbins is the author of “Awaken the Giant Within,” “Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook”, “Money: Master the Game”, and “Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement”.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below) – Feature photo by Astro_Matt, CC

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