WHY-Method

Methods Monday: The WHY Method – Making Your WHY Visible

The beginning of the year invites many people to pause and look ahead. New goals take shape, intentions are formulated, ideas are sorted. Before things become concrete, however, one essential step is worth taking: gaining clarity about your own WHY.

This is exactly where the WHY Method comes in. It helps to make meaning, motivation, and inner direction visible – as a solid foundation for decisions and goals that are not only planned, but truly lived.

What Is the WHY Method?

The WHY Method was developed by author and speaker Simon Sinek and became widely known through his book Start with Why and the accompanying workbook Find Your Why.

At its core is the idea that our WHY is the driving force behind our actions:

• the reason we get up in the morning

• why we commit to certain goals

• and why people or organizations build trust and create lasting impact

Sinek shows that individuals and organizations who know their WHY and communicate it clearly often experience greater and more sustainable success, stronger loyalty, and deeper inner motivation.

The WHY – Meaning, Contribution, and Impact

The WHY is not a goal and not a to-do list. It describes the inner drive from which goals become meaningful in the first place.

At its core, it revolves around questions such as:

• What contribution do I want to make?

• What impact should my actions have?

• What do I believe in when I do what I do?

Especially in phases when new goals emerge – for example at the beginning of a year – this kind of clarity can offer orientation before concrete steps are defined.

The Golden Circle: WHY – HOW – WHAT

To illustrate the WHY Method, Simon Sinek uses the so-called Golden Circle, which describes three levels of our actions:

WHAT – What do we do?What is the visible result of our actions?

HOW – How do we do it?Which values, skills, or attitudes shape our way?

WHY – Why do we do what we do?What contribution do we want to make – and what do we believe in?

What matters most is the direction of thinking:The WHY Method invites us to think from the inside out – from WHY, through HOW, to WHAT.

WHY, HOW, and the Way We Think

Another aspect of the Golden Circle is its connection to neurobiology:

• WHY and HOW primarily address the limbic system – the part of the brain responsible for emotions, motivation, and decision-making.

• WHAT is anchored in the neocortex, where language, numbers, and rational explanations are processed.

This explains why decisions are often made emotionally and only later justified logically – and why a clear WHY can be so powerful.

Using the WHY Method in Coaching

In coaching, the WHY Method can serve as an orientation framework to gain inner clarity – especially when decisions are pending or new goals are taking shape.How and whether it is used always depends on the individual concern.

Why This Method Is So Effective

The WHY Method:

• connects meaning and action

• strengthens intrinsic motivation

• supports clear decision-making

• provides a solid foundation for values work and goal setting

• creates sustainable impact rather than short-term effects

It offers orientation from within – not as an external guideline, but as inner clarity.

Who Is the WHY Method For?

The method is particularly suitable for:

• people in phases of reflection or decision-making

• leaders and self-employed professionals

• teams and organizations

• anyone who wants to align goals more consciously and authentically

Conclusion

Before goals are defined in concrete terms, one fundamental question is worth asking: Why?The WHY Method helps align this inner compass. It creates meaning, clarity, and direction – and can become a conscious starting point from which values and goals emerge organically.

If you would like to explore your own WHY or align your goals accordingly, I would be happy to support you.

Get in touch for a non-binding introductory conversation or learn more about my coaching work.

Yours, Johanna