Disclaimer

Currently, I am reading 'Start with Why' by Simon Sinek, and I came across a story that teaches a great lesson. I thought it’s worth sharing, especially as something to keep in mind while looking for your next big break.

Story

In early 1900, Samuel Pierpont Langley was the first man to pilot an airplane. He was a senior officer at the Smithsonian Institution and a math professor who also worked at Harvard. His friends include some of the most powerful people in government and business. He was granted $50,000 from the War Department to develop an airplane. He pulled together some of the best minds of the day and created a team of talent. He had finest material and ample resources. Hence, his success was guaranteed.

On the other side, Wilbur and Orville Wright, with a passion to fly, were working on their own flying machine. They had no function, grants or even high level connections. Moreover, no one in the team had an advanced degree or for that matter, even a college education. The team banded themselves in a humble bicycle shop and on December 17th, 1903, man took flight for the first time.

Reason For Success

Both Langley and the Wright brothers had the same goal and were applying scientific methods. However, the Wright brothers were able to inspire their team. According to the author, they started with why. In other words, they feel for the product and believed in it.

Lesson We Can Learn

When looking for the next big break in your career, whether it’s a new job, a promotion, a startup, or a business venture, it's crucial to connect emotionally with the product, project, or idea you will be working on. While this might not always be feasible at the very start of your career, once you have gained some experience, aim to move towards working on projects or products that fuel your passion.

For instance, you might be a web developer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you will love working on just any web application. If you don’t resonate with the product you are developing, you may struggle to stay motivated. On the other hand, if you genuinely feel connected to the idea behind a project, you will find satisfaction even if you end up working in a different domain like Android development, for example.

The Role of Passion and Purpose

This might be the reason of why people often resign from big-name companies that others aspire to work at. Even though the compensation might be great, after a certain point, financial rewards alone are not enough to keep someone motivated. If there is no emotional connection to the work or its purpose, people lose interest.

But when you align yourself with a project or product you genuinely believe in, compensation becomes secondary. In such cases, going the extra mile on a project doesn’t feel like a burden; it feels like a natural outcome of your passion for the work. Lastly, when a team is this driven, the likelihood of success increases.

Final Words

As you search for your next big opportunity, remember to start with why. Find a project or product that resonates with you on a personal level, and success will follow as a byproduct of your passion and commitment. Let me know your thoughts in the comment.

Citation
I would like to acknowledge that I took help from ChatGPT to structure my blog simplify content and generate relevant examples.