Why, How, What: The System That Unlocks Purpose + 5 Superhuman Signals
Leveraging the Golden Circle for Success
⚡ Quick Takeaways
Most people live from the outside in — obsessed with what they do, unclear on why.
The Golden Circle flips it: start with Why, then How, then What.
Action Step: Write your Why in one sentence. Then ask: does your How and What align?
Read the full essay for the story + principles. Scroll to the bottom for this week’s Superhuman Signals.
The Golden Circle: Rediscovering Why
You ever wake up and feel like you’re already behind?
The to-do list barking. The notifications buzzing.
And in the quiet moment before your feet hit the floor, you wonder: Why am I even doing this?
That’s the silent trap of modern life.
We start with What — the tasks, the job title, the grind.
We maybe stumble into How — the habits and methods that keep us afloat.
But few of us ever stop to anchor in Why.
And without Why, life feels like running fast on a treadmill that goes nowhere. Efficient, but empty.
Simon Sinek popularized this idea with his Golden Circle. He explained why Apple inspires movements while other computer companies fade: Apple doesn’t lead with What. They lead with Why. They believe in challenging the status quo. Their How is design and user experience. Their What just happens to be computers, phones, music players.
But here’s the part Sinek didn’t say outright: the Golden Circle is bigger than marketing. It’s spiritual. It’s psychological. It’s systemic.
Scripture says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Psychology says: without a coherent story, the brain fragments.
Systems thinking says: if the center is undefined, the structure collapses.
Your Why is the center.
Your How is the scaffolding.
Your What is the fruit.
Why This Matters for Superhuman Systems
Being (Faith + Meaning): If your Why isn’t rooted in something eternal, no success will fill you.
Body (Self Systems): Without Why, discipline feels like punishment instead of devotion.
Bridge (Expression): When you lead with Why, your words cut through noise.
Bonds (Relationships): Shared Why turns marriages into missions instead of negotiations.
Business (Impact): Companies that only know their What burn out. Companies with a Why endure.
Your Turn…
Personal: Write your Why in one sentence. Place it on your desk.
Relational: Ask your spouse, “What do you think is our Why as a couple?”
Business: Check your website or pitch deck. Is Why front and center, or buried under What?
Start with Why, and the How and What will order themselves. Start with What, and you’ll always feel like something’s missing.
📡 Superhuman Signals
This week’s most powerful signals for your OS, one per domain:
Being → The Science of Awe – Research shows awe lowers stress and increases joy. Translation: worship and wonder aren’t optional — they’re survival.
Body → The Sleep-Decision Link – Six hours of sleep impairs judgment like two drinks. Order your rest if you want clarity.
Bridge → Pixar’s Brainstorming Rules – Creative systems that generate breakthroughs, not chaos.
Bonds → Weekly Marriage Check-In – A 15-min ritual that prevents recurring arguments. Small systems = long-term trust.
Business → Apple’s Why-First Marketing – A modern case study in the Golden Circle applied to business impact.
💡 Prompt of the Week
Drop this into ChatGPT, Claude, or your favorite LLM
Prompt:
Role: You are a clarity coach.
Task: Help me uncover my Why, How, and What.My goal is to uncover my Golden Circle. Ask me questions that clarify my Why (purpose), How (methods/values), and What (actions/results). Output in a 3-column table.
I hope this helped, and if it did, forward it to 3 friends who want clarity and order in their life and business.
All Systems Go,
Matt